KEY WEST, Florida Keys — Leading contemporary writers are to offer insights into the lives and work of literary icons including Jack Kerouac, Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickinson, Gore Vidal, Ernest Hemingway and Walt Whitman during the 31st annual Key West Literary Seminar.Two independent seminar sessions are scheduled: Thursday through Sunday, Jan. 10-13 and Jan. 17-20. Most presentations are to take place at Key West’s historic San Carlos Institute, 516 Duval St.

More than 25 biographers, memoirists, novelists, journalists, poets, essayists and others are scheduled to speak between the two sessions. They include National Book Award winner and memoirist/poet Mark Doty, biographer and travel writer Pico Iyer, essayist/biographer Geoff Dyer, literary journalist and biographer D.T. Max, National Book Critics Circle Award–winning author Edmund White, two-term U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins and biographer/novelist Alexandra Styron, daughter of William Styron.

Each seminar session begins with a keynote address set for 8 p.m. Thursday. The Jan. 10 keynote, titled “Can Writers Ride Bikes? Writing Writers’ Lives,” is to be presented by American biographer and critic Phyllis Rose. The Jan. 17 keynote is to feature Irish novelist Colm Toibin, whose address “On Grief and Reason” focuses on poets Thom Gunn and Elizabeth Bishop, a one-time Key West resident.

Subsequent days feature readings, lectures, informal talks, panel discussions, receptions, and themed art exhibitions at Key West’s Gallery on Greene and Lucky Street Gallery.

Highlights of both sessions include Friday evening’s John Malcolm Brinnin Memorial Address and a Saturday dinner at a Key West historic site.

While most seminar events are open only to registrants, each session includes free-admission Sunday afternoon presentations open to the public. They include readings, commentary and book signings by featured presenters.

Ten writers’ workshops are planned Sunday through Thursday, Jan. 13-17, between the two sessions.

Seminar cost is $575 per session and workshop cost is $450. Space is still available for both seminar sessions and some workshops.

Event information: www.kwls.org or 888-293-9291
Key West visitor information: www.fla-keys.com/keywest or 1-800-LAST-KEY
Social: facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest · twitter.com/thefloridakeys · youtube.com/FloridaKeysTV

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Maralyn D. Hill

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