The inaugural Dogtown Writers Festival exceeded all expectations. Opening to a
packed City Hall auditorium on Friday night, September 27, internationally renown,
literary journalist, Sandy Tolan, set the tone. He made it his responsibility to bring to
light the illustrious history of Gloucester, urging us to continue to protect and work
towards this city’s future. His talk was punctuated meaningfully with recordings of Joe
Garland’s voice exhorting people to stand up for what they believe in, to protect
democracy nationally and locally. The first Joseph Garland Memorial Lecturer, Tolan
knew, as the water all around is rising, that the stakes are high. His riveting talk left us
with renewed vigor to respond to the challenges we face with hope. – Dorothy Shubow Nelson