A Lowcountry Heart: Reflections on a Writing Life

by Pat Conroy Narrated by Scott Brick

Overview

Final words and heartfelt remembrances from bestselling author Pat Conroy take center stage in this winning nonfiction collection, supplemented by touching pieces from Conroy's many friends.

This new volume of Pat Conroy's nonfiction brings together some of the most charming interviews, magazine articles, speeches, and letters from his long literary career, many of them addressed directly to his readers with his habitual greeting, “Hey, out there.” Ranging across diverse subjects, such as favorite recent reads, the challenge of staying motivated to exercise, and processing the loss of dear friends, Conroy's eminently memorable pieces offer a unique window into the life of a true titan of Southern writing.

With a beautiful introduction from his widow, novelist Cassandra King, A Lowcountry Heart also honors Conroy's legacy and the innumerable lives he touched. Finally, the collection turns to remembrances of “The Great Conroy,” as he is lovingly titled by friends, and concludes with a eulogy. The inarguable power of Conroy's work resonates throughout*A Lowcountry Heart, and his influence promises to endure.

This moving tribute is sure to be a cherished keepsake for any true Conroy fan and remain a lasting monument to one of the best-loved masters of contemporary American letters.

Praise for A Lowcountry Heart

“A fascinating look into the mind of one of the South's greatest authors . . . something to remember him by and cherish for years to come.”-The Clarion-Ledger

“Fans of Conroy . . . will relish the chance to spend more time with him in this glowing valedictory to his life and writing . . . Eloquent, folksy, and sometimes brutally honest.”-Publishers Weekly

“A moving and proper tribute to a true Southern icon.”-The Florida Times-Union*

“Elegant essays [that] will not disappoint.”-The Washington Post

“Resplendent . . . As always, his storytelling, word choice and rhythm are gorgeous, almost lyrical.”-USA Today

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

09/26/2016
Fans of Conroy (1945–2016) will relish the chance to spend more time with him in this glowing valedictory to his life and writing, and those who have never read his books may very well be enticed to do so after reading this vibrant, charming collection of blog posts, interviews, essays, and speeches from the last years of his life. Conroy’s intelligence and curiosity about life and literature blossom forth in entries that are eloquent, folksy, and sometimes brutally honest. As many readers will know, he experienced his share of hardships, vividly reflected in novels such as The Great Santini and The Lords of Discipline. But a painful past clearly never hardened him, and his exuberance for so many things shines through in the entries reproduced here: his passion for books, reading, and language; his love for friends, both old and new; his delight in the beauty of South Carolina; his reverence for teaching and teachers; and his gratitude for being a writer and for the connections he has forged because of it. In particular, he enthuses generously and gregariously about fellow writers. “Great love” was his blog sign off, and that love was clearly returned by those who knew him, as evidenced by the moving reminiscences about him included in the book, such as an introduction by his wife, author Cassandra King. (Oct.)

From the Publisher

Resplendent . . . As always, [Conroy’s] storytelling, word choice and rhythm are gorgeous, almost lyrical; his descriptions are gloriously unexpected. . . . Fans who have missed his voice will find comfort in knowing that this is distinctively, precisely, willfully the Conroy whose books they loved.”—USA Today

“Elegant . . . A Lowcountry Heart is Pat’s last offering—a victory lap for the legion of readers who bought his books and stood in line to get them signed. It will not disappoint.”—The Washington Post

“A Lowcountry Heart is a fascinating look into the mind of one of the South’s greatest authors; call it a secret glimpse at the person behind the pen with all his foibles and endearing qualities laid bare by his own hand. Funny, thoughtful, breezy, profound, in this posthumous account, he and his widow give readers a great gift: himself, something to remember him by and cherish for years to come.”—The Clarion-Ledger

"Vibrant, charming . . . Fans of Conroy will relish the chance to spend more time with him in this glowing valedictory to his life and writing."—Publishers Weekly

“A moving and proper tribute to a true Southern icon.”—The Florida Times-Union 
 

Library Journal - Audio

03/01/2017
Conroy fans will love it; others will find it a pleasant companion for a long drive. ["Conroy's style is always accessible, lively, and heartfelt. This book is a worthy memorial--filled with love, humor, and great stories": LJ 11/15/16 review of the Nan A. Talese: Doubleday hc.]--Tom Condon, West Hartford, CT

Library Journal

★ 11/15/2016
Conroy, whose work includes The Great Santini, The Prince of Tides, and Beach Music, had a fulfilling life as a writer. After his death in 2016, his widow, the novelist Cassandra King, started gathering the best of the interviews, magazine articles, speeches, and letters from his career, here creating a collection of the author's reflections. This book also provides a note to readers by Nan A. Talese (Conroy's longtime editor), an introduction by King, in addition to remembrances by Bernie Schein, Rick Bragg, and Judge Alex Sanders. The resulting anthology offers an intimate look at the novelist's literary friendships and love of the South Carolina lowcountry he called home. Devoted fans will understand the sometimes difficult path he chose, and new readers will appreciate a life well lived. VERDICT Conroy's style is always accessible, lively, and heartfelt. This book is a worthy memorial—filled with love, humor, and great stories.—Pam Kingsbury, Univ. of North Alabama, Florence

NOVEMBER 2016 - AudioFile

If this is the last audiobook we will have from the late, great Pat Conroy, it’s a gift that Scott Brick is giving it voice. Conroy was a deeply emotional writer at the driest of times, and these pieces, written at the end of his life, when he was losing friends and knew that his own time was severely limited, are drenched with feeling. They consist of letters to his fans (what others would call blog posts), eulogies, and other occasional writings from the last years of his life. He is openhearted here to a stunning degree, while continuing to be a stylist of generosity, high color, and elegant vocabulary. It would be easy to overplay such writing, but Brick gets it absolutely right. Bravo. B.G. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2016-08-21
A collection of blog entries by the late, beloved novelist, along with a miscellany of speeches, interviews, and writings by and about him.When Conroy (The Death of Santini, 2013, etc.) died on March 4, 2016, he was apparently less than 200 pages into his next novel, not enough for an editor or collaborator to complete for posthumous publication. The best of this celebratory volume serves his memory well, showing why legions of fans and fellow writers felt so strongly about him. As fellow Southern writer Rick Bragg notes, in one of the few pieces by others that merit inclusion, “I just know he was different from others at the top of his craft, different in his generosity.” That generosity of spirit and conversational engagement permeate Conroy’s writing here, even more than they do his novels. Where other writers merely endure book tours, he plainly enjoyed the chance to meet his readers, to hear their stories, and occasionally even connect with someone from his past. “If any writer in this country has collected as fine and passionate a group of readers as I have,” he writes, “they’re fortunate and lucky beyond anyone’s imagination.” Each woman he describes is more beautiful and irresistible and finer in character than the last. His fellow writers humble him with how bold and prolific and eloquent and insightful they are. His great teachers imparted lessons he has never forgotten. His friends were friends for life. He frequently returns to the topic of “Carol, my beloved sister,” who quit speaking to him after she felt he violated her privacy in his fiction. Though he considered the word “blog” to be “the ugliest word to emerge out of the ‘wired’ universe so far,” he thrived within its open-letter format, beginning most with “Hey, out there,” and concluding “Great love….” These hold together in a long first section, making the second section feel padded with odds and ends. Pleasant last words from a highly regarded author who loved his life.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169324976
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	10/25/2016
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

Introduction
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "A Lowcountry Heart"
by .
Copyright © 2016 Pat Conroy.
Excerpted by permission of Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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