I made my annual pilgrimage to Key West last weekend for the 33rd Annual Key West Literary Seminar “How The Light Gets In: Literature of the Spirit.” Amongst the many highlights of the long weekend was a discussion held on the final morning of the seminar by authors Pico Iyer and Barry Lopez on the topic of “Wonder: Entering and Exiting the Great Mystery.”
Barry Lopez and Pico Iyer. Photo by Nick Doll.
Both men have made careers out of travel and write about what they’ve discovered in humanity and culture as outsiders. When the subject of wonder was addressed, Iyer explained that wonder cuts through knowledge, noting the tremendous difference between these statements: “I know…” “I think…” and “I wonder…” He joked, “All you need to travel is wonder and a Swiss army knife.” On the same note, Lopez agreed that he’d rather approach a place with awe over analysis.
And perhaps that’s what I’ve always loved about Key West (and any destination that I truly fall in love with), an ineffable sense of wonder and awe that the island seems to cast on me whenever I’m there.
Not Your Average Hotel, Key West. All you need in Key West is wonder, a conch cottage and a beach cruiser.
Their conversation was a delight filled with so many sentiments that get at the heart of the traveler. I was also delighted to have the opportunity to chat with Iyer briefly as he signed a copy of his latest book for me The Art of Stillness. We talked journalism, travel and making a living as a writer, and he was incredibly engaging and kind.
For my full recap on Iyer and Lopez’s discussion on wonder, please head to Littoral, the online journal of the Key West Literary Seminar.
