The 43rd annual Key West Literary Seminar

January 8–11, 2026

 

All onstage events take place at the San Carlos Institute (516 Duval Street, Key West, FL), unless noted. Advance registration required except for Sunday afternoon (free and open to the public).

Thursday, January 8
1:00–3:00 pm Audience check-in at the San Carlos Institute, 516 Duval Street.
6:00–7:00 pm Doors open.
7:00–7:10 pm Welcome to the Key West Literary Seminar: Nancy Klingener, president; and Arlo Haskell, executive director
7:10–8:00 pm Rachel Kushner: “How to Look and What to Steal.” The John Hersey Memorial Address.
8:00–8:30 pm Book signing with Rachel Kushner.
8:00–10:00 pm Reception at Audubon House & Tropical Gardens, 205 Whitehead St.

Friday, January 9
8:30–9:30 am Doors Open. Breakfast available for purchase.
9:30–9:35 am Morning Greetings: David McConnell, 2026 program chair.
9:35–10:25 am Colm Tóibín: “A Writerly Attention.” Interviewed by Bernard Schwartz.
10:25–10:55 am Quiara Alegría Hudes: “Moving to the Interior: A Playwright’s Turn to the Novel”
10:55–11:10 am 15-minute break
11:10–11:40 am Chris Kraus: “The Four Spent the Day Together.”
11:40–12:30 pm Claire Messud, Richard Russo, and Patrick Ryan in conversation. Moderated by David McConnell.
12:30–1:00 pm Book Signings with Quiara Alegría Hudes, Chris Kraus, Claire Messud, Richard Russo, Patrick Ryan, and Colm Tóibín.
12:30–2:10 pm Lunch Break
2:10–3:00 pm Kaveh Akbar, Forrest Gander, and Patricia Lockwood in conversation: “Growing Legs: Poem to Novel.”
3:00–3:15 pm Cecelia Joyce Johnson Award for a Short Story: Jack Foraker. Introduced by Joy Williams.
3:15–3:35 pm 20-minute break
3:35–4:25 pm Angela Flournoy and Marlon James in conversation. Moderated by Sika Dagbovie-Mullins.
4:25–5:15 pm Leslie Jamison and James Wood in conversation: “A Prayerful Attention.”
5:15–5:30 pm Book signings with Kaveh Akbar, Angela Flournoy, Forrest Gander, Marlon James, Leslie Jamison, Patricia Lockwood, and James Wood.

Saturday, January 10
8:30–9:30 am Doors Open. Breakfast available for purchase.
9:30–9:40 am Morning Greetings: Arlo Haskell.
9:40–10:35 am Quiara Alegría Hudes, Bushra Rehman, and Maurice Carlos Ruffin in conversation. Moderated by Vinson Cunningham.
10:35–10:55 am 15-minute break
10:55–11:50 am Claire Messud and Jane Smiley in conversation. Moderated by Cody Upton.
11:50–12:30 pm Gary Shteyngart: “Staying Together, Falling Apart: On Vera, or Faith.” In conversation with Arlo Haskell.
12:30–1:00 pm Book Signings with Vinson Cunningham, Quiara Alegría Hudes, Claire Messud, Bushra Rehman, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Gary Shteyngart, and Jane Smiley.
12:30–2:15 pm Lunch Break
2:15–2:55 pm Nicholas Boggs: “Writing Baldwin: A Love Story.” In conversation with James Wood.
2:55–3:05 pm Marianne Russo Award for a Novel-in-Progress: Jackie Chalghin. Introduced by Maurice Carlos Ruffin.
3:05–3:25 pm 20-minute break
3:25–4:20 pm Kaveh Akbar, Leslie Jamison, and Chris Kraus in conversation. Moderated by Bernard Schwartz.
4:20–5:00 pm Billy Collins: “Why I am Unable to Write a Short Story.”
5:00–5:30 pm Book signings with Kaveh Akbar, Nicholas Boggs, Billy Collins, Leslie Jamison, and Chris Kraus.
6:00–9:00 pm Patrons Dinner at Truman Little White House, 111 Front St. (Patrons at the $1,000 level and above will receive an email with details.)

Sunday, January 11
8:30–9:30 am Doors Open. Breakfast available for purchase.
9:30–9:40 am Morning Greetings: Arlo Haskell.
9:40–10:10 am Bushra Rehman: “Fragmented Fiction, Family Secrets, and Funny Business”
10:10–11:05 am Nicholas Boggs, Vinson Cunningham, Angela Flournoy, and Colm Tóibín: “Go Tell It on the Mountain and More: The Novels of James Baldwin.”
11:05–11:25 am 20-minute break
11:25–11:35 am Scotti Merrill Award for Poetry. Valerie Perreault. Introduced by Billy Collins.
11:35–12:30 pm Joy Williams and Patricia Lockwood in conversation. Moderated by Cody Upton.
12:30–1:00 pm Book signings with Nicholas Boggs, Billy Collins, Vinson Cunningham, Patricia Lockwood, Bushra Rehman, Colm Tóibín, and Joy Williams.
12:30–2:30 pm Farewell Luncheon at the Oldest House Museum & Gardens, 322 Duval St.

Sunday Afternoon — Free & Open to the Public
2:00–2:10 pm Public Session Welcome: Arlo Haskell
2:10–2:20 pm “La Casa Cuba.” Rafael Peñalver, president of the San Carlos Institute.
2:20–2:50 pm Patrick Ryan: “Buckeye“
2:50–3:40 pm Marlon James: “From Night Women to the Dark Star Trilogy.” Interviewed by Regis M. Fox.
3:40–4:00 pm 20-minute break
4:00–4:50 pm The Last Word — Richard Russo, Gary Shteyngart, and Jane Smiley in conversation.
4:50–5:20 pm Book signings with Marlon James, Richard Russo, Patrick Ryan, Gary Shteyngart, and Jane Smiley.
The Novel

Other Events

 

—Old Town Literary Walking Tours
Jan. 3–12, daily
Beginning at Key West Public Library, 700 Fleming Street. Schedule and tickets: kwls.org/tour

—Writers’ Workshop Program
Jan. 4-8, daily, advance registration required
with Jami Attenberg, Charles Baxter, Forrest Gander, Ishion Hutchinson, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan, and Lisa Zeidner.
Provides writers at all stages of development with opportunities to explore the craft of writing. More information.

—”Writers on Writing”: Conversations with the Writers’ Workshop Program Faculty
Monday, Jan. 5, 4:30–6:30 pm
—4:30–5:10 pm Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan with Katrin Schumann: “Cross-pollination: Exploring the Interplay between Journalism and Fiction.”
—5:10–5:50 pm Jami Attenberg and Maurice Carlos Ruffin: “The View from New Orleans.”
—5:50–6:30 pm Charles Baxter and Lisa Zeidner: “Mini, Midi, Maxi: On Length in Fiction.”
Helmerich Theater @ The Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton St.
Free and Open to the Community. Doors open at 4pm.

—Forrest Gander: Reading from Mojave Ghost and conversation with Arlo Haskell.
Tuesday, Jan. 6, 7-8 pm.
Sanger Gallery @ The Studios of Key West: 533 Eaton St.
Free and Open to the Community.
Pre-register online here.

—Artist Talk: Edel Rodriguez
Friday, Jan. 9, 5 pm at The Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton St. More information.

—Tour of the Elizabeth Bishop House & Garden
Monday, Jan. 12, 11 am-12 pm, 624 White St.
Tour with KWLS Executive Director Arlo Haskell.

—Friends of the Key West Library Speaker Series with Nicholas Boggs
Monday, Jan. 12, 6 pm, at Key West Public Library Palm Garden, 700 Fleming St.
In partnership with Friends of the Key West Library.

—Film Screening: Nobody’s Fool
Jan. 5–11
Tropic Cinema screens Nobody’s Fool, based on the book by Richard Russo. Russo will introduce the film at the 7:00 pm screening on Friday January 9.
Schedule and tickets @ tropiccinema.com

—Exhibition: Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey
Jan. 8–29
Exhibition by Edel Rodriguez on view at The Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton St. More information.