Friends of the Main Library of St. Augustine welcomes author Ann Colby to discuss her book, Wicked St. Augustine, a treasure-trove of lurid tales from the Ancient City. Traditional histories of St. Augustine's founding in 1565 fail to mention the gambling, liquor, and ladies for hire that were exported to the New World with the original expedition of Pedro Menendez de Aviles. For the next four hundred years, these three industries proved vital in keeping the city financially afloat, as St. Augustine's madams, bootleggers, and high-rollers, with the cooperation of law enforcement and politicians, helped create a destination where wealthy tourists could bring their families for a wholesome vacation, while still being able to indulge in almost every sort of vice. Join us as we learn about some of the spots not listed on the standard tourist map: hidden-in-plain sight bordellos, speakeasies, casinos, and even the occasional opium den!

Ann Colby has been a Florida resident since 1960. She grew up in Orlando, and attended the University of Florida, where she received her bachelor's degree in religion in 1973, and graduated from University of Florida Law School in 1976. After serving as a local government counsel for forty-two years in the Central Florida area, she and her husband retired to St. Augustine in 2016, a city she visited many times over the course of her life in Florida. She now spends her time doing historical research on arcane topics, working for Central Florida Pug Rescue, conducting Wicked tours for Spyglass Travel, and otherwise doing exactly as she pleases.