Lecture Series

The Friends of the Key West Library are proud to introduce leading figures in the world of books, art, and ideas. Programs take place on Monday nights from January through March at the Studios of Key West's historic armory building, 600 White Street. Admission is free and seating begins at 5:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis with the programs starting promptly at 6:00 p.m.

Learn more about upcoming speakers on our blog.

2013 Friends of the Key West Library Lecture Series Schedule

January 2013

  • Jan. 14: Brenda Wineapple is the esteemed author of books on Emily Dickinson and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Her lecture ties in with the 2013 Key West Literary Seminar topic, "Writers on Writers."
  • Jan. 21: Biographer Brad Gooch will discuss the many challenges of writing about literary figures such as Flannery O'Connor and Frank O'Hara. His latest subject is the Sufi poet Rumi.
  • Jan. 28: Kristen Paige-Madonia writes compelling fiction for young adults. She'll talk about the path to getting published and read from her highly praised first novel, Fingerprints of You.

February 2013

  • Feb. 4: Tom Corcoran will read from his newest mystery set in the bustling streets and secret lanes of Key West. Fans always have fun tracing the locales as the tricky plot heats up.
  • Feb. 11: Popular sportswriter and NPR commentator, Frank Deford, has written an engrossing memoir, Over Time, which recalls famous athletes and historic events during his remarkable career.
  • Feb. 18: Cultural historian David Garrard Lowe presents a lecture with slides titled, "The Great Ocean Liners: From Early Packets to the Glories of the Queen Mary and Normandie."
  • Feb. 25: Francine DuPlessix-Gray reads from her compelling novel, The Queen's Lover, based on the real life love affair between the Swedish count Axel von Fersen and Marie Antoinette.

March 2013

  • Mar. 4: Paul Hendrickson will read from and talk about his recent best-seller Hemingway's Boat, in which Papa holds forth and the colorful years on Whitehead Street are of special interest.
  • Mar. 11: Lou Harris, the dean of American pollsters, offers his annual political forecast. His insider's take on events in Washington and around the globe is always informative.
  • Mar. 18: Metal sculptor John Martini makes magical, enigmatic figures in artfully cut steel. He'll show slides and talk about technique, new directions and influences from favorite artists.