Join the Bondi Literary Salon for our February book club, hosted by Paul Twomey! In our gathering, we will be discussing E. M. Forster's Howards End, often referred to as his finest work.

WHEN: Wednesday, 27th March 2024, at Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore, please arrive at 6.45 pm for a prompt 7 pm start.

TICKETS: Admission; $25.00 (excluding external fees). Your ticket includes a drink on arrival and nibbles during the evening.

Frequently cited as E. M. Forster's finest work, Howards End brilliantly explores class warfare, conflict and the English character.

About Howards End

When a brief romance between Helen Schlegel and Paul Wilcox ends badly, their two very different families are brought into collision. The liberal, intellectual Schlegels, who had hoped never to see the capitalist, pragmatic Wilcoxes again, learn that Paul's family are moving from their country estate - Howards End - to a flat just across the road.

As the lives of the Schlegels and the Wilcoxes become increasingly entangled, Helen befriends Leonard Bast, a man of lower social status. His presence further inflames the families political and cultural differences, which are brought to a head in a fatal confrontation at Howards End.

About the Author

Edward Morgan Forster was born in London in 1879, attended Tonbridge School and went on to King's College, Cambridge in 1897, where he retained a lifelong connection and was elected to an Honorary Fellowship in 1946.

He died in June 1970.

About the Host

Paul Twomey is a relatively new member of the Bondi Literary Salon and has been grateful to discuss several thought-provoking books with the group. Not surprisingly, Paul loves to read (and has to as an academic) but wishes he had the memory of a Stephen Fry to retain it all. He tends to wear his eyes out on non-fiction (philosophy, history, politics & society) and ears out on fiction (mythology, historical fiction). He resonates with the word ‘vellichor’—the strange wistfulness of used bookstores (coined by John Koenig in The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows)—and loves the magical, distinctive smells of new and old books.

About Bondi Literary Salon

Bondi Literary Salon was established in 2018, it is the in-house book club of the beloved Bondi institution, Gertrude & Alice. The Bondi Literary Salon endeavours to explore the vast world of literature each month, with a selection that reflects a focus on diverse writers and stories; delving into both classic and contemporary fiction, as well as non-fiction.

Our philosophy has always been to use language and literature not only as a tool for connection and community but as an insight to worlds we have not had the pleasure of visiting ourselves. We welcome all - young and old, those with a life-long love of literature, or whose relationship may be only beginning. Join us in the unmatched comfort of an after-hours bookstore, accompanied by wine and cheese, for an evening spent discussing books and building community.

About Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore

Rated as one of the top 10 bookstores in the world by National Geographic, Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore is an oasis for writers, readers, and coffee lovers. Books overflow from the shelves of their store, featuring a mix of new, second-hand, antiquarian and rare books. Stay a while & enjoy some homemade chai, and amazing coffee, and unearth a book treasure or two. Read more about the bookstore's story here, and about the real Gertrude & Alice here.