#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A big sweeping novel of friendship and marriage” (The Washington Post) by the celebrated author of The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini Leopold Bloom King has been raised in a family shattered—and shadowed—by tragedy. Lonely and adrift, he searches for something to sustain him and finds it among a tightly knit group of outsiders. Surviving marriages happy … group of outsiders. Surviving marriages happy and troubled, unrequited loves and unspoken longings, hard-won successes and devastating breakdowns, as well as Charleston, South Carolina’s dark legacy of racism and class divisions, these friends will endure until a final test forces them to face something none of them are prepared for.
Spanning two turbulent decades, South of Broad is Pat Conroy at his finest: a masterpiece from a great American writer whose passion for life and language knows no bounds.
Praise for South of Broad
“Vintage Pat Conroy . . . a big sweeping novel of friendship and marriage.”—The Washington Post
“Conroy remains a magician of the page.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Richly imagined . . . These characters are gallant in the grand old-fashioned sense, devoted to one another and to home. That siren song of place has never sounded so sweet.”—New Orleans Times-Picayune
“A lavish, no-holds-barred performance.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“A lovely, often thrilling story.”—The Dallas Morning News
“A pleasure to read . . . a must for Conroy’s fans.”—Associated Press
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I have to say my favorite Pat Conroy (home town boy) book is Beach Music, but that said the literary brilliance of this book is amazing. I started reading it lying on the couch and realized two hours later that I wasn’t just reading this book, but
re-reading paragraphs, slowly savoring each sentence.
4.5 stars
South of Broad is sweeping, dramatic, occasionally meloncholy, but always moving, deeply moving. I read this book several years ago, and seeing it in today’s deals brought back vivid memories of the entire book. Great writing!
I hadn’t read anything by Pat Conroy and a friend suggested I start with South of Broad. I loved it and couldn’t put it down!
Not my all time favorite Pat Conroy book. I love his writing. Yes, a bit twisted compared to others, but an excellent book.
I have to start by saying that Pat Conroy is my favorite author but this is one of the worst books I have ever read! I can’t believe that Conroy wrote this. This book is so bad that I struggled to even finish it and it took me so long to read because it had awful it is but I can’t recommend it to anyone. All of Conroy‘s books are like a treasure …
Love everything by Pat.
Heavy, reflective, twisted human nature. Pat Conroy did not disappoint.
Pat Conroy was such a ‘wordsmith ‘. Loved everything he put on paper.
Certainly a good read, but not as satisfying as Prince of Tides.
One of the most lyrical writers I’ve had the pleasure to read.
It’s always a pleasure to read Pat Conroy. His words and phrasing are beautiful and lyrical, and his characters are unforgettable. He made me want to visit his locations.
Love anything by Pat Conroy!
Pat Conroy has a way with words that I have not read in another author. The musicality of his writing pulls you in. It’s true what they say about Southern storytellers and he’s a master of it.
Not my favorite Pat Conroy but very readable. Having grown up in the South and spent part of my adulthood there i did find the characters easy to recognize-if not all relatable.
Nobody does conflicted southerners as well as
Mr Conroy.
The book kept me interested from the first page to the last. The way the story developed, it reminded me somewhat of The Prince of Tides. Read it, you’ll like it.
So well written. Juicy characters and complex plots. I went back and read more by this author and am just sorry he has died and won’t be adding to his long list of books.
Pat Conroy writes so unbelievably beautifully. His descriptions of Charleston are so poetic they make you want to jump on a plane and get there to soak up all the magical ambience the city offers. The book explores friendships that evolve from high school well through adulthood exploring various personalities and damaged spirits. Uplifting, yet …
This book was a wonderful surprise. Although I had read other books by Pat Conroy, this one is very different. A brilliant mix of the believable and the outrageous and a great read all the way.
Coming of age book that is very entertaining.
I’ve loved all of his books