"What would happen if John Donne or George Herbert journeyed to Middle Earth by way of San Francisco, 

took musical cues from Jerry Garcia and fashion tips from Bilbo Baggins, and rode back on a Harley?"

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Thus has been described Linlathen’s guest for 2019. 

High in international demand, Linlathen has managed to scoop Malcolm Guite for a stint in the Ottawa Valley. A performing poet and singer-songwriter, a Cambridge University chaplain and fellow, a motorcycling priest, and an academic whose passions include Coleridge, Dante, and the Inklings (Tolkien, Lewis, Barfield, etc) – Guite will be spending an evening in Almonte revelling in music & poetry, story & reflection. 

And he will draw you in. 

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Malcolm is an engaging raconteur, who cannot but simultaneously educate & entertain.

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Guite [which rhymes with knight] was born in Nigeria, spent some of his youth in Hamilton where his father was a prof at McMaster, and celebrates English and Scottish roots in his long-term home of Cambridgeshire, UK.   Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan led him to poetry, and keep him in song.  Seamus Heany, TS Eliot, and George Herbert are as much influences as JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, George MacDonald, and ST Coleridge.  His most recent publication – Mariner: A Voyage with Samuel Taylor Coleridge – has received accolades from as diverse a crowd as Rowan Williams, Jeremy Begbie, Susanna Clark (author of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell), and The Heythrop Journal.  A singer and guitarist who fronts the Cambridgeshire-based blues, rhythm & blues, and rock band 'Mystery Train,' Guite has also collaborated with Cdn musician Steve Bell (resulting in an award-winning Cdn documentary, 'Burning Ember').

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Guite states his aim is to " be profound without ceasing to be beautiful."

Come see how he does so, through music and recitation, on August 5th at 7:30pm; reception afterwards.

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Directions to the location can be found here:

 www.hillsiderpc.ca/contact/ 

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-- the parking lot is small, but there is another larger one a few metres down the road, across from the park.