Key West Lighthouse: A Light in Paradise

by Thomas W. Taylor

Key West in the Florida Keys is the southernmost city in the continental United States. It history is replete with stories of pirates, hurricanes, and shipwrecks. Soon after Florida became a territory of the United States, lighthouse was built on Key West in 1826 to serve as a primary aid to navigation to help reduce the number of shipwrecks. This lighthouse was destroyed by the hurricane of 1846 but was replaced by a tower which survives today. Thomas Taylor=s new book Key West A Light in Paradise brings to life the history of this unique lighthouse and the tropical setting in which it is located. The book includes a number of historic photographs of the lighthouse and details the lives of its keepers.

152 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Josh Liller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a short (130 pages of main text) history of the Key West Lighthouse in Key West, Florida from its original construction in the 1820s through the restoration and interpretation in the late 20th century. I found it a simple, easy, and enjoyable read. Lots of photos and illustrations throughout the book. The narrative puts the lighthouse in context with Key West's growth and changes over time, and some of its famous visitors. An appendix lists the keepers, lamplighters, and USCG officers-in-residence at the light station. There is a Bibliography but no Citations.

The book is self-published. The prose is fine - nothing special, but decent and competently edited. The print quality is generally good, though some of the images are a bit dark. Excluding some "coffee table" style books, this is one of the better self-published non-fiction books I've encountered.

Recommended for lighthouse buffs and those interested in Florida history, especially Key West.