The Guru of Malad Book

The Guru of Malad is a tale of extraordinary happenings in a small Southern town of the 1930s. The staid routines of its citizens are shaken and disrupted by the return of Robert Dowland, who proves to be a catalyst for emotional excitement and turmoil. Dowland is a talented dilettante and erstwhile physician who aspires, at 45, to be President of Cherokee College in Malad. Having lived for many years in Europe, India, and New York City, Dowland is a charismatic who quickly attracts a fervent group of acolytes. He reads poetry, gives piano concerts, and dispenses sage advice to his female admirers. His appointment at Cherokee College seems certain. But when he falls helplessly in love with Doris Williams, his beautiful black housekeeper, developments take an unexpected turn. In this fantasy of high comedy and gentle satire the lives of a colorful cast of eccentrics undergo profound changes: and the interlocking motifs of sex, academe, and the occult lead inexorably to a miraculous epiphany.

Author Biography: Gordon Epperson has written stories and poems throughout his life. He has also contributed numerous articles to professional journals, on music and on the theory and practice of the arts. His books include The Musical Symbol, The Mind of Edmund Gurney, and Sonnets From India. A prominent cellist, pedagogue, and recording artist, Mr. Epperson has taught at a succession of American universities. He has concertized extensively and conducted master classes in this country and abroad. He now lives in Tucson, where he is Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Arizona.