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michaelpdonley's review against another edition
5.0
The subject matter is wide: dysfunctional families, the Holocaust, love of food, being an American in Rome, suicide, Vietnam, politics, film-making, the ocean. Scenes that range from very funny, to nostalgic, to horrifying, all told with such a masterful grasp of language and the complexity of human nature.
dina9195's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism
m_klevenberg's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this book was so well written, the way Conroy can draw pictures with words is beautiful.
caties_books's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
My absolute favorite kind of book đ
wessela's review against another edition
5.0
Great read to listen to on audio. It was well worth the 27 hours!
shybane's review against another edition
4.0
I was devastated when I learned that Pat Conroy passed away from pancreatic cancer early last year. So much so, I wanted to service his memory by going back and reading some of my favorite Pat Conroy novels. Now, nearly a year later, I'm sad to say I am done. Iâm saddened that I didn't do justice to his memory by sticking with his words - by being the avid reader I consider myself. Unfortunately, sometimes the insanity of life simply gets in the way. For that, Mr. Conroy, I am sorry.
Reading Pat Conroy revives such fond memories of my youth. I first met him as I was restricted many of my formative years due to some glaring inadequacies on many of my report cards. Instead of being outside playing with my friends, or slowly dimming my brain cells by mindlessly watching ALF on a now outdated CRT screen, I was forced to a form of home detention/study hall. A "C" on the report card meant little outside time and mere moments of television. The rest of my time was to be spent on studying my texts and grasping Algebraic formulas. Being a stubborn child, I refused. I'd raid my folkâs bookshelves and read fiction; obviously much better than reading a textbook. The Prince of Tides was one of those works of fiction - Iâve been a fan Pat Conroy ever since.
If I looked at Beach Music critically, it would be overly sentimental, overly formulaic, and just over-the-top. But, I love it. His writing is beautiful â the imagery fantastic. He paints such a vivid portrait with words. He sees such beauty in the south; a place whose history with which he is so conflicted. Itâs hard to believe that this man finds beauty in most things even though he was raised by "The Great Santini.â The Great Santini depicted in the movie and book was a pussy cat compared to the real Santini. By all accounts, his childhood was so difficult, chances were high that he would take his own life rather than cancer getting him first.
Beach Music had me from the prologue. So lovely, so beautiful. Perhaps, Iâm the overly sentimental one, but I when Jack McCall tells the story of first falling in love with his daughterâs mother, you ache. You are guaranteed to rollover and pull that someone you love closer to you.
At the beginning of the book Jack McCall lives in Italy with his daughter, Leah. They moved there soon after his wife ended her life by jumping off a bridge into the water below. A fall from that high, even if itâs water, is like hitting concrete. His life from that moment, already a brutal one, ceased to be the same. The story is about his struggle to overcome his past. Ultimately, he must go back to the Carolina low country to face it.
Like most of Pat Conroyâs novels, the present is summarized the by little vignetteâs he tells of his past. All of them remarkable and many of them sprinkled, ever so delicately, with autobiographical details of his own life. Some of these sojourns into the past are so tragic that youâll want to put the book down to weep; they range from parental abuse to the Jewish holocaust. At other times, the novel is so riotously funny that you will weep from laughter.
Thatâs the beauty of Pat Conroyâs writing â he can take you down some very dark paths. Paths that you donât want to take. Moments later, he removes you from harm. It is as if he doesnât truly want you to face the tragedy of abuse that he survived. Heâs the parent, we his children and he is resolved to not to follow in the same steps of his own father.
I had the pleasure of meeting Pat Conroy about 13 â 14 years ago. He was in town reading from âMy Losing Season.â Such a delightful individual and so friendly. When it was my turn to have the books I cradled in my arms to be signed, he beams and asked, âso, Shane, what is it that you do here.â So star struck was I could barely audibly say, âStuff.â Such as I was.
But, this is nowâŚ
Reading Pat Conroy revives such fond memories of my youth. I first met him as I was restricted many of my formative years due to some glaring inadequacies on many of my report cards. Instead of being outside playing with my friends, or slowly dimming my brain cells by mindlessly watching ALF on a now outdated CRT screen, I was forced to a form of home detention/study hall. A "C" on the report card meant little outside time and mere moments of television. The rest of my time was to be spent on studying my texts and grasping Algebraic formulas. Being a stubborn child, I refused. I'd raid my folkâs bookshelves and read fiction; obviously much better than reading a textbook. The Prince of Tides was one of those works of fiction - Iâve been a fan Pat Conroy ever since.
If I looked at Beach Music critically, it would be overly sentimental, overly formulaic, and just over-the-top. But, I love it. His writing is beautiful â the imagery fantastic. He paints such a vivid portrait with words. He sees such beauty in the south; a place whose history with which he is so conflicted. Itâs hard to believe that this man finds beauty in most things even though he was raised by "The Great Santini.â The Great Santini depicted in the movie and book was a pussy cat compared to the real Santini. By all accounts, his childhood was so difficult, chances were high that he would take his own life rather than cancer getting him first.
Beach Music had me from the prologue. So lovely, so beautiful. Perhaps, Iâm the overly sentimental one, but I when Jack McCall tells the story of first falling in love with his daughterâs mother, you ache. You are guaranteed to rollover and pull that someone you love closer to you.
At the beginning of the book Jack McCall lives in Italy with his daughter, Leah. They moved there soon after his wife ended her life by jumping off a bridge into the water below. A fall from that high, even if itâs water, is like hitting concrete. His life from that moment, already a brutal one, ceased to be the same. The story is about his struggle to overcome his past. Ultimately, he must go back to the Carolina low country to face it.
Like most of Pat Conroyâs novels, the present is summarized the by little vignetteâs he tells of his past. All of them remarkable and many of them sprinkled, ever so delicately, with autobiographical details of his own life. Some of these sojourns into the past are so tragic that youâll want to put the book down to weep; they range from parental abuse to the Jewish holocaust. At other times, the novel is so riotously funny that you will weep from laughter.
Thatâs the beauty of Pat Conroyâs writing â he can take you down some very dark paths. Paths that you donât want to take. Moments later, he removes you from harm. It is as if he doesnât truly want you to face the tragedy of abuse that he survived. Heâs the parent, we his children and he is resolved to not to follow in the same steps of his own father.
I had the pleasure of meeting Pat Conroy about 13 â 14 years ago. He was in town reading from âMy Losing Season.â Such a delightful individual and so friendly. When it was my turn to have the books I cradled in my arms to be signed, he beams and asked, âso, Shane, what is it that you do here.â So star struck was I could barely audibly say, âStuff.â Such as I was.
But, this is nowâŚ
âYour stories have meant a great deal to me, Mr. Conroy. Thank you so much for bringing your humor and wisdom into this world. There is an emptiness without you here - a void never to be replaced.â
jmarchek's review against another edition
3.0
Our discussion was better than the book, in my opinion. This book is very long, with many complicated characters and plots. Some of the stories I really liked, some were over the top. I found the holocaust stories fascinating. I found the "mock trial" at the end quite a contrivance of the author. I think he was intending for this to be a mini series. These people are too complicated and messed up. I find it hard to believe they could all be together in real life.
Pat Conroy is a good author though, I just think this book is overly ambitious.
Pat Conroy is a good author though, I just think this book is overly ambitious.
ebkara's review against another edition
3.0
Long, in places interminably long in fact I skipped chunks. I found it disconnected, would just get into one story line and he would jump off in another direction.