“I love the South Shore. I love the physical beauty, and the kindness and informality of the inhabitants. And, for a small place, it has a considerable and growing cultural vitality,” says internationally acclaimed author Philip Slayton.
Slayton, who spends approximately five months a year on the South Shore and the rest of his time in Toronto, says he does a lot of his writing while here.
“I have a study that overlooks the sea, which seems to inspire me (sometimes),” he says. “The peace and quiet is conducive to good thinking.”
Slayton has recently published his newest book, How to Be Good: The Struggle Between Law & Ethics, which is a collection of essays – pointed, provocative, ironic, sometimes funny – on the relationship between law and ethics. In it, he covers topics such as: Are money and ambition all that matter? Does an evil person deserve vigorous legal representation? Should young lawyers take ethical advice from old lawyers? How should lawyers be regulated? What do we do about the pitiful state of access to justice? How can a lawyer be a good person?
Although nothing is lined up at the moment, Slayton is hoping to arrange for a book signing and reading when he returns to the South Shore next summer.
In the meantime, Slayton has several other projects in the works. He has just finished a book on professional tennis in collaboration with a sports photographer, that will be published by a New York publisher next summer. He is also working on a book on freedom in Canada to be published by the University of Regina Press in 2019.
Philip Slayton studied law at Oxford University, taught at McGill University and became dean of law at the University of Western Ontario. After practising law with a major Canadian law firm in Toronto, he retired in 2000. Since leaving legal practice, Philip Slayton has written two best-selling books: Lawyers Gone Bad: Money, Sex and Madness in Canada’s Legal Profession and Mighty Judgment: How the Supreme Court of Canada Runs Your Life.
Slayton and his wife Cynthia were founders of the Port Medway Readers Festival, a summer literary festival on the South Shore. His newest book, How to Be Good: The Struggle Between Law & Ethics, is available on Amazon.
As for Slayton’s advice for new authors, he says not to expect fame and fortune.
“Do it for one reason only – because you love to write. Don't expect it to be easy. Writing well is hard, and like everything else, it takes a lot of practice if you want to be good at it.”
https://portmedwayreadersfestival.com/
https://philipslayton.com
