In The Rooms: party pix from The Spotted Pig

From top:— Kate Shone, David Edelstein, Tom Shone; Joshua Briggs; Kate Shone, Farran Smith Nehme; Laura Jacobs, Tom Shone, James Wolcott; the guest of honor; Said Sayrafiezadeh; Michael Babb, Ruthie Vexler; James Wolcott, Tom Shone; Abdallah Ko, Emma Parry; chef Ralph.

From The Economist:—

"What happens when a non-alcoholic starts going to AA meetings? A splash of cynicism, a dash of self-doubt and a good measure of humour, according to Tom Shone’s new novel, In the Rooms .... Mr Shone has a sharp eye for contemporary Manhattan, perhaps because he emigrated there from Britain himself. His skilful turn of phrase instantly draws the scene. You feel safe in his literary hands as Patrick wanders blindly down paths unknown, colliding with troubled people on the mend—gruff Douglas, friendly but crazy Felix and the intoxicating but damaged Lola... Mr Shone injects plenty of satirical laughs. Alcoholism is a sensitive subject, and he treads carefully the ironic line between tragedy and comedy... But behind the comedy he also muses on larger themes without being preachy: the American Dream, and how foreigners get sucked in by New York’s neon lights and either enjoy the ride or get spat out; self-discovery, a key aim for recovering alcoholics but also a universal goal; and man’s relationship with booze.... Mr Shone maintains a pace that whips the story back to reality. In the Rooms is an entertaining page-turner about humanity, with plenty of hilarity."

More reviews here.