As always, this long and sometimes repetitive book addresses common Conrovian themes-complicated families of epic violence, blood feuds, and passionate connections. The Death of Santini falls into the second camp, but like the memoirs before it- The Water is Wide, My Losing Season-it has the heated, emotional language and grand operatic sweep of his later novels, Prince of Tides and Beach Music.

'synopsis' may belong to another edition of this title.Īn Amazon Best Book of the Month, November 2013: Funny thing about Pat Conroy: a prolific chronicler of his own life as a 20th century white Southern male, he writes novels that read like nonfiction and memoirs that read like novels. “A brilliant storyteller, a master of sarcasm, and a hallucinatory stylist whose obsession with the impress of the past on the present binds him to Southern literary tradition.” - The Boston Globe “Conroy writes athletically and beautifully, slicing through painful memories like a point guard splitting the defense.” -Minneapolis Star Tribune “Vital, large-hearted and often raucously funny.” - The Washington Post “Conroy’s conviction pulls you fleetly through the book, as does the potency of his bond with his family, no matter their sins.” - The New York Times Book Review “A painful, lyrical, addictive read that fans won’t want to miss.” - People The Death of Santini is a heart-wrenching act of reckoning whose ultimate conclusion is that love can soften even the meanest of men, lending significance to the oft-quoted line from Pat’s novel The Prince of Tides: “In families there are no crimes beyond forgiveness.” In the final years of Don Conroy’s life, the Santini unexpectedly refocused his ire to defend his son’s honor. But as Pat tenderly chronicles here, even the oldest of wounds can heal.

While the publication of The Great Santini brought Pat much acclaim, the rift it caused brought even more attention, fracturing an already battered family. As the oldest of seven children who were dragged from military base to military base across the South, Pat bore witness to the often cruel and violent behavior of his father, Marine Corps fighter pilot Donald Patrick Conroy. Pat Conroy’s great success as a writer has always been intimately linked with the exploration of his family history. “A painful, lyrical, addictive read” ( People) by the cherished author of The Great Santini that brings his extraordinary career full circle.

The Death of Santini by Pat Conroy