Review by Jack Smith
My apologies to William Faulkner and James Lee Burke, I still believe Pat Conroy was the greatest writer to ever come out of the South. All three were true “Sons of the South;” they appreciated its charm and hospitality while never hesitating to explore the darker side. Pat was raised by an overbearing Marine fighter pilot and a Junior League mother. This contradiction of parental guidance helped Pat understand the Ying & Yang of the modern South. Although all of his novels are national treasures, I think “The Prince of Tides“ is in a class by itself. Based loosely on his own family, he manages to capture the warmth and wonders of a childhood growing up on an island off the coast of South Carolina. The book also exposes a dark family secret that caused the breakdown of each family member. Published in 1986, this became Conroy’s most successful book and reviewers immediately acknowledged him as a master storyteller and national treasure.
