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Key West Literary Seminar Founder Honored with Literary Landmark Plaque

Keys History
This Keys History story spotlights an historically focused attraction, event, person or place that enriches the Florida Keys

KEY WEST, Florida Keys — A new national literary landmark was dedicated in Key West Saturday, Feb. 6, honoring the late David Kaufelt, a novelist and founder of the critically acclaimed Key West Literary Seminar.

The landmark, to be installed at Key West's public library where Kaufelt led the inaugural seminar in 1983, is the ninth in the island city. Other Key West literary landmarks designate locations including the former homes of author Ernest Hemingway, playwright Tennessee Williams and poet Elizabeth Bishop.

Kaufelt, who died in 2014, was recognized at the dedication ceremony for his writing and his enthusiastic support for the island city's rich literary culture after he arrived in 1974, following a career as a New York City-based advertising copywriter. Among his most noted product taglines were "Choosy mothers choose Jif" and "Take Ex-Lax tonight and have a good day tomorrow."

"Key West had a literary heritage long before David came along — but before David arrived, Key West would never have been described as a place with a literary culture that colored everyday life," said Arlo Haskell, executive director of the seminar that brings leading national and international writers to the island each January.

"David took the heritage and history of Key West and reinvigorated it as a living story," Haskell said. "He made it so that great literature and important writers are as central to Key West's identity as sunsets and conch houses."

As well as founding the seminar, Kaufelt created a literary walking tour in the island city.

Other speakers at the dedication, attended by about 200 people, included renowned authors and Key West residents Ann Beattie and Judy Blume, who praised Kaufelt's talent and wit.

"He never stopped creating," Blume said, recalling a friendship with Kaufelt that began in 1952 in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Kaufelt's wife of 37 years, Lynn Kaufelt, described her late husband as "a larger-than-life personality who flourished in the sun and the offbeat company of the people of our island."

David Kaufelt's novels include "American Tropic," recently reissued as "Florida"; "Six Months with an Older Woman," made into a film starring John Ritter; and the Wyn Lewis mystery series.

Literary landmark designation is conferred by United for Libraries, a division of the American Library Association. The Kaufelt landmark is co-sponsored by the Monroe County Public Library, the Friends of the Key West Library and the Key West Literary Seminar.

Key West Literary Seminar information: kwls.org

Key West visitor information: fla-keys.com/keywest or 1-800-LAST-KEY

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A literary landmark plaque honoring the late David A. Kaufelt is viewed by (from left) author Judy Blume, Kaufelt's son Jackson Kaufelt, Key West Literary Seminar executive director Arlo Haskell and Kaufelt's widow Lynn Kaufelt. Photo: Carol Tedesco

A literary landmark plaque honoring the late David A. Kaufelt is viewed by (from left) author Judy Blume, Kaufelt's son Jackson Kaufelt, Key West Literary Seminar executive director Arlo Haskell and Kaufelt's widow Lynn Kaufelt. Photo: Carol Tedesco

David A. Kaufelt founded the Key West Literary Seminar. Image: KWLS

David A. Kaufelt founded the Key West Literary Seminar. Image: KWLS

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