The Friends of the Key West Library's Lecture Series 2000 begins next Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. in the Library Auditorium. Author George Cooper is the first guest speaker in this series of twelve lectures presented weekly from January through March.
Cooper is a graduate of Harvard Law School and was a civil rights lawyer and law professor at Columbia University from 1966 to 1985. Since then, he has devoted himself to writing mysteries based on actual criminal events.
His first novel, Lost Love, described a sensational 1870s murder case in New York City. A second book followed, Poison Widows, set in South Philadelphia, is based on a bizarre series of murders that dominated the headlines during the Depression.
Cooper's lecture will explore the trials and tribulations of writing true crime stories set in the past. The name he has coined for this genre is History Mystery.
"I find my subjects by mining old newspapers," he explains, "reading about murders and tragedies, looking for stories that captivated the public of that day. The human-interest tale at the core of these stories remains timeless and the historical context provides a remarkable window into the past."
Cooper lives in Key West for several months each winter and is currently working on a new
history mystery.
A huge array of books, magazines and records will be sold for incredibly low prices from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow, Sat., Jan. 8, when the Friends of the Library stages its first sale of the new Millennium in the Palm Garden of the Key West Public Library on Fleming near Elizabeth St.
Hundreds of volumes— in hardback and paperback— on dozens of subjects are priced from 25-cents to $1. Also for sale are collectible LP records and tons of vintage publications, some of them hard to find. In addition a collection of recently published books will be sold at drastically reduced prices ranging from $1 to $3, half their already marked-down prices. For the convenience of shopping, everything will be arranged in various categories.
"Donated from the shelves of members of Friends of the Library and other Key West residents, the books and records are interesting and, often, unique treasures," said Denison Tempel, director of book sales for the organization. All proceeds benefit the library.
"It's a great time to see old friends and make new ones. Anyone who stops by will be sure to find several volumes to take home," Temple said. "It's also a good time to join Friends of the Library, which you can do for as little as $10," he said.