Author Pat Conroy visits Asheville

Posted on by Alli Marshall

Even if you don’t know that you know Pat Conroy, you do. He’s that guy — the one who wrote The Prince of Tides which was subsequently made into a tear-jerker of a movie starring Nick Nolte and Barbra Streisand.

Conroy (who was born in Atlanta and grew up in South Carolina) has penned many a well-known novel: The Water Is Wide, The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, Beach Music and, just a few years ago, My Losing Season, a memoir about playing basketball at The Citadel.

This year, Conroy published My Reading Life in which he (according to Publishers Weekly), “pays tribute to the men who were substitute father figures and mentors, among them a legendary book rep who chastised him for his “overcaffeinated prose.” Breakneck contrasts exist throughout: on the one hand, Conroy sketches concisely the venom of Southern white bigotry; on the other hand, he allows humor to bubble up through dialogue, and riffs the English language. While some readers will not progress beyond the fustian prose, Conroy’s legion of fans will doubtlessly bond with the author as he earnestly explores the role of books in providing him with inspiration and solace.”

Conroy makes an appearance at The Captain’s Bookshelf (31 Page Ave., Asheville, 253-6631) on Sunday, Nov. 28 to sign copies of My Reading Life. The event takes place at 3 p.m.; Conroy’s previously published titles will also be available. According to a press release, “Signed first-printing copies of My Reading Life may be ordered for $30 inclusive of all taxes and shipping charges.”

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall
View all posts by Alli Marshall →

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Author Pat Conroy visits Asheville”

  1. BigAl

    I am disappointed. His eulogy of author Doug Marlette stated he was going to name his next novel “Bring Me the Head of Alan Gurganus”.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.