Miami, U.S.A.

In this handsome updated edition which brings back to print a 1953 title, environmental journalist Muir reviews in broad strokes and anecdote-studded prose the turbulent last four decades for Miami, stressing the heterogeneity that has given the city its unique character. The author observes the encroachments of big business, the military and retirees on Miami's neighborhoods. She investigates the teeming street life of refugees, most notably Cubans who have turned Miami into the ``capital of South America,'' enriching the city but also contributing to racial tension and drug-related crime. The book should have wide local appeal. Photos. (Sept.)