South of Broad

By: Pat Conroy

Narrated by: Mark Deakins

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A big sweeping novel of friendship and marriage” (The Washington Post) by the celebrated author of The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini

Leopold Bloom King has been raised in a family shattered—and shadowed—by tragedy. Lonely and adrift, he searches for something to sustain him and finds it among a tightly knit group of outsiders. Surviving marriages happy and troubled, unrequited loves and unspoken longings, hard-won successes and devastating breakdowns, as well as Charleston, South Carolina’s dark legacy of racism and class divisions, these friends will endure until a final test forces them to face something none of them are prepared for.

Spanning two turbulent decades, South of Broad is Pat Conroy at his finest: a masterpiece from a great American writer whose passion for life and language knows no bounds.

Praise for South of Broad

“Vintage Pat Conroy . . . a big sweeping novel of friendship and marriage.”—The Washington Post

“Conroy remains a magician of the page.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Richly imagined . . . These characters are gallant in the grand old-fashioned sense, devoted to one another and to home. That siren song of place has never sounded so sweet.”—New Orleans Times-Picayune

“A lavish, no-holds-barred performance.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“A lovely, often thrilling story.”—The Dallas Morning News

“A pleasure to read . . . a must for Conroy’s fans.”—Associated Press©2009 Pat Conroy; (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

Praise for South of Broad

"Conroy is an immensely gifted stylist…. No one can describe a tide or a sunset with his lyricism and exactitude."—Chris Bohjalian, The Washington Post

"Conroy writes with a momentum that's impossible to resist."—People, 3 of 4 stars.

"Beautifully written throughout…. Conroy is a natural at weaving great skeins of narrative, and this one will prove a great pleasure to his many fans."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Conroy is a master of American fiction and he has proved it once again in this magnificent love letter to his beloved Charleston, and to friendships that will stand the test of time."—Bookpage

Praise for Beach Music

"Astonishing . . . stunning . . . the range of passions and subjects that brings life to every page is almost endless." —Washington Post Book World

"Blockbuster writing at its best." —Los Angeles Times Book Review

"Pat Conroy's writing contains a virtue now rare in most contemporary fiction: passion." —Denver Post

"Reading Pat Conroy is like watching Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel." —Houston Chronicle

"Incandescent." —Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Grand." —Boston Globe

"Lyrical . . . evocative . . . Beach Music is one from the heart, and it beats with a vibrancy that cannot be denied." —Hartford Courant

"Breathtaking . . . perhaps the most eagerly awaited book of the year . . . a knockout." —Charlotte Observer

"Beach Music attains an almost ethereal beauty." —Miami Herald

"Few novelists write as well, and none as beautifully . . . Conroy's narrative is so fluid and poetic that it's apt to seduce you into reading just one more page, just one more chapter." —Lexington Herald-Leader

"Compelling storytelling . . . a page-turner . . . Conroy takes aim at our darkest emotions, lets the arrow fly, and hits a bull's-eye almost every time." —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Excellent, Interesting, and not boring!

Conroy's excellent work again! I love the mysteries of the different characters, the interactions, the complications, etc. So interesting and involved. I love the cultural differences that each group brings, such as the South, Catholicism, Racial, Gay, etc. The story unravels and ravels, uncovers, discovers each and everyone. I love that I feel each character's happiness, hurt, love, hate, wanting and needing. Excellent.

Best narrator ever. Great story.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Captivating and enjoyable. Better to listen than read.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Leo. Insightful and funny. Really decent guy

Which character – as performed by Mark Deakins – was your favorite?

He did them all so well, it's impossible to say. He was amazing!!!

If you could rename South of Broad, what would you call it?

A Peon to Charleston.

Any additional comments?

Thanks - loved it! I had heard a lot of criticism of this book,but like Pat Conroy and wanted to try it. Your narrator transformed it..

A Lovely Story

Captivating story! One that can be categorized as literature.

Loved It!

great story, loved the characters. The story was funny, sad and engaging.

A classic story of growing up

His description of the landscape and characters is beautifully done. One need only use his imagine to be able to be standing next to Leo King as he deals with the complexity of lifes events. I would take the book in somewhat shorter increments to be able to fully understand the complexity of the interaction of the participants.