Literally seconds after the news of Jack's death hit the stands, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and all sort of social media channels are filled with tens of thousands -- if not hundreds of thousands -- messages of condolence. There had not been such an outpouring of sympathy and grief since Pierre Trudeau's passing.

It was "getting surreal," lamented Mike Strobbel of the Toronto Sun and others like him, who couldn't stomach why Canadians paid so much respect to a figure frequently reviled by the media as a socialist menace poised to destroy Canada. One Facebook page dedicated to Jack's passing (R.I.P Jack Layton 1950-2011) gained 185,000 followers, while Jack Layton's page itself broke the 190,000 mark.

Launching new editions of two of Jones's most influential works - his sole poetry collection, The Brave Never Write Poetry, and his posthumously published novel, 1978 - the evening will feature readings from die-hard Jones fans among the Canadian literary community - Ken Babstock, Jeffrey Canton, Kevin Connolly, Lynn Crosbie, Nathaniel G. Moore, Damian Rogers and Liz Worth - and will be followed by music from Jones's era - Toronto and Hamilton punk from the late 70s and early 80s spun by Mark Pesci .