Guest Book

I regret having procrastinated so much. I wanted to meet Pat Conroy when he came down to the Miami Book Fair and felt too scared. What if he was mean? Impatient? My classmates told me he was no such thing. He was hilarious, friendly and full of cheeky comments. I told myself I would go the next year but he wasn't featured...

It came down to writing a single letter and hoping that he would read it and possibly, write back. I left many letters unfinished, un-mailed. When he passed away, I was in disbelief. The lively man I saw in pictures couldn't just be... gone. It felt like I had lost a friend.

I would read his books on the school bus and then, late into the night. There were times when I laughed so hard at his writing, I'd have to quickly clap a hand over my mouth to be quiet and not wake my parents. There were other times when I'd set a book down for a few moments so I could hold in tears during a sad moment. I wish I hadn't procrastinated. I wish I could have at least let him know once that his words were a lifeline for me.

When the time was right, I got my little sister a copy of "The Great Santini." She called me after the first chapter to ask me if I'd be "down" to try the mushroom soup incident sometime during Thanksgiving and we laughed at the thought of orchestrating such a thing in front of uptight relatives. When she finished, she asked me with all seriousness, if we could go to the Carolinas one day and see this wonderful place for ourselves. His descriptions had intrigued her just as they did me.

I imagine that somewhere in Heaven, Pat is sitting by a dock over beautiful, clear water. In his hands, he opens a large oyster shell and the air is suddenly perfumed with the gift of his prose.

Thank you, Pat. You've given so much to so many.

I can't believe that it has taken me 62 years to discover Pat Conroy. A good friend gave me a copy of The Lords of Discipline. I had gotten out of the habit of reading books in favor of Netflix and The Tube, so it laid on my bedside table for a bit,, but when I picked it up, I couldn't put it down.
The Lords of Discipline is by far the greatest book that I have ever written, errr read!! (I am a writer also) and Pat Conroy is now my favorite author, beating out the likes of Hunter Thompson and J.D. Salinger.
I read the Great Santini next, followed by The Prince of Tides and The Water Is Wide. Right now I am on page 585 of Beach Music and am finding it on a par with The Lords Of Discipline. I was daunted by its 776 pages before I started reading it, but find it to be a real page turner that I can't put down. I read it all day yesterday and today woke up at one am, on four hours sleep and am staying awake to finish off the book. Pat Conroy is by far the best, the very best, author that I have ever read.
I am a poet and a memoirist and Mr. Conroy has given me an itch to try to write fiction. I am so glad that you are keeping this website alive, because it gives me a feeling that Mr. Conroy is still with us, and that it would be possible to sometime enjoy a meal with him, or a drink, back in the days when I was drinking.--Mikel K Poet

Just finished Mrs. Conroy's moving memoir of her life with my favorite author. I wrote that March 4 was the death day of my grandpa, my husband and recently my brother all different decades; I hope they are all together listening to Pat telling stories and laughing their butts off. It was such a peek into the good life of Pat and Cassandra's life together; nice to know he was happy at last with her in his life. And what a life! Have loved him as an author for decades and now love him as a good man to a good woman.

I've loved his books forever. Joined the Chelan Library (WA) and found South of Broad. Best one yet, hope it will be a movie. Wish I had met him. Hugs

I have been a longtime fan of Pat Conroy's work and have read many of his books. Recently, while visiting in New England, I purchased a copy of "The Death of Santini" in a quaint little bookstore in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I was delighted to find it, as I hadn’t known about this one. Upon my return to Georgia, I couldn’t wait to dive into it.

Twenty-odd years ago, when we were living on the coast of Maine, I recall being so moved by "The Prince of Tides" that I wrote my first and only other letter to an author, sending it to the publisher with no real hope that it would ever find its way to Pat A couple of months later, to my great surprise, Pat called me at our home in Kennebunk, Maine, an act of kindness that I shall always remember.

Having also been raised as a "military brat" with an abusive father. in his remarkable way, Pat pulled the scabs off these old wounds, but in doing so was also able to apply a salve to help heal them.

I shall always be grateful for Pat's incredible insights, amazing storytelling, and his amazing ability to capture the essence of who we are, in beautiful and unvarnished ways.

Pat entered The Citadel in the Fall of 1963 after I had graduated in June. My wife and I now live in a 119 year old house in Pisgah Forest, NC. The house was once owned by Hamilton Basso who wrote The View From Pompey;s Head. I met Pat for the first time after I was inducted into The Citadel athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. I attended his induction into the same Hall of Fame. When he found out that we owned the house that Basso lived in he said he would send us a few 1st edition Basso books and he did. Those books have a special place on our bookshelf. Pat said Basso (a good friend of Thomas Wolfe) was one of his favorite authors.
Pat and his books will never be forgotten.

My wife, Julie, and I are celebrating 50 years of marriage by vacationing in Pat Conroy country. Just today (8/17/19) we visited Pat’s gravesite in St Helena Memorial Garden. Julie placed a pen on his grave. We felt the loss of a friend as well as a gifted American author. “Thank you, Pat, writing the hard truth in great love.”

I’m so inspired by his work. He made me fall in love with South Carolina.

I am headed down to Charleston for the first time this coming week with my son, and happened upon Pat Controy's website. He was one of the most influential authors in my life. I had the chance to meet him when he visited his Citadel classmate John Warley; I lived across the street from the Warley's in Newport News VA, and they knew how much I loved Pat Conroy. I was 13, and I will never forget that moment.