Spanning 40 years, this is the story of turbulent Tom Wingo, his gifted and troubled twin sister Savannah, and the dark and violent past of the ext...
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Dec 17, 2009
Jason
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This is the book that is the reason I read anything at all for pleasure. I decided I was going to read it before the movie came out and COMPLETELY fell in love with Conroy's style, renewed my love-affair with the low country of South Carolina, and discovered the joy of diving into a book wholeheartedly. Mr. Conroy is the reason I read today. The stories of what this family went through are heartbreaking at one (or more) moment(s) and hysterical at others. I didn't think the movie was half-bad, b
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Jun 15, 2007
Matthew
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Pat Conroy's prose is tragically acquainted with all the misery and glory and pain and beauty of humanity. It is also deeply entrenched in the American south. I believe he immortalizes his own time and place the way Hemingway did for wartime Europe. This story, so startlingly brutal and direct in it's engagement of the reader, lays out the impressive and failed life of Tom Wingo. The plain good virtue and astonishing cruelty of small-town South Carolina take shape in an uneasy and inevitable con
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Oct 06, 2011
Kelly
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I can't remember the last time I felt this torn; I hated the characters for being so selfish with their affections, so cowardly in their confrontations, the cruelty shown when the moment was theirs for the taking. What I hated more was when the victim on the receiving end - and, to be fair, it always rotates - would rise up in anger, but then crumble to their knees in love and forgiveness.
And that's also why I loved them. In one moment they felt so betrayed, so dishonored by blood a More...
And that's also why I loved them. In one moment they felt so betrayed, so dishonored by blood a More...
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Jan 30, 2009
Becky
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I enjoyed most of this book. When I read the first ten pages or so, I was blown away by the writing style and how poetic it was. This book is the family saga of a southern family told from the point of view of the middle aged Tom Wingo as he is talking to his sister's psychologist, Dr. Lowenstein. I really liked the family story, but really disliked the parts about middle aged Tom and the psychologist. Tom's character didn't seem to make much sense. He would fly into a rage at Lowenstein an
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Jun 11, 2008
Maureen
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If you are interested in reading novels with vibrant descriptions of the southeastern US, Conroy is a good bet.
I gave it three stars mostly because of the wrap up of the plot and the ending. It fell flat and was depressing. Although the protagonist Tom represented a complex and thoughtful narrator in the beginning of his tale, I was unhappy with his adult self, the decisions he made, his attitude towards life, and the consequences of his decisions.
At the onset of th More...
I gave it three stars mostly because of the wrap up of the plot and the ending. It fell flat and was depressing. Although the protagonist Tom represented a complex and thoughtful narrator in the beginning of his tale, I was unhappy with his adult self, the decisions he made, his attitude towards life, and the consequences of his decisions.
At the onset of th More...
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Apr 16, 2007
uroosa
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ok so i loved 9/10ths of this book. it was beautifully written...like a long poem that had both inter-sentence and inter-paragraph symmetry. each line is cleverly carved to make a whole. the story itself is not anything new: parents who screw up in the same ways as always, children who cope or don't cope. but it was the language really that was wonderful.
what i didn't like about this book was the ending. i felt like that was pulled out of a hat. here's a family whose daily liv More...
what i didn't like about this book was the ending. i felt like that was pulled out of a hat. here's a family whose daily liv More...
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Nov 02, 2007
Merritt
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I don't understand why this book gets rave reviews. I made it through the nearly 600 pages, but I can't say that I enjoyed most of it. Here is a random excerpt: "I tasted the wine and it was so robust and appealing that I could feel my mouth singing with pleasure when I brought the glass from my lips. The aftertaste held like a chord on my tongue; my mouth felt like a field of flowers. The mousse made me happy to be alive." Give me a break. Am I supposed to believe all of this? I felt
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Jan 24, 2008
Janet
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If you haven't read any of Pat Conroy's books, this is a good one to start. Conroy does a superb job of presenting South Carolina and the Low Country in all its sultry beauty. He also does, with rare exception, an excellent job of building his characters. With the exception of the psychiatrist, Dr. Lowenstein, his characters have depth, dimension, and draw. They pull you in lyrically and hold you with all the eccentricity, warmth and nuance Southern personalities offer to this day. An excellent
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(2 people liked it)
Mar 25, 2009
Eileen
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I'm waiting for the day that Pat Conroy will disappoint me. I'm waiting for the day that he fails to astound me, to take my breath away with each poetically seductive word that he has chosen, to stir emotions deep within me that I only feel and understand when I am reading his literature.
I am pertinaciously confident that that day will never come.
I am pertinaciously confident that that day will never come.
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Dec 09, 2011
Leslie
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What a great book. Wow. I'm sitting here in the few minutes after finishing reading and I've got tears on my face.
I lived in Charleston when they were filming the movie version of 'The Prince of Tides' in somewhat nearby Beaufort SC. We were all abuzz wondering if we'd see some celebrities. Naturally I had to see the movie. Which I immediately loved. Born and raised in Georgia, I could never be a South Carolinian no matter how many years I lived there. I'm proud of my own heritage, More...
I lived in Charleston when they were filming the movie version of 'The Prince of Tides' in somewhat nearby Beaufort SC. We were all abuzz wondering if we'd see some celebrities. Naturally I had to see the movie. Which I immediately loved. Born and raised in Georgia, I could never be a South Carolinian no matter how many years I lived there. I'm proud of my own heritage, More...
Aug 16, 2008
Deborah
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It has been awhile since I read this great book, but at the time a roommate and I were sharing a copy and reading it in turns. As we got drawn further and further into its pages, we would literally sit at each other's feet waiting for the next chapter to be finished in order to pass it between us. The book was so intense and yet flowed so beautifully with its dark family secrets and memorably flawed characters and innate sense of place, it became an addiction. When the movie came out, I was grea
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Jun 16, 2008
Janet Ollman
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My favorite novels are written by Irish authors or authors from America's South. "Mama won't read that novel...it's too uplifting!!!" O.K., I have been accused of liking novels with a darker side. Guilty as charged. The theme of Prince of Tides is indeed dark...but oh, the beauty of the words that Pat Conroy weaves together. He is a Master of Words. On page one, his words grab you and he won't let you escape until the final page. Pat Conroy begins, "My wound is my geography.
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Feb 16, 2008
Clare
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This story is narrated by Tom, a twin to sister Savannah, who is being treated by a psychiatrist for a second suicide attempt. Savannah is in a severe dissociatative state, having suffered auditory and visual halluciations. As she is unable to communicate with her psychiatrist, Tom reluctantly begins to go back in time with his sister's psychiatrist to their childhood in the South, to uncover the traumas, beliefs and behaviours that have affected them both.
The author conjurs up inc More...
The author conjurs up inc More...
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Mar 19, 2007
craige
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I finally got around to reading this after having it on my shelf for at least 10 years and avoiding the movie for that entire time.
I'm totally glad I waited. It was a wonderful book, very well-written and captivating. The problems that plague the family in the book do seem a bit over the top at times, but coming from a a person who had a perfectly normal childhood, perhaps I just don't know what it's like to have a terrible childhood. It's interesting to read about anyway. The only p More...
I'm totally glad I waited. It was a wonderful book, very well-written and captivating. The problems that plague the family in the book do seem a bit over the top at times, but coming from a a person who had a perfectly normal childhood, perhaps I just don't know what it's like to have a terrible childhood. It's interesting to read about anyway. The only p More...
Jan 01, 2009
bookczuk
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In my opinion, Pat Conroy is one of South Carolina's treasures. He captures my beloved lowcountry with grace, wit and elegance.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
In his most brilliant and powerful novel, Pat Conroy tells the story of Tom Wingo, his twin sister, Savannah, and the dark and violent past of the family into which they were born. Set in New York City and the lowcountry of South Carolina, the novel opens when Tom, a high school football coach whose marriage and career are crumbling, f More...
FROM THE PUBLISHER
In his most brilliant and powerful novel, Pat Conroy tells the story of Tom Wingo, his twin sister, Savannah, and the dark and violent past of the family into which they were born. Set in New York City and the lowcountry of South Carolina, the novel opens when Tom, a high school football coach whose marriage and career are crumbling, f More...
Oct 29, 2011
Gregory
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Pat Conroy writes the same story over and over. That sounds like a complaint, but it's not. His stories all seem to revolve around an earnest, clever, but very conflicted young man who is the product of a wildly dysfunctional family. They can be emotionally painful to read.
But everything Conroy writes is also infused with humor and affection and a deep abiding love of the South Carolina low country. Every single book he's written has made me laugh out loud. They've all made me cringe a More...
But everything Conroy writes is also infused with humor and affection and a deep abiding love of the South Carolina low country. Every single book he's written has made me laugh out loud. They've all made me cringe a More...
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Aug 10, 2011
This book was complicated and dramatic and sometimes almost too much... but that's what life is, isn't it? The Prince of Tides was a beautiful testimony about an extremely tragic and disfunctional family who took decades to try to learn how to heal. The story centers on Tom Wingo, who travels to New York from his home in South Carolina to divulge his family's secrets to his suicidal sister's therapist so that she may finally receive the help she needs. Every character gets more than what he or s
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Jul 20, 2011
Dave
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This may be a difficult book for many people to read, especially those who were fortunate enough to come from a decent home. There are few stories about life in the Wingo home that do not provoke a feeling of horror upon reading them ... the average person may find it difficult to believe that such a family might actually exist. Unfortunately, stories like theirs are all too common.
There are few happy moments in the book, but the ones that exist are genuinely good, like cool evening More...
There are few happy moments in the book, but the ones that exist are genuinely good, like cool evening More...
May 30, 2011
Al
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I liked this book; Mr. Conroy writes well, his story is interesting, and despite everything one still cares about the characters. "Despite everything" means that I found the situations, and their resolutions, much too far over the top, and that a lot of the dialog was at once too clever by three-quarters and -- in addition-- its scarifying content would have forever and completely alienated the participants in any social setting, even families, that I've had anything to do with.
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Feb 25, 2011
Penelope
rated it: 
OK, I'll be honest: I read this book a long time ago and don't really remember much about it. What I do remember is that I was backpacking around the world with a friend after college, and we would read anything we could get our hands on, then trade the books out in places set up for that around the world. She read this first and loved it. I remember hating it so much I couldn't finish it, and given that my only other option for a least a week was to twiddle my thumbs on buses or trains or plane
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Jan 27, 2011
Karen
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I just finished reading The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy, a family saga based in the South. It's about shrimping, parenting, marriage, poetry, football, war, love, hate. It's set in the South Carolina low country and Manhattan. It took my breath away with the brilliance of the writing, the depth of characterizations, the masterly plotting, the truth of relationships, the compelling dialogue. Am I gushing? This is a very gush-worthy novel.
I read a lot of all kinds of books, many are en More...
I read a lot of all kinds of books, many are en More...
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Sep 19, 2010
Ella
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I have truly come to love Patrick Conroy's writing. This is only my 2nd book of his and it was fabulous. The story is about two dysfunctional families, however the focus is mainly on the Wingo family. Tom Wingo is the protagonist. He has a mentally unbalanced twin sister Savannah and a "take charge" brother Luke. Conroy brings each character to life. The character development of Tom, Savannah and Luke and well as Lila and Henry, the emotionally and physically abusive parents and the lo
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Aug 01, 2010
Cara
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jun 22, 2011
Lydia
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There are some books that claim to be big family saga-type stories but just.. aren't. Then there are books like East of Eden by Steinbeck and The Colour by Rose Tremain that blow the socks off the reader and remind us what sagas really are.
The Prince of Tides is yet another to add to the list of mind-blowing, toe-curling sagas.
From the very start of this book, where smart-mouthed Tom begins to tease his children, put down himself and attempt to flee from his own mother's More...
The Prince of Tides is yet another to add to the list of mind-blowing, toe-curling sagas.
From the very start of this book, where smart-mouthed Tom begins to tease his children, put down himself and attempt to flee from his own mother's More...
Feb 06, 2012
Peggy
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I will always remember this book because it was given to me at the right time in my life. I was in the middle of dealing with some family of origin issues and this brought back so many memories and painful issues and helped me work through them. I read so many books that sometimes I will be in the middle of a book and start recgonizing it and realize i've read it. But this book stands out so much for me, The only way I would end up re-reading it would be if I chose to re-read it and I probab
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Jul 23, 2011
Mary
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I first read this book in 1986 as a senior in high school. I was unprepared with my small town education to discover that story-telling of this caliber existed in the world. Beginning in the prologue: "I still believe that they both loved us deeply, but as with most parents their love proved to be the most leathal thing about them." Then capturing my entire soul with the childish rescue of a beached whale, so Conroy sets the scene for a story of tragic beauty.
I hate that More...
I hate that More...
Jan 12, 2011
How to describe the novel that is The Prince of Tides? Told in true Southern fashion, taking its time as it weaves the story of the Wingo family from Colleton, South Carolina, Mr. Conroy's tale is a stunning epic about the sacrifices made and challenges faced in the name of love. Whether the love is carnal, familial, or platonic, love is the tie that binds each character together through the good times and bad and ultimately causes each character to reach his or her breaking point.
This More...
This More...
Jul 08, 2009
Caitlin
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This has long been one of my go-to books for reading & re-reading when I need something well-written & familiar. Pat Conroy has a beautiful way with language & tells a good story & this book is no exception.
The narrator's family & the Carolina Low Country are the stars of the show in this book as Tom Wingo tries to tell the story of their past in an effort to save his sister from her suicidal tendencies. In the end, of course, he saves himself along with her (& maybe that's the poi More...
The narrator's family & the Carolina Low Country are the stars of the show in this book as Tom Wingo tries to tell the story of their past in an effort to save his sister from her suicidal tendencies. In the end, of course, he saves himself along with her (& maybe that's the poi More...
Jun 15, 2011
Michelish
rated it:
I remember reading the description on the back cover and wondering if I'd actually be able to finish it. The Prince of Tides was recommended to me by my boyfriend at the time. When the plot grew more and more estranged, I trusted his fib of a "fantastic ending" (later revealed as a ploy to keep me reading.) Well, The Prince of Tides (in my opinion) does not have a fantastic ending, nor, really, a fantastic plot. But there's still something to it that merits three stars. The prose itsel
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May 13, 2011
Maggie
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Pat Conroy's gift for words was never in question. His analogies and soliloquies bring to life a gorgeous version of "The South" in this book. I found myself pausing to let some of his passages sink in fully as I read. I really enjoyed immersing myself in his prose and getting carried away by his characters.
However, the book's subject is not for the faint of heart. I was warned by my sister prior to reading it that there were some difficult themes and this was not an exagg More...
However, the book's subject is not for the faint of heart. I was warned by my sister prior to reading it that there were some difficult themes and this was not an exagg More...
