“If the NBA were on channel 5 and a bunch of frogs making love were on channel 4, I'd watch the frogs, even if they were coming in fuzzy.” – Bobby Knight

January 12, 2020

Amy Bass

 

Louisa Thomas

Joyce Carol Oates

 

“If the NBA were on channel 5 and a bunch of frogs making love were on channel 4, I'd watch the frogs, even if they were coming in fuzzy.” – Bobby Knight

This year marks my 25^th year of being involved in some capacity in what is one of the premier literary events in the nation, The Key West Literary Seminar. For the first 14 years, I was simply an attendee, an audience member who bought a weekend pass and then reveled in the annual assemblage of some of the greatest writers alive as they celebrated the written word. This year marks eleven years since I was asked to join the board of directors and serve as volunteer coordinator, a job that I happily enjoy each year, mostly because of the amazing group of volunteers who sign up year after year.

David Maraniss 

Michael Mewshaw

During my time on the board, I have previously served as a committee member on a few occasions, joining a group whose purpose it was to select the writers who would be invited to participate based on whatever topic had been selected for that particular year. This year however marks the first time that I had ever been asked to chair the annual committee and it was with great pride and humility that I accepted.

Buzz Bissinger 

Annelise Chen

Emily Nemens

Reading Between the Lines: Sports and Literature was a natural for me as I love sports and admire the immense amount of literature featuring or about sports in our society. After more than a year of intense preparation the seminar finally arrived this week and it has been a constant blur of activity and excitement ever since. In addition to my normal, extensive duties of organizing the 50 or so volunteers who work for us each year, I was involved in even more stuff this year, from being interviewed on my friend Gwen’s local radio program to literally picking up some of the visiting writers and delivering them to their hotels.

Kevin Young

 

Our week began when Kathy and I picked up a few of the writers who were on hand for the seminar at the Key West airport. We were assigned “New Yorker” staff writer Ben McGrath, journalist Amy Bass and writer Leanne Shapton. It is always fun to pick the writers up, it gives you the chance to be the first to greet them and their guests and gives them someone to connect with when they arrive for the annual dinner for the writers and the board that is held at Salute Restaurant.

With Amy Bass and Buzz Bissinger 

Annelise Chen and Leanne Shapton

Just being able to attend the opening dinner is pretty special in itself. It is a somewhat intimate gathering where all the writers who have arrived to participate in the seminar get a chance to meet and mingle with the board and staff of the seminar in advance of the actual event. Each year, I find myself looking around at the astounding collection of talented writers who are here and wonder what the hell am I doing here? 

Ben McGrath 

Rowan Ricardo Philips

This year’s writers included Megan Abbott, Amy Bass, Buzz Bissinger, Daniel James Brown, Anelise Chen, Billy Collins, Geoff Dyer, Paul Goldberger, Gish Jen, Jane Leavy, David Maraniss, Ben McGrath, Michael Mewshaw, Emily Nemens, Joyce Carol Oates, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, Arnold Rampersad, Leanne Shapton, Lionel Shriver, Louisa Thomas, Kate Tuttle and Kevin Young. 

McGrath, Bissinger and Abbott 

Dyer and Phillips

The seminar kicks off on Thursday evening with the John Hersey Memorial Keynote address this year delivered by the acclaimed writer Geoff Dyer. The auditorium at the San Carlos Institute was packed completely for the insightful and incisive lecture that the brilliant writer delivered. It was a terrific kick-off to the seminar. Our traditional post lecture reception was held at the Audubon House and Gardens and it was another opportunity to spend time interacting with both the writers and all those who travel from all over the country to attend the seminar.

Megan Abbott





Lionel Shriver

Friday was the start of three intensive days of readings, discussions, panels and presentations all from the wonderfully decorated set on the San Carlos stage, once again created by artist and set designer Cayman Smith-Martin. I won’t go much into what was actually discussed, you can find recordings of the actual sessions on the Key West Literary Seminar website and I would highly suggest checking it out. There were some truly incredible insights into the world of sports and the impact it has on our society.

Andrea Rinard, Chase Burke and Chloe Firetto-Toomey -Writer awards winners

Daniel James Brown



Kathy and Amy

Reading Between the Lines: Sports and Literature

January 11, 2020



Reading Between the Lines: Sports and Literature





Meg Cabot and Kathy



Katrin, Kate and Katie

The following is my essay for the 2020 Key West Literary Seminar catalog:

In March of 2017 Key West Literary Seminar board member Liz Lear presented the Literature of Sports as a potential topic for a future seminar. It was her vision to work with fellow Key West resident and renowned sports writer Frank DeFord in planning a seminar that would examine the role of sports in society as expressed in the rich literary history on the topic.

Rafael  

Geoff Dyer and Rebecca

Leanne Shapton 

Sadly Liz was never able to see her vision become reality as both she and Frank passed before the idea could come to fruition.  I was honored and more than a little apprehensive when the board voted to select “Reading Between the Lines: Sports and Literature” as the official topic for this year’s seminar and asked me to serve as committee chair.  I hope the amazing assemblage of literary talent that we have assembled will honor both Liz’s vision and Frank’s inspiration. This seminar is dedicated to their legacy.

Annelise Chen 

Lucy, Martha and Jill

Set Designer Cayman Smith-Martin

Volunteers

One of my initial concerns was that sports writing might be considered a niche that had limited appeal beyond the sports fan. But upon closer examination, I quickly came to realize the immense breadth and depth that the topic entailed, the myriad of examples of how sports and the literature surrounding it encompass so much more than final scores and wins and losses, but delve into the very nature of the human experience.

Keynote Speaker Geoff Dyar

Billy Collins

Emily Nemens and Paul Goldberger

Lionel Shriver 

Lyndsay, Kate and Jolly

The committee was quickly overwhelmed with suggestions and recommendations of possible writers and participants for this year’s seminar.  Our committee worked diligently to sort and sift through the many options and select a group that we think will be providing an incredible examination of this topic over the course of the next four days. Thanks so much to the 2020 committee composed of Executive Director Arlo Haskell, Mark Hedden, Michael Mewshaw, Michael Nelson, Hilary Parmentier and Diane Shelby. I also would like to thank my wife Katheryn Kilroy and Miles Prentiss for their assistance and input.

Arnold Rampersad 

 

Norma

Sadie and Bela

I must admit that I am a huge fan of sports and of its place in our literary heritage. Sports play a critical role in our society, at once reflecting and shaping our culture, and the writers sharing the stage this weekend will offer invaluable insights in to just how deeply ingrained and important sports is to our collective conscious. My first introduction to a major sporting event came in 1973 when I attended the Indianapolis 500 for the first time and this Memorial Day weekend I will on hand for the 49^th consecutive year of witnessing spectacle, history, heartbreak, triumph and at times tragedy.

David Maraniss 

Sadie with Amy Bass

Katie

Billy Collins with Brian Doyle Murray and his wife.

Over that time I have witnessed some major historical accomplishments, the first female driver, the first African American driver, the first victory by an Asian driver and innumerable stories of overcoming the odds in search of elusive victory. But more important than any of that, is the ritual and tradition of sharing memories with family and friends and simply enjoying the spirit of competition. I have read almost every book about the greatest spectacle in racing, yet to date I am still waiting for the great American Novel set at the Indy 500. Perhaps someone speaking this weekend will take note and take advantage of this tremendous unfulfilled opportunity. 

Arlo 

Camilla and Emily

Amy Bass, Elissa and Megan Abbott