Conversations with the Conroys

"This small gem of a book collects five group interviews conducted with bestselling author Pat Conroy and four of his siblings: Mike, Jim, Tim, and Kathy. The abundance of joy present in the siblings' exchanges about painful events, often expressed in teasing, underscores the message of South Carolina poet Nikky Finney's afterword: that 'the art of the conversation has the power to save each of us.' For fans of Conroy's books, this is a must-read."—Publishers Weekly

"This small gem of a book collects five group interviews conducted with bestselling author Pat Conroy and four of his siblings: Mike, Jim, Tim, and Kathy. The abundance of joy present in the siblings' exchanges about painful events, often expressed in teasing, underscores the message of South Carolina poet Nikky Finney's afterword: that 'the art of the conversation has the power to save each of us.' For fans of Conroy's books, this is a must-read."—Publishers Weekly

"Conversations with the Conroys offers an intimate view into the life of Pat Conroy and his family. Beautifully illustrated with photographs that capture Conroy from the age of two to the present, the book is an invaluable resource for the writer's many admirers. Walter Edgar brings a deft touch to the work—both as an editor and as an interviewer. Edgar links Conroy's powerful literary work with his conversational voice in this impressive book and gives us a deeper understanding of his craft as a writer."—William Ferris, author of The Storied South: Voices of Writers and Artists

"Let's hope Tolstoy was right when he wrote that each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way, because the world couldn't handle more than one batch of Conroy children. Their way of dealing with memories of cruelty and fear involves a lot of dark humor, as these marvelous interviews reveal, and I'd love to have them as siblings, though not if the parents come with them."—John Shelton Reed, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

"Piercingly honest, hilarious, and gut-wrenching, Conversations with the Conroys, edited by Walter Edgar, portrays a deeply troubled family struggling to survive amidst terrifying abuse. It's ultimately a story of triumph, of the healing power of love and forgiveness. And it's a page-turner, as engrossing as any of Conroy's novels."—Robert H. Brinkmeyer Jr., University of South Carolina

"Conversations with the Conroys offers an intimate view into the life of Pat Conroy and his family. Beautifully illustrated with photographs that capture Conroy from the age of two to the present, the book is an invaluable resource for the writer's many admirers. Walter Edgar brings a deft touch to the work—both as an editor and as an interviewer. Edgar links Conroy's powerful literary work with his conversational voice in this impressive book and gives us a deeper understanding of his craft as a writer."—William Ferris, author of The Storied South: Voices of Writers and Artists

"Let's hope Tolstoy was right when he wrote that each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way, because the world couldn't handle more than one batch of Conroy children. Their way of dealing with memories of cruelty and fear involves a lot of dark humor, as these marvelous interviews reveal, and I'd love to have them as siblings, though not if the parents come with them."—John Shelton Reed, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

"Piercingly honest, hilarious, and gut-wrenching, Conversations with the Conroys, edited by Walter Edgar, portrays a deeply troubled family struggling to survive amidst terrifying abuse. It's ultimately a story of triumph, of the healing power of love and forgiveness. And it's a page-turner, as engrossing as any of Conroy's novels."—Robert H. Brinkmeyer Jr., University of South Carolina

Winner, Bronze medal, 2016 Independent Publisher Book Awards Results, in the Autobiography/Memoir category