Bottle and Glass

I'm going to a book launch party for my friend, neighbor and fellow author, Morgan Wade tonight. Morgan has published in various journals and anthologies and tonight he'll be launching his second book, Bottle and Glass.  He's asked me to introduce him, which is a great honour.

I’ve already had the good fortune to read the meticulously researched and moving Bottle and Glass. The novel tells the story of two young English fishermen forced into service with the Royal Navy towards the end of the war of 1812. The two young men, stationed in Kingston, spend most of the novel trying to escape the military and return home. Many of the scenes in the novel take place in historic Kingston places, especially taverns. This  is because according to Morgan much of life in Upper Canada took place in inns and taverns. Apparently in 1812 there were a whopping 78 taverns in Kingston. The novel's title, Bottle and Glass is from one such notorious tavern, "Violin Bottle and Glass."

 

When I was reading the novel, my mind kept imagining an earlier Kingston. It made me think of Anne Fadiman’s essay from her collection Ex Libris, called You Are There. She describes the magical feeling of reading a book in the place it describes or is set in. For example, you go to Greece, you read Homer. In New York you read Salinger or Joseph O’Neil. When reading Morgan’s book, I had the sense of It Used To Be Like That Here. I could so clearly see the landscape I know, both as it was then, and it is now.

 

Not only does Morgan knows a few things about early Kingston, he also knows a lot pubs and drinks. I consider him my personal bar tender. He mixes a  mean Martini, he’s generous with his Scotch and he's always willing to make my personal drink of choice, a White Lady. He’s also a great neighbor and a wonderful friend.

 

Morgan's launch is tonight: Friday, September 25th, 9:30pm at the Queen's Inn, Kingston, ON.