The Key West Reader: The Best of the Key Wests Writers 1830-1990

by George Murphy (Editor)

Over the past century, the island city of Key West has been home to many Pulitzer Prize Winners and other esteemed Erenest Hemingway, Tennesse Williams, John Hersey, Tom McGuane, Phil Caputo, James Merrill, Elizabeth Bishop, Richard Wilbur, and Hunter S. Thompson, to name just a few. Here, for the first time, an anthology which celebrates the literary heritage of Key the island seen through the eyes of twenty-five of its most renowned writers.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories

230 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Chris Boette]

Once again, I found myself in the library. Poking around for graphic novels, er, research, this book caught my eye. The Conch Republic had been on my mind, so I checked it out. This turned out to be one of my best unplanned picks from the shelves. The key aspect of this book was exposure. I read authors I hadn't heard of, or only glanced over in high school. Dos Passos and Crane stood out as real gems, HST and Hemingway were in perfect form. Even the stories about women whining were masterful. And on top of all of this, never ever have I wanted to go fishing as badly as I did when reading this collection. That alone warrants serious consideration.

[M. Cornelis van der Weele IV]

It's not that book is poorly written or unenjoyable. It is an omnibus, though, and as a result, some pieces detract while the others add. The strong parts are *very* strong while the weak bits, consisting mostly of poetry, don't add much.

[Lynne]

George Murphy spoke to our tour group in Key West, so had to read his book. Really amazing how many writers have lived or passed through there. It introduced me to some I didn't know much about.

[Robin Tobin (On the back porch reading)]

Love short stories that make you crave more!

[Ohiorachel Cavanaugh]

There are many famous writers who have dwelled in the Keys, this book gives a wonderful feel for the Keys. I especially enjoyed "The Open Boat' by Stephen Crane

[Missy]

Great short stories and poems. Trying to get into that Key West frame of mind for my October trip.