Author Amy Woods Shares the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure in her latest book

By Megan Fitzgerald, PhD

Amy Woods has spent years reporting on Palm Beach County but even she found surprises while writing Secret Palm Beach: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. The book peels back the manicured image of wealth and luxury to reveal the stories just beneath the surface.

Woods, who also wrote 100 Things to Do in Jupiter Before You Die, says as a longtime journalist in the area, her background made the project a natural fit.

“I’ve covered almost everything imaginable, so I know a lot of things that maybe other people don’t,” she says. “I was really nervous and didn’t know that I could live up to what I call a very provocative title. But I think I did, and I learned some things as well.”

Among her discoveries: “That John Lennon and Yoko Ono owned a home on Palm Beach. I didn’t know that they were fixing it up to move into it the year that he got shot, so they never actually lived there because he died.”

For Woods, “secret” doesn’t necessarily mean hidden.

“Secret is not necessarily just secrets. It’s more about the story behind the story,” she says.

That approach allows her to explore Palm Beach beyond its glossy reputation.

“Palm Beach just has some offbeat stuff that’s going on around it,” Woods says. “I think it brings another dimension to the palm trees and the Ferraris.”

Though the book uncovers unexpected figures and little-known histories — from fashion icons to the kind of Worth Avenue lore you might walk past without noticing — Woods says her goal is less about shock and more about curiosity.

“In every place, there’s things to discover. Things that are just beneath the surface, just around the corner, that can open their eyes and make them smile or giggle or be amazed.”