THE LOT: Susan Doherty’s MONDAY RENT BOY
A great book launch took place on Wednesday evening for Susan Doherty’s new book, Monday Rent Boy.
I’ve only just begun to read the book, and though the opening pages are funny and smart — irresistible — I’m nowhere near ready to write a book review.
So, this is a book launch review, instead, and a recommendation to go see Susan Doherty talk about her book.
If you do that, you won’t be able to resist buying yourself a copy.
I can’t find a spot to park anywhere near Victoria Hall, it’s almost 7 p.m., and the launch is about to begin. There are very few people about but the Y across the street is no doubt busy, I figure as I drop David off at the side door, where he can take the elevator upstairs.
I drive a couple of blocks, park, and walk back to the hall, wondering if it was wise to plan a book launch in such big hall.
It was wise.
I see that the second I open the door. The hall is packed.
I’m impressed.
David is at the top of the stairs, leaning on his cane, and I introduce him to Daniel Miguez de Luca, who is the programming and outreach librarian at the Westmount Public Library.
Daniel is checking invitations and — they’ve run out of seating downstairs —is directing new arrivals to the balcony. Seeing David’s cane, Daniel suggests we look for seats in the main hall.
But there are no seats, and David can’t stand for the next hour. What to do?
He and I look at each other. We’re getting used to the difficulties that handicapped people can face in public spaces, which is a subject that interests me.
The Argo Bookshop table is beside us near the entrance, and Susan is across the room, near the stage. She and I cross paths at literary events and have been friendly ever since she and her husband Hal kindly drove me out to Pointe-Claire a few years ago for a library event.
“Why don’t you wait here,” I suggest to David. “I’ll buy the book, then say hello to Susan. And — what do you think? Should we go on our way at that point?”
David nods.
I make it over to Susan with my copy of her book, and we exchange a few words. When I turn to look for David, Daniel comes up to me, bless his heart.
“I’ve found you two seats, Linda,” he says, guiding me in front of the stage. “David’s over this way.”
And he shows me to where David is now sitting. This is above and beyond the call of duty.
“Thank you so much, Daniel.”
By this time, I’m doubly impressed.
I’ve known Daniel since he organized a virtual event for me during the pandemic — and liked him from the start, so I’m not surprised at how beautifully he handles this busy evening.
He gets up on stage to suggest that anyone who hasn’t found a seat move upstairs, adding that there’s an excellent view of the stage from the balcony seats.
Once everyone is seated, he introduces the occasion gracefully, setting this launch in the context of the library’s 125th anniversary celebrations and then, after referring to Susan as a “local” author, remarking on her national and international stature and explaining that she’s “local” only to the extent that she happens to live in Westmount.
The arts advocate and former Writers’ Trust executive Kari Cullen bounds onstage to tell us about Susan’s career as a journalist and a writer — and ensure that everyone knows — vitally important detail — where to go to buy the book.
By the time Susan gets up on stage, puts on her glasses, and opens up her computer — she needs it as the lighting is poor on stage — we all know that Monday Rent Boy is a book about the sexual abuse of children.
And I know I’m far from alone in thinking she could hardly have chosen a less appealing subject. And in wondering how she’ll handle the challenge that poses when your aim is to win over readers and sell copies of your book. It is a challenge.
She handles it brilliantly.
I don’t have a copy of her notes, and I don’t take any notes of my own while she’s speaking, so I won’t try to summarize what she says over the next half hour, or to convey how she says what she says in that time, but I’ll do my best to give you an idea of how riveting it is.
She talks about the two boys in her story, Arthur and Ernie, and about what happens to them. She talks a little about herself, about what has drawn her to such an unappealing subject.
She talks about some notorious sexual predators, and especially about Jimmy Savile, star BBC entertainer, and about everyone who knew what he was doing and said nothing.
She talks about her meeting with the auxiliary bishop of Montreal, Thomas Dowd, who tells her to write the truth, whatever turns up. “And do not spare the Catholic Church.”
She talks about the darkest corners of the Internet where predators lurk. And she talks about silence. About our unwillingness to look at these crimes, or even think about them. Our distaste for the very subject.
This is what allows the sexual abuse of children to thrive, she says: our looking away, our complicity and our vast silence, even when we know what all the Jimmy Saviles are doing.
We know, and we don’t want to know. That’s how they get away with it.
When she finishes, the woman in the seat in front of me turns to her neighbour, her eyes wide, and says just one word: Wow!
Everyone, in every seat in that vast hall, is turning to their neighbour, their eyes wide, and saying, Wow!
I’m so glad we didn’t just turn around and go home.
I’m truly impressed.
Triply impressed.
What a crowd, for starters.
What a gracious, considerate host.
Well done, Daniel. You and your team have done the library proud.
And what a sensational performance.
I take my hat off to you, Susan. I congratulate you, I admire you — and I can’t wait to read Monday Rent Boy.
Monday Rent Boy was published by Penguin Random House on March 19, 2024; 360 pages; $36.00.
For upcoming book events with Susan Doherty, check out her website www.susandohertyhannaford.com.
