Literary conversation, a chapter in the history of readership in Chile: salons, ‘tertulias’, ‘ateneos’ in Chile during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Abstract

This article critically reviews part of the bibliography about salons, intellectual gatherings, literary societies and other cultural associations, and contrasts it with some memorialists’ testimonies. It proposes that the diverse forms of literary conversation are a really important source for the history of readership in Chile, regarding aspects such as practices and reading contents, and for the characterization of an era when the written and spoken word had a decisive influence in Chilean culture and society.