Introspections
T H E
M O D E R N - D A Y
S A L O N
By Suzanne Pollak Photography courtesy of Charleston Library Society
B
orn during the literary movements in seventeenth-century France, the salon is a gathering of intelligent, like-minded people to discuss cultural topics such as literature, art, philosophy, music, and beauty. Usually, there is a single host to conduct this exchange of ideas, opinions, and perspectives. As the interim director of the Charleston to Charleston Literary Festival, I am no stranger to the concept of the salon. In fact, I was a proponent, instigator, and organizer of salons even before I knew what they were. The very nature of a gathering of two or more people to discuss social themes always seems like a good idea to me. Reading books, listening to music, and looking at art can be fantastic shared experiences. I’ve experimented with
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all kinds of salons and finally discovered the ultimate kind: the only effort involved is to have a good time and the only objective is to expand the mind. I experienced my first salon in the company of my brilliant father. His extensive collection of books and ten thousand records traveled all over Africa with us, carried from library to library, house to house, country to country. When my Dad came home from the embassy where he worked with the CIA, he relieved his brain of diplomatic duties by reading philosophy or reciting Shakespeare, solving complex calculus problems, or listening to Verdi operas, Mozart sonatas, or the Modern Jazz Quartet—while drinking a whiskey, of course. It’s astounding when I
