The Czarina of Florida

Ida Alice Shourds knew all that glittered might not be gold. A former stage actress, she understood reality was all about perspective. She was determined to upset the stodgy point of view of society...at all costs. And with Henry Flagler’s vast wealth, the costs would be high. Exposing the tarnish behind the Gilded Age, “The Czarina of Florida” follows the tale of Henry Flagler and his incendiary life with his second wife, Alice. Outcast as a working-class novelty among new money robber barons, Alice married the most eligible bachelor of the day and proceeded to try to spend her way into the good graces of American society. Set in the late 19th century, “The Czarina of Florida” steams through the beginning of a railroad empire, weaves through mazes of New York business dealings and witnesses the rise of destination resorts flooding the backwaters of Florida. Instead of changing the ideals of those around her, Alice descends into a world of madness and loneliness, heartbreak and retaliation, all while indulging in Henry Flagler’s frenzy of development. Going beyond the borders of historical accounts, “The Czarina of Florida” details the forgotten woman accused of insanity by one of the most powerful men of the time – her husband.