Today Joe Fiorito launched his new book, Union Station, at the Nicholas Hoare book store.

The launch was full of the older literati crowd in their slightly rumpled clothes who muttered things like "Charlie! I haven't seen you since the Giller Prize!" So we did our best to mingle and sip the wine, chomp the asparagus sandwiches and smoked salmon fillet, flip through Andy Goldsworthy coffee table art books and enjoy the people sightings ( June Callwood was decked out in spring-time pink and that beatific smile of hers...).

If Union Station is anything like his tri-weekly Star column ( and we hear it is), we're ready to read. He continously packs his stories of average urbanites with conviction, heart, grit and balls, centering on the importance of the story rather than his own witty editorial.

Joe-a man the Montreal Gazette called "a deeply curious and perceptive reporter...imaginative...a wonder of wonders"- looked a bit ill at ease when he addressed the room but as he hocked his book he told us,"Those people who say they hate Toronto don't know this city. They aren't really paying attention and you can tell them I said that. In fact, send them this book."