I met Damian Barr in a coffee shop while reporting a story on the Drag in 1996. When I told the student from Scotland with a dazed look in his eyes that I was a reporter, he said he was, too. Turned out, that was wishful thinking at the time. Yet he later submitted a story for XL and, after some fine tuning, we published it. And published some more.
Damian Barr and Jess de Oliveira
Back in the United Kingdom, Barr’s journalistic career soared. He wrote for the Guardian, the Times of London and countless other publications. He wrote books and organized popular literary events, including a Reading Weekend modeled somewhat after our own annual Reading Weeks at the beach, which he lit up. A wit, he writes plays and appears on chat shows. His career has far superseded mine. Luckily, our friendships with Brighton-based Damian and his husband, Mike, are as strong and dear as ever.
Sharon and Manuel Gonzales
Friday, we enjoyed a special treat. Damian is touring the country to promote Hendrick’s Gin through 90-minute literary chats accompanied by cocktail samples. In Austin, he appeared with a sweet, bearded bartender at Parish Underground for a few dozen paying guests. Damian nimbly recounted the bonds between writers and intoxicants since the ancient world, with special emphasis paid to the history of gin, from its rise in the Low Countries through its period of bedevilment in the 18th century through its domestication during the Victorian era.
Lauren Cerand and Nimi McConigley
Strong opinions — Damian loathes Martin Amis but admires his father, Kingsley Amis, we discovered — accompanied the strong drink. I was particularly pleased when Damian veered off script, landing bon mots that would qualify him as a Bloomsbury saloniste, if there were still such a thing.
Later, Damian accompanied me during my next two social stops. What a rollicking good time! And yes, Austin has changed a good deal since 1996. We took time to appreciate that.