New York Times best-selling writer Pat Conroy (1945-2016) inspired a worldwide legion of devoted fans numbering in the millions, but none are more loyal to him and more committed to sustaining his literary legacy than the many writers he nurtured over the course of his fifty-year writing life. In sharing their stories of Conroy, his fellow writers honor his memory and advance our shared … understanding of his lasting impact on twentieth- and twenty-first-century literary life in and well beyond the American South.
Conroy’s was a messy fellowship of people from all walks of life. His relationships were complicated, and people and places he thought he’d left behind often circled back to him at crucial moments. The pantheon of contributors includes Pulitzer Prize winners Rick Bragg and Kathleen Parker; Grammy winners Barbra Streisand and Janis Ian; Lillian Smith Award winners Anthony Grooms and Mary Hood; National Book Award winner Nikky Finney; James Beard Foundation Award winners Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart; a corps of New York Times best-selling authors, including Ron Rash, Sandra Brown, and Mary Alice Monroe; Conroy biographers Katherine Clark and Catherine Seltzer; longtime Conroy friends Bernie Schein, Cliff Graubart, John Warley, and Walter Edgar; Pat’s students Sallie Ann Robinson and Valerie Sayers; members of the Conroy family; and many more.
Each author in this collection shares a slightly different view of Conroy. Through their voices, a vibrant, multifaceted portrait of him comes to life and sheds new light on the writer and the man. Loosely following Conroy’s own chronology, the essays in Our Prince of Scribes wind through his river of a story, stopping at important ports of call. Cities he called home and longed to visit, along with each book he birthed, become characters that are as equally important as the people he touched and loved along the way.
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I have loved Pay Conroy’s books over the years and was excited to be a part of this book tour! Our Prince of Scribes is a beautiful tribute to an amazing and prolific writer. The collection of essays comes from people from all walks of life. From fellow writers to musicians. Our Prince of Scribes is a must read for Pat Conroy fans!
I loved every line in this gift of a book, and knew right away I didn’t want to rush through it, for it is the kind of tome one wants to savor. For all those moved to the bone marrow by Pat Conroy’s books, this collection of essays personalizes the man behind the magic. The collection weaves to enlighten the reader with the idea that Pat Conroy was more than a writer, he was chock-full of personality and had an altruistic heart. I’ve decided that Our Prince of Scribes is the ultimate book to give as a gift to friends that love reading. Reading is such a personal experience, and this book is constructed in such a manner that it delves into the very spirit of why. In any book, I believe it all comes down to the power of connection between the reader and writer. In Our Prince of Scribes, each voice we hear shines with love and pure intent, as it seeks to articulate the impact left by this larger than life man. I could literally feel the love as I turned through the pages, and found it utterly inspirational. Pat Conroy taught many how to write by virtue of his gift, but in reading Our Prince of Scribes, it occurs to me he also taught many how to live
2019 BIBA™ Tribute Winner!
Pat Conroy was the king of southern literature. Hell, he still is and always will be. Even before I discovered my love of southern fiction, I knew who Pat Conroy was. The Prince of Tides. I remember when the movie came out. I was 9 and it starred Babs. That was a pretty big deal if I remember correctly. Well, clearly the man left a mark on everyone, as Barbra Streisand herself wrote the foreword.
Our Prince of Scribes is a lovely dedication to the complicated man so many knew and loved. It gives us readers a glimpse into the person he was and into the admired man he became. A perfect gift for fans, a treasured keepsake for many, Scribes is one of the best memorials I’ve read, definitely a favorite of 2018.
Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours and University of Georgia Press for the honor of receiving an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
When I first heard the news that Pat Conroy had passed away in 2016 I was saddened for his family and friends and for us readers. One of his friends said “A person didn’t meet Pat and stay the same before and after”- I can see how that would be true.
I deeply wish I had met Mr. Conroy or had the chance to listen to him speak, but after reading story after story of his kindness to new authors, generous spirit and his wicked sense of humor, I feel as if we’ve been gifted with a rare and privileged glimpse into his life. To hear him speak would indeed have been a special experience as Nathalie Dupree states “listening to him talk, combining his storytelling ability with his love of language, was a sacred experience, like listening to fine church music.”
The book is presented in a loose chronology of his life and each author has a different story and perspective on this great and humble man.
There are memories from one of his students on Daufuskie Island who had never had a white teacher, let alone a male teacher, then one from a guy working at the copy shop when Pat brings in a manuscript of The Prince of Tides and we also hear from his daughter who understood and valued his gift with words and language.
Pat Conroy was a generous and loyal friend to many. His friend of 50 years John Warley shared this letter from Pat; “The night is changing into morning. Thanks again for your letter, John. I emerged from college with no better friend than you. I am tenacious about keeping friends. I plan to go through life with you somewhere within reach. Mawkishly and shamelessly, good luck next year. If you need any help financially, morally, physically, spiritually or anything else, call me.”
He knew his way around a kitchen as well as around a basketball court. He had a sailors mouth but the utmost respect for women. He was larger than life, friendly to everyone and an absolute genius with words.
He was so curious about people and their place in the world. His observations were often sharp and irreverent. People were drawn to him like a pied piper and it’s no surprise that over 400 people attended his 70th Birthday in Beaufort, South Carolina. This event would be the last time many of his friends would see him because he passed away only 5 months later.
This was a brilliant tribute to man who was many things to many people. Wendell Minor, his longtime cover illustrator had this to say:
“Everyone who knew him was touched by his heart and soul, and his ever warm sign off, “Great Love!“. Great love to you dear Pat your heart lives on in all of us.”
I can’t think of a better way to end the review…
This book is a perfect gift for readers, fans of southern literature, Pat Conroy fans, writers, booksellers, and teachers.