Beach Music: A Novel

To someone who has always loved Conroy’s books, this was a huge disappointment. One endless soliloquy after another, predictable, drawing on sentimentality to try to make something out of an awful book.

I totally enjoyed this book. The story was very different and complex. It was hard to put down. Although it jumped back in time, it was easy to keep up with the story The author did seem to use a lot of big words that are rarely used which made me feel that he paid way more attention in college English than I did.

This book took a while to finish, but it was worth it! This story is one story with several stories within it. So many life lessons learned through the pages.

Had seen Prince of Tides ,but never read any of Pat Conroy s works. This summer I stayed on St. Helene s Island. While there took a golf cart tour in Beaufort,SC. Had started this book right before tour. Fell in love with Mr. Conways life. His way with words takes you on a journey you will never forget. If you havent read this give yourself a blessing and do so.

The plight of the Jewish people during WWII intertwined with storytelling as only Conroy can weave. Hard to put down. Gut wrenching at times. It was only 80 years ago that Jews were removed from their homes, starved, tortured, raped, murdered en masse because crazy people held crazy racial beliefs. Much of what we are seeing again today. The crazies today blame the sane for being crazy and therein lies the divide. We’d learn more from real history were it only being taught in schools. Of course there’s a sinister reason behind that. Doesn’t take a genius only someone that’s actually lived and observed humanity as opposed to an innocent child who believes anything they’re told, like Hitler’s youths.

This is an amazing journey through the past and what makes us all who we are and why our flaws exist. The history of the Holocaust is humbling as Jack learns about his father-in-law. The personal family histories are hard and glorious as the characters emerge and flower into flawed and beautiful creatures. This book is deep. It’s stories varied and connected to all of the characters living within the pages.

Its a loooong read, but moves along with its multi-faceted plot and unforgettable characters. Conroys writing style is unlike any other modern writer; maybe because hes Southern. Long descriptive passages, metaphors only a Southerner would understand, and improbable but believable plot twists. I loved it!

This is a very well written sweeping story about a young man growing up in South Carolina and his first deep love of the Jewish girl next door. There are many threads woven into the story including his mother dying of leukemia, his parents’ broken marriage due to,alcohol, his crazy 4 brothers,living in Rome for a time, his wife’s parents’ background of the Holocaust, the Vietnam war and American protests against it, his love of his daughter,and his very close ties to his childhood friends. Excellent!

I bought this book because of my love of beach music - the Catalinas, the Embers, The Band of Oz and so many others - but I had never read anything by Pat Conroy. I had the book for a long time because I didnt want to make the time commitment to read it (800 pages). But as I was reading it, I wished it would go on forever. My only complaint was Conroys penchant for dragging things out. Lucy was dying the whole book, but she kept rallying back to life to deliver yet another soliloquy to Jack or whomever would listen. I loved the descriptions of Charleston and the low country in general, and the food - oh my goodness it made me drool! I loved the characters, even John Hardin who, even in his craziest, darkest moments, provided an amazing insight into the world of a schizophrenic. The event on the bridge was described so vividly I laughed and blushed at the same time. All in all, Beach Music was many hours well spent. Ken Follett is my favorite author, but Pat Conroy is giving him a run for his money!

My brother hooked me on Conroy. I found that I either loved his novels or liked them. Loves: Lords Of Discipline, The Great Santini, The Water Is Wide Likes: Prince Of Tides, Beach Music I’m about done with Beach Music and will be happy when complete. I agree with others that complain about so many subplots. The halocaust stories were too much and I found myself wanting to skip the chapters (I didn’t). This is a long book with near 700 pages. He should have somehow made two novels. This one is long and frankly depressing. Not a Christmastime reader! If you want a great Conroy novel, read The Lords Of Discipline.