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South of Broad

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South of Broad

By: Pat Conroy
Narrated by: Mark Deakins
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About this listen

 #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 Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction World Literature Tear-jerking Marriage

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
All stars
Most relevant
I've read all of Pat Conroy's books but this is the first I've listened to on audiobook. Mark Deakins' narration is flawless and thoroughly convincing. Without revealing the plot, I have to say this story has everything - murder, rape, elitism, religion, gender and racial tensions, AIDS, suicide, mental health issues, grief, death and dying. It also has warmth, love, comradeship and understanding. The story meanders, taking the listener on emotional highs and lows along the way. It is not an action-packed novel, but a novel packed with life's action. A thoroughly enjoyable listen.

A beautiful gentle story

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Loved the characters. Flawed and human. Credible. Huge range of topics that must have been difficult in that time. Not too long ago. Loved the narrators voice. Didn’t want it to ever finish.

Amazing characters.

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I loved Beach Music years ago and tried this one. It's a bloody thriller I would say. I know little about America and the deep routed feelings for the south. This teaches one about life. Racism and the heroes that fought it and partially won against all odds. Love and heartbreak. Orphans and rednecks and the Catholic curse of child abuse. Life goes on and there are so many wonderful people out there but some not so pleasant. I would recommend this to anyone who likes adventure and life. There is always some light at the end of the tunnel. One day I'll visit Charleston and get the real feeling. This took me right there and I loved it.

wonderful story

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I read his other title, Beach Music and really enjoyed it, and kept the author in the back of my mind for another read as some point. I chose this, and it strongly resembles the first book. Similar characters with similar names, the relationship between the characters and the protagonist are almost the same. Really dissapointing, was expecting more. Not sure how enjoyable this would be if this is your first novel by the author. I didn't bother finishing the book as it held no appeal for me.

Almost the same as beach music

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