The Poisoning by Alexander Chee

Image @Tinhouse.com

"Gin to me is home now. I associate it more with love than loneliness."

     What seems to be an essay that focuses on the various types of Gin, whether or not Vodka martinis are to be considered real martinis compared to the those made with Gin, and using alcohol as an escape, is actually, in my opinion, a declaration of love. Chee  appears to underlie an appreciation and  interest in a man he once worked with, William. "The anatomy of a bad decision made while drinking is difficult to map if the memory is lost to the drinking. This thing between William and me was not a simple matter. " Their love was never acted upon, and so he drowns his sorrows and memories with Gin martinis, but Gin also becomes a tool for new experiences. William, in the end, is not the entire focus, but merely an element relating to Chee's relationship with Gin. 
     I find it to be quite an interesting essay filled with honesty and heartbreak, and recommend it to anyone intrigued by the various means one uses to forgot or quell an aching heart, or interested in booze travel. I've added a link to the website of Tin House, where the complete essay can be found.

​Bottoms up,
Cristina

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