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SOUTH OF BROAD: A GREAT READ

29 September 2009 6 Comments

It is that time of year when there is a chill in the air and we retreat indoors once again. With a log in the fireplace, I curled up in my favorite chair to read Pat Conroy‘s bestseller South of Broad. Often when I read a book that I truly enjoy, I will give it to a friend with my recommendation. Not this one. I will hold onto this book. I will take it from the bookcase to enjoy and to revisit characters I came to love.

The setting of the book is in Charleston, South Carolina and Conroy’s lush descriptions of the city have put it on my must-visit list. The story revolves and evolves around a group of friends, the unsuspected intertwining of their lives, and the endurance of their connections through mangled circumstances. There were times when my eyes welled-up with tears and other times when I laughed aloud.

Pat Conroy’s use of language commanded my complete admiration for an author who is so eloquent. The main character in the novel is Leo, whose brother Steve committed suicide at a young age, causing Leo to wrangle with his own spiritual well-being. Conroy writes, ” Since his death, I had come to think of him as some fearless, irrepressible angel who watched over me, part Rottweiler, part guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and in part seer who would one day unlock the mystery of both our lives. In my worst moments, I could pray to Steve and not to the God who had stolen my brother and left me to face a terrifying world without my greatest ally by my side.”

Conroy’s characters have captivating depth. He allows the reader to draw from them as they struggle, like so many of us do, to cultivate truth, forgiveness, and understanding within the framework of life’s meandering paths. To paraphrase William Butler Yeats, ‘When I am old and gray and full of sleep, I will take down this book and slowly read.’ Again….

—cher

6 Comments »

Tina T said:

Charleston should definitely be on your “must see” list. It’s beautiful. This book sounds wonderful. I had heard about it before, but the description didn’t pique my interest like your description did. Looking forward to picking up a copy.

# 29 September 2009 at 7:42 pm

grace said:

Great post, Cher. Thanks for sharing your thoughts to us.

# 29 September 2009 at 8:58 pm

admin (author) said:

Tina T,
I hope to see Charleston sometime soon. Please let me know what you think of the book. I don’t give recommendations often, but this is worth sharing—-just not from my bookcase!