If we could give half stars, I'd rate this book 2.5.. half way between "it was ok" and "I liked it." I wanted a trip to Key West and I like the version that Alison Lurie gives us. Her observations of tourists and tourists who become residents strikes me as so true... I see it where I live now and have seen it in places I've lived before (I like living in places in which the population has high and low seasons.) "...shops and restaurants were crowded with adults dressed like children at play, in colorful shorts, T-shirts, sneakers, and sandals. Their garb was the outward sign that for these few days or weeks they were free to enjoy and indulge themselves, like kids on vacation." "More serious consequences faced those tourists who did not go home, who enjoyed the freedom and pleasure of Key West so much that they stayed on longer and longer. What happened then, inevitably, was that these temporary children started to grow up. They bought property, joined volunteer organizations, took jobs, invested in some local business. As homeowners, workers, or proprietors, they began to view tourism from the other side. When they saw plastic debris washed up on the shore, or homeless people sleeping in alleys, they had the impulse to do something about it. They began to take positions on local issues; they not only read the local papers but wrote to the editor. Some became active in politics, or even ran for office. They agitated to save the reef, change the zoning laws, and permit cruise ships to tie up on Mallory Dock more often or never." So, this perspective of Key West is more from those who stay than from those who visit. The story set up is this: Wilkie Walker, a famous naturalist writer thinks he's dying and does not want to burden his younger wife with this information. He's been cold and uncommunicative to her even though all their lives together they have shared a great marriage, sharing his work and life. Jenny Walker suggest they go to Key West for the winter hoping to fix things in the marriage. Wilkie agrees secretly planning to use a long swim as a cover for suicide. So, of course, the visit to Key West does not improve things in the marriage since Wilkie becomes more withdrawn. Meanwhile Jenny meets one of the locals.... and we get a nice story about some of the people who live and some who visit Key West.
I think this was Alison Lurie's last book (to my knowledge), and in my opinion, it really didn't live up to her earlier books. I haven't read all her books, but I read three that I enjoyed -- "Foreign Affairs," which I liked, and "The War Between the Tates" and "Imaginary Friends," which I absolutely LOVED. See if you can get ahold of any of those.
