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South of Broad Pat Conroy Books

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South of Broad Pat Conroy Books

I read "South of Broad" to see how an accomplished novelist turns a place into a character. Pat Conroy did not disappoint in this regard - he makes his city alive to all five senses. And, the book features a rich ensemble of human characters whose intertwined lives form the spine of a story that unfolds over several decades.

The storyteller is Leo King, whose coming of age unfolds as Charleston, South Carolina is beginning to free itself from the shackles of segregation. Leo is blessed with neither the bloodlines of entitlement nor the physical attractiveness or athleticism that might, in Charleston society, help to compensate for his common birth. He does have a family consisting of a mother imbued with moral authority, a father most admirable, and a very dark secret. His parents position and equip him to be a catalyst who tears down walls in the lives of others. But the same open heart that allows him to build bridges over troubled waters, makes him vulnerable.

This is an ambitious story, told with subtle and ironic humor that makes Conroy's cast of characters - even those of the most upper crust - emotionally accessible. The unresolved tragedies of Leo's life make the story believable, and Conroy's keen observations about the nature of love, loyalty, and hypocrisy as told through the lives of his ensemble, make his characters memorable.

The book reads long in some places, a keen observer may detect a non-sequitur or two in the plot, and some of the dialog is too prosaic to be believable. Some readers may wish for a tidier ending. But then, Leo King's life is anything but tidy, and untidy lives make for interesting reading.


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South of Broad Pat Conroy Books Reviews

First, I'm a fan of Pat Conroy's works. GREAT SANTINI and PRINCE OF TIDES all rank as two of my favorite literary reads. I love the richness of his characters and how vividly Conroy makes the south come alive. However, SOUTH OF BROAD is not what I would call great literature. Coming off of PRINCE OF TIDES, Conroy's themes of family skeletons, rape, incest, and stirring revelations result in higher stakes drama with each book he writes. BEACH MUSIC was not a book I particularly loved and this one left me thinking that Conroy should now pull a Harper Lee and NOT write a novel ever again. BROAD tells the sad tale of the King family, with Leo (a journalist) at its center. Leo's brother commits suicide when he's just nine and then this one incident sets Leo off on a world of pain. When you get your first dose of family drama by the end of the introduction, you know you're in for a rough ride. We meet Leo's colorful parents and an even greater cast of friends who will all play important roles during Leo's life. Starting in 1969 and ending in 1990, the book traces Leo's high school years through his mid-life crisis at 40--all the while jumping back and forth in time so that Conroy can indulge himself in waxing poetic about the south.
The dialogue--especially during the teenage period for Leo and his friends--is just ridiculous. I grew up with folks from the south and they sure did not converse like that--especially the "mountain folk." It's all a little too polite and genteel if you ask me. Again, Conroy is a great writer--he should save his lucious words for descriptions and not what people say. Then there's the plot lines. A closet nun, a self-absorbed diva and her gay brother, a filthy rich racist, a couple of psychopaths, an alcoholic, and some cranky Southerners all interact and move the lot along as if it were DESIGNING WOMEN meets DEXTER meets DALLAS. In fact, it takes about ten clicks on a until Conroy serves up a new "episode." Some of the outcomes are a bit too dramatic and I found myself rolling my eyes. But, despite its flaws, it's a good summer read--just don't expect high-end literature. It's the perfect book for anyone wanting a great read for the airplane ride or just your basic trashy novel wiht a little dollop of flair and excess on the side. I hope Conroy once again writes a GREAT SOUTHERN NOVEL; with SOUTH OF BROAD he takes a wrong turn and veers of course a bit!
This may be my favorite Pat Conroy book....I've loved all of them. Somehow this one seems different with the group of friends going to California for 2 weeks to find and help one of their group of close knit friends. The South is home to me and reading about the Low Country is what I always enjoy in Pat Conroy stories...you feel just like you are there and can picture every bit of water and spartina that he describes.
The back and forth in the timeline of Leo King's life made this interesting as well as the complexity of the characters....although I must say I sometimes wondered about the outrageous life of Sheba Poe....probably the only conundrum I found in this story.
So many of Pat Conroy books appear to be twists of his own life...and they are, as in The Great Santini and others...I didn't get that impression in this book and it was nice to read that Leo had a loving relationship with his father, Jasper King.
Friends in this book and in life turn out to be invaluable. This author deserves the kudos he receives for his writing. Fate, tragedy, death, love, life, religion, relationships, mental illness, joy, crime, generosity, class struggle, friendship, excellent writing, superb characters, are all part of this book. It is not for the faint hearted. Charleston comes alive, suffers and survives triumphantly. I loved the book!
I read "South of Broad" to see how an accomplished novelist turns a place into a character. Pat Conroy did not disappoint in this regard - he makes his city alive to all five senses. And, the book features a rich ensemble of human characters whose intertwined lives form the spine of a story that unfolds over several decades.

The storyteller is Leo King, whose coming of age unfolds as Charleston, South Carolina is beginning to free itself from the shackles of segregation. Leo is blessed with neither the bloodlines of entitlement nor the physical attractiveness or athleticism that might, in Charleston society, help to compensate for his common birth. He does have a family consisting of a mother imbued with moral authority, a father most admirable, and a very dark secret. His parents position and equip him to be a catalyst who tears down walls in the lives of others. But the same open heart that allows him to build bridges over troubled waters, makes him vulnerable.

This is an ambitious story, told with subtle and ironic humor that makes Conroy's cast of characters - even those of the most upper crust - emotionally accessible. The unresolved tragedies of Leo's life make the story believable, and Conroy's keen observations about the nature of love, loyalty, and hypocrisy as told through the lives of his ensemble, make his characters memorable.

The book reads long in some places, a keen observer may detect a non-sequitur or two in the plot, and some of the dialog is too prosaic to be believable. Some readers may wish for a tidier ending. But then, Leo King's life is anything but tidy, and untidy lives make for interesting reading.