Postcards from Paradise: Romancing Key West

by June Keith

Detailing life in tiny, artsy, anything-goes Key West--where Broadway composers and bestselling authors live on the same funky blocks as housekeepers, bartenders, and tour guides--this updated collection of essays and columns about island life features pieces that first appeared in the "Miami Herald. "Profiles of colorful characters such as an Italian heiress who waits tables, a dishwasher with a PhD, and a taxi-driving opera singer provide a kaleidoscopic portrait of residents living, working, and playing in a caste-free, rowdy paradise.

240 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1994

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of columns June Keith wrote for the Miami Herald, focusing on the colorful residents and personality of Key West. It's like sitting down over a cup of espresso and having a friend tell you about her town. With the short chapters and many illustrations, it's not a deep book, but it is delightful throughout and at times touching and poignant.

[Erin Seidemann · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book needs professional editing. Also, the stories had no coherence. It was like talking to someone who can't stay on topic. It just went from one random story to another. It may be a cute book if the stories had a theme or some coherence. I couldn't even finish it given the amateur storytelling and non-existent editing. I tried to finish it on multiple occasions but could only get about 1/4 of the way through the book. I seldom start a book and don't finish it, so this alone says a lot.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

The collection of vignettes starts in the mid-Seventies and ends in mid-nineties. This is more a memoir than anything resembling a postcard, of the people who the author has come to know and their relationships with Key West during the 20 years she has lived there. My own permanent move to Florida was the summer of 1994. I still haven't been to Key West, but will get there eventually. This is a big state. Note: a second book, "More Postcards from Paradise" has been written by this same author, who became a columnist for the Miami Herald. I might try to find a copy and read it too.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

31/2 stars. A pleasant read. A collection of stories about people who lived in Key West, that appeared in the Miami Herald written by June Keith. The book was given to me by a friend who had worked in and loved Key West.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book feels like I’m sitting on a front porch talking to someone (June Keith in this instance) about their life stories and I love it

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved