Salon participants describe the Salon

 

 

Stimulating. Supportive. Sociable. Multiply those three terms by at least a million and what do you get? Toby Brothers’ Literary Salon, that’s what. A galvanising gateway to some of the most challenging – but rewarding – works in the modernist canon (and before and beyond); a much-needed meeting point for quick, quirky minds of all ages, shapes and backgrounds. In short, Ms Brothers is gifted with a strange and lovely alchemy that transforms the torpor of a typical Tuesday evening into something intriguingly torrid and tantalising…
London Ulysses, Sound and The Fury, To the Lighthouse

I’ve really enjoyed it. particularly the fact thats its enabled me to access a book i wouldnt otherwise get to penetrate. and its made so much easier and enjoyabel abd informative to do so with other people. some of whom i have to say formidably smart. thats the other side iver enjoyed is the group. v generous warm group. occassional spikiness which is always welcome for the added frisson. not sure that i see it as educational forum. although that is what it is i gguess. look forward to joining other salons at some point. I also love how its spun me out in totally different directions and looking into other books etc that i wouldnt otherwise have got it.

I just discovered William Faulkner through the London Literary Salon. His writing is exhilarating, brilliant, challenging and many-layered. Reading and thinking in preparation for the study session as well as joining in meant I got so much more out of the stories than if I had been reading purely for leisure. Toby Brothers’ opening notes help alert you to hidden themes and her orchestration of the Salon discussion ensures that everybody has a chance to say and hear the insights of themselves and others, exposing and questioning the deeper layers of meaning. A nice touch: we take it in turns to read aloud. Such a pleasant change.
“The Bear”, The Sound and The Fury London 2012-13

As with other salons I have not necessarily liked the book, but I have liked both the quality of the writing and primarily the quality of the conversation.When I have mentioned the salon, I have been challenged as to why I would pay to attend a book club, when surely these are free. I guess for me the key differences are:

• The books have been selected for reasons, other than 1 book club members personal choice.
• The sessions are guided, rather than everyone just saying what they liked and did not like.
• The sessions are more like seminars, than a book club session and I have always learned a great deal from your and others perspectives.
• It trains your mind to read in a different way.
• I like the chance to eat and chat too.

Wide Sargasso Sea, The Wasteland, Richard III London 2013