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Understanding Pat Conroy
Pat Conroy’s work as a novelist and a memoirist has indelibly shaped the image of the American South in the cultural imagination. His writing has rendered the physical landscape of the South Carolina lowcountry familiar to legions of readers, and it has staked out a more complex geography as well, one defined by domestic trauma, racial anxiety, religious uncertainty, and cultural ambivalence.
In Understanding Pat Conroy, Catherine Seltzer engages in a sustained consideration of Conroy and his work. The study begins with a sketch of Conroy’s biography, a narrative that, while fascinating in its own right, is employed here to illuminate many of the motifs and characters that define his work and to locate him within southern literary tradition. The volume then moves on to explore each of Conroy’s major works, tracing the evolution of the themes within and among each of his novels, including The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides, Beach Music, and South of Broad, and his memoirs, among them The Water Is Wide and My Losing Season.
Seltzer’s insightful close readings of Conroy’s work are supplemented by interviews and archival material, shedding new light on the often-complex dynamics between text and context in Conroy’s oeuvre. More broadly Understanding Pat Conroy also explores the ways that Conroy delights in troubling the boundaries that circumscribe the literary establishment. Seltzer links Conroy’s work to existing debates about the contemporary American canon, and, like Conroy’s work itself, Understanding Pat Conroy will be of interest to his readers, students of American literature, and new and veteran South watchers.
In Understanding Pat Conroy, Catherine Seltzer engages in a sustained consideration of Conroy and his work. The study begins with a sketch of Conroy’s biography, a narrative that, while fascinating in its own right, is employed here to illuminate many of the motifs and characters that define his work and to locate him within southern literary tradition. The volume then moves on to explore each of Conroy’s major works, tracing the evolution of the themes within and among each of his novels, including The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides, Beach Music, and South of Broad, and his memoirs, among them The Water Is Wide and My Losing Season.
Seltzer’s insightful close readings of Conroy’s work are supplemented by interviews and archival material, shedding new light on the often-complex dynamics between text and context in Conroy’s oeuvre. More broadly Understanding Pat Conroy also explores the ways that Conroy delights in troubling the boundaries that circumscribe the literary establishment. Seltzer links Conroy’s work to existing debates about the contemporary American canon, and, like Conroy’s work itself, Understanding Pat Conroy will be of interest to his readers, students of American literature, and new and veteran South watchers.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
145 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2015
18 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 24, 2015
I bought this book after attending Pat Conroy/Catherine Seltzer's panel at Southern Festival of Books with my son (also a fan). Reading this book was like finally having the detailed conversation about Pat Conroy's work that I wanted to have with someone, (even if it was a one-sided conversation--I'll take it!) or the class I wish had been taught at my college. At the risk of sounding obsessed, The Lords of Discipline ranks as one of my all time favorite books -- a book which I have probably read at least 20 times. I also adore My Reading Life, The Death of Santini, and The Prince of Tides. I have read all of Conroy's work (even The Boo, which was difficult to find at the time), some books multiple times. I have wondered about such minutia as why there are two characters named Beasley in the Conroy canon (first in The Great Santini and then a knob in LOD), and I have worried about Pat as if he is someone I personally know when I have heard over the years that he had difficult times emotionally. Basically, I am like one of the fans that Seltzer describes in her book, simply because his work is that emotionally resonant and powerful to me and so beautifully written; reading his work has truly helped me through life. I consider Will McLean one of my good friends, and my life would not be as full had I not been able to visit and revisit him over the years at the Institute. Selzer's book was an enormous treat as a guide through Conroy's work, wherein Seltzer (a more than impressive writer herself) skillfully demonstrates his power as an author and weaves the essays with tidbits of autobiography that make this slim volume a must read for any Conroy fan. The best news? Catherine Seltzer is currently writing Pat's biography, and I cannot be more excited. From what I have seen in this book, I think he could not have picked a better writer to do the job. (Equally good news I learned from the festival panel is that Pat Conroy is at work on a new novel.) Again, if you are a Conroy fan, you will love reading this book. I'm so glad it was written!
November 13, 2016
Literary criticism really isn't my thing. Ironic, considering I work for a publishing company whose bread and butter is literary criticism. But this one was about one of my favorites, and it was in a series started by my former boss (may they both rest in peace), so I gave it a try. I didn't learn that much new, but I was a bit surprised by a few things I had forgotten, and some interpretations I hadn't considered. Perhaps I should do some rereading.
February 10, 2016
I am nerdy enough to read literary criticism on Pat Conroy for fun and enjoy every word.
November 30, 2016
Pat Conroy is my favorite contemporary author and I thought I knew his life and books pretty well. But I was amazed by how much I learned from this brief overview of his life and books. It revealed a lot of depth to his stories that I had missed. One of my bucket list items is to reread all of his books.
January 4, 2020
Insightful literary criticism of Conroy’s body of work written before his death, which enabled this author to interview him.
March 25, 2017
When I headed out on a road trip to Savannah and Charleston, I added Beaufort to the list of stops because of Pat Conroy, one of my favorite authors who passed away about a year ago. (He of "Prince of Tides" fame.) I was pleased to find McIntosh Book Shoppe which specializes in Pat Conroy and was able to pick up a copy of "The Boo", his first book, in a memorial edition signed by both Conroy and the Boo. I was also able to pick up this interesting book which chronicles Conroy's work. I had expected that, like most literary criticism, it would be a bit dry and laden with the pretentious vocabulary of the English major but felt it would be a nice review of his works which I have enjoyed so much over the years. OK, there are a few words which fit that mold - "heteronormativity", anyone - but far less than I anticipated.
I think what made this book meaningful was that when she started the project Catherine contacted Conroy and asked if he would be willing to sit for an interview. Not only did he do that, he sat for multiple interviews, opened his papers, and invited her to the house. I think the result, as she puts it "is richer" for his "immense generosity" and that sense of his participation shines through. Normally, this type of work is not completed until an author passes so I feel Conroy fans are lucky her timing was so good.
While short in the number of pages, small fonts and a wide page format packs a lot of content into the book and it is a real treat for serious Conroy fans.
I also discovered while there, the "Pat Conroy Literary Center" and had a chance to sit at his actual desk, hold his personal pen and hold his tablet that he used to write on, Conroy never having mastered the typewriter or computer. Naturally, my current profile picture has a photo of this. Only discovered afterward that the place was supposed to have been closed that day but some staff had come in to finish off some work and were kind enough to give us a personalized tour. Thanx to those great folks!
A side note, another great book store in Beaufort is "Nevermore Books" - (look for the raven on Craven) almost a bookstore museum combo which also has some great autographed collectibles. As Conroy noted, "Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers, that the mind can never break off from the journey." To me, unique indie bookstores are on of travel's great rewards.
Catherine, thanks for your great book of literary analysis and a wonderful trip down memory lane. You reminded me of just how powerful his writing could be.
I think what made this book meaningful was that when she started the project Catherine contacted Conroy and asked if he would be willing to sit for an interview. Not only did he do that, he sat for multiple interviews, opened his papers, and invited her to the house. I think the result, as she puts it "is richer" for his "immense generosity" and that sense of his participation shines through. Normally, this type of work is not completed until an author passes so I feel Conroy fans are lucky her timing was so good.
While short in the number of pages, small fonts and a wide page format packs a lot of content into the book and it is a real treat for serious Conroy fans.
I also discovered while there, the "Pat Conroy Literary Center" and had a chance to sit at his actual desk, hold his personal pen and hold his tablet that he used to write on, Conroy never having mastered the typewriter or computer. Naturally, my current profile picture has a photo of this. Only discovered afterward that the place was supposed to have been closed that day but some staff had come in to finish off some work and were kind enough to give us a personalized tour. Thanx to those great folks!
A side note, another great book store in Beaufort is "Nevermore Books" - (look for the raven on Craven) almost a bookstore museum combo which also has some great autographed collectibles. As Conroy noted, "Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers, that the mind can never break off from the journey." To me, unique indie bookstores are on of travel's great rewards.
Catherine, thanks for your great book of literary analysis and a wonderful trip down memory lane. You reminded me of just how powerful his writing could be.
August 20, 2015
I am a major Pat Conroy fan and have read all of his books. I found this book about his books to be very well written and very detailed. I enjoyed reading about his books and what was going on in his life when he wrote them. I have added two of his books (Prince of Tides and Beach Music) to my summer reading list because after reading about them, I realized how much I want to re-read them again this summer. I would highly recommend this to Pat Conroy fans.
December 23, 2016
Great literary analysis of my favorite author.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews