The Literary Pantheon we dedicated last February celebrated the memory of forty-four deceased members of our community whose accomplishments had brought honor to Key West and helped establish it as one of the country’s noteworthy cultural landmarks. The sadness of the months since then has been compounded by the loss of four more extraordinary individuals whose names will be added to the frieze above our bookshelves.
Terrence McNally (1938-2020) has been described as “the bard of American theater” and “one of the greatest contemporary playwrights the theater world has yet produced.” McNally was a long-time seasonal resident and homeowner in Key West, and was recognized as “part of the theatrical fabric of this community.” Most recently, a new production of his play “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune” was scheduled to open at the Red Barn Theatre on the day of his death, but was cancelled, like him a victim of the novel corona virus.
J. Seward Johnson, Jr. (1930-2020) was a man of huge talent and creativity, known principally for his ultra-realistic bronze sculptures. He wintered for many years in Key West, and was a well-known and popular member of the artistic and literary community. Johnson left his mark in Key West with a number of installations, including the assemblage of figures over the tarmac-side entry to the airport that welcomes passengers to town. Perhaps his most photographed local installation is the figure of Marilyn Monroe in front of the Tropic Cinema.
Robert D. Richardson (1934-2020) was a distinguished historian and biographer, focusing on leading American thinkers of the 19th Century, including William James, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. He was winner of the Bancroft and Francis Parkman Prizes (the most prestigious in the field of history). If you wanted one word to describe Bob, it would be “gentlemen,” in both senses of the word. He was certainly a man — a distinguished leader — but he was a gentle friend to the many in town who knew him.
Alison Lurie (1926-2020) described by the New York Times as a “tart-voiced novelist of manners,” who “wrote about academics and intellectuals, straying spouses, snobs and artists, in novels of close observation and sharp prose.” She was the author of 11 works of domestic and black comedy, including the 1984 Pulitzer Prize winning novel FOREIGN AFFAIRS. Noted for her sly wit and generosity of spirit, she was a vivid member of the Key West literary scene for decades. Perhaps her last public appearance was a store event in February 2020, just before the pandemic closure, where she very charmingly discussed her final book WORDS AND WORLDS, essays on topics from autobiography to zippers.
A 47-page Guide to the Key West Literary Pantheon is available for purchase at the store.
~ George Cooper, store co-founder
Read the Feb. 2020 article about the Pantheon dedication.
Caste : The Origins of Our Discontents
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret: 50th Anniversary Special Edition
UPDATE: Thanks, everyone! Winners are in the process of being notified.
In Grady Hendrix’s latest horror tale, 90’s suburban Charleston housewives form a new “true crime” book club after the massive meltdown of their old one, and find themselves confronting a terrifying predator who has infiltrated their circle. Stepford Wives meet Dracula!
The store’s preparations for the coming shopping season are fully underway. We’re stocking up on gift items like snow globes, mini-clocks, puzzles, and socks — that have proven so popular. We’re cramming our shelves with the latest books, fresh off the presses. Come in any time and take a look. We’re open every day from 10 to 12 for appointment browsing, and from 12 to 5 for general admission. Masks required, and gloves provided at the door.
We have a winner!
I often joke that you could run a good bookstore with only books that have been banned or challenged (i.e. targeted for removal or restriction). You’d have Judy Blume’s 
In our most recent 
Books & Books Loyalty Club members save 10% on books when they shop in-store and online all year.
In honor of Bookstore Romance Day (8.15.20), our new virtual book club pick is 
If you think you’ll enjoy, TAKE A HINT, DANI BROWN as much as we did, you’ll also want to pick up Talia Hibbert’s first Brown sisters romance, 
Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day (Saturday, August 29) with us in store or virtually.
One of our favorite parts of Independent Bookstore Day are the exclusive items produced special for the event. This year, they include everything from kid-sized totebags to a vinyl edition of FACE IT, Debbie Harry’s autobiography, a Bookstore Day-themed candle and a new sock design. Quantities are very limited and you can’t purchase these exclusives until Saturday. We will be offering the exclusives in store and by phone (no advance holds), but since so many stores will be holding their Bookstore Day mostly or entirely virtually, some stores will be selling Bookstore Day products online starting on Saturday. And don’t miss the official Bookstore Day totebag with the wrong date, but a very cool design.
Libro.fm, our audiobook partner, is offering a great one-day deal. Pre-order a book from a selected group of titles and get a specific audiobook free (either that same title or another of the author’s works, depending on the title). Details at 
Independent Bookstore Day is sponsoring a full slate of virtual panels and workshops for both kids and adults on Bookstore Day. Details and signup information at