Bottle and Glass

Bottle and Glass is a story of survival and escape told from the barstools of two dozen boisterous Kingston taverns at the close of the War of 1812.

The story focuses on Jeremy and Merit, two young fishermen from Porthleven, Cornwall pressed into service aboard a Royal Navy frigate. They are forced to leave their native England for Canada and eventually Kingston, where they are stationed as Royal Marines. They spend much of the novel attempting to escape and return home, but by the end, having attained their freedom, they are resolved to stay and make a new life.

Inns and taverns figured prominently in Upper Canada’s frontier life. In 1812, when Kingston had a population of 2250 plus 1500 soldiers, it could boast 78 taverns. Many of these, including “Old King’s Head” and “Mother Cook’s,” are mentioned in the newspapers and correspondence of the time. This novel is structured so that each chapter takes the title of a historic Kingston tavern and each tavern is featured in the chapter in some significant way. The novel’s title is taken from the infamous watering hole, “Violin, Bottle, and Glass.”

Bottle and Glass is edited by award-winning novelist Helen Humphreys.  Morgan Wade’s first novel, The Last Stoic, also edited by Helen, made the 2012 ReLit Awards long list.  His short stories and poems have been published in Canadian literary journals and anthologies, including, The New Quarterly and The Nashwaak Review. He attended the Humber School of Writing and worked with Michael Helm as his mentor. He lives in Kingston, Ontario.

Advance praise

Adam Davidson-Harden - Educator, musician and poet/essayist

Bottle and Glass is a tantalizing work of fiction anchored in careful historical research.  In visceral and muscular prose, Morgan Wade paints a sea-salted and gripping portrait of early nineteenth century English empire on Turtle Island.

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Helen Humphreys - award-winning novelist and Kingston's poet laureate

Bottle and Glass is a highly original adventure story, set during the war of 1812, and framed using real taverns that once existed within the city of Kingston, Ontario. A fascinating study of escape, and a powerful history of 19th century frontier life; Bottle and Glass is a stunning achievement.

Bruce Geddes

No small part of the pleasure of Bottle and Glass comes from Wade’s exquisite attention to historical detail. Every sentence, it seems, contains some small tile of a mosaic that portrays life in this part of Canada in a way that no Heritage Moment could ever hope to achieve.

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David Anderson - author of ‘A Cuban Death’ and ‘Whirlwind’

From Cornwall, England to Kingston, Ontario, Bottle and Glass takes the reader on an exciting, sometimes violent, but always realistic journey. The author does a masterful job of engaging the reader, through his wonderful descriptions and period language, reminiscent of Patrick O'Brian and Bernard Cornwell. A rollicking read!

Becky Akers - author of Halestorm and Abducting Arnold

If, like me, you read historical fiction because we lack time-travel machines, you will devour Morgan Wade’s Bottle and Glass. Here’s a round-trip ticket to the War of 1812 as Canadians, kidnapped—a.k.a. “impressed”—recruits, and their wives and mothers experienced it.

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Leanne Lieberman - author of Gravity, The Book of Trees, and Lauren Yanofsky Hates the Holocaust

Bottle and Glass is a fascinating story of adventure at sea, life in early Canada and the struggle for humanity. Wade writes a story that is sympathetic, historically compelling and has both local and universal appeal. Bottle and Glass left me both satisfied and edified.

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