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My Reading Life

3.86 of 5 stars 3.86 · rating details · 2,507 ratings · 648 reviews

Bestselling author Pat Conroy acknowledges the books that have shaped him and celebrates the profound effect reading has had on his life.

Pat Conroy, the beloved American storyteller, is a voracious reader. Starting as a childhood passion that bloomed into a life-long companion, reading has been Conroy’s portal to the world, both to the farthest corners of the globe and to...more

ebook, v3.1, 195 pages

Published November 2nd 2010 by Nan A. Talese / Doubleday (first published 2010)

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Oct 28, 2010 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-edition, personal_memoir_biography

Mr. Conroy loves words. He loves their flow, their tumble and play. And he isn't afraid to use them. I learned this when I first start reading his fiction with its exultant, flowery phrases, with its parallels to his own life. This nonfiction book tells me why he writes as he does.

Although titled My Reading Life, this book is also about his writing life and his life in general. The fifteen chapters each address a different person or book or time that ultimately shaped who he is and how he writes...more Mr. Conroy loves words. He loves their flow, their tumble and play. And he isn't afraid to use them. I learned this when I first start reading his fiction with its exultant, flowery phrases, with its parallels to his own life. This nonfiction book tells me why he writes as he does.

Although titled My Reading Life, this book is also about his writing life and his life in general. The fifteen chapters each address a different person or book or time that ultimately shaped who he is and how he writes.

I grew up a word-haunted boy. I felt words inside me and stored them wondrous as pearls. I mouthed them and fingered them and rolled them around my tongue. My mother filled my bedtime hour with poetry that rang like Sanctus bells as she praised the ineffable loveliness of the English language with her Georgia-scented voice. I found that hive of words beautiful beyond all conveyance.

I was horrified and embarrassed as a woman to learn how badly he was treated at a writers' conference in the early days of militant feminism, how one famous author whose work I have greatly admired dismissed him out-of-hand because he was a Southern white boy. I loved the glimpses into other authors' lives, how their writings and their personalities could be at such odds.

I hated some of the descriptions of his life in Paris, of the horse butchers, of the “fifty Algerian men bidding on the very young girl in the window.”

There was an auctioneer in front of the window chiding the men for their cheapness, and the noise rose in pitch as the bidding grew feverish. The girl was very young, fragile, and she was not smiling.

How can someone see that and not want to do something to help the girl? How can anyone wonder about the girl's thoughts but stay a passive observer?

I am one of those readers who doesn't want all the sentences I read to be lean, even though there can be beauty in their sparseness. I like the sentences that carry me off, let me smell and see and feel. Pat Conroy can write these sentences.

I long for that special moment when I take off into the pure oxygen-rich sky of a sentence that streaks off into a night where I cannot follow, where I lose control, where the language seizes me and shakes me in such a way that I feel like both its victim and its copilot.

The next time I read Conroy's fiction, I will appreciate it all the more for understanding a bit of the man who wrote it.

The quotes were taken from a pre-publication bound manuscript and may change in the published edition. Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy.(less)

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Jun 27, 2012 Lormac rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In all of my reading life, I have never read a Pat Conroy book. I couldn't tell you why - probably because I saw "Prince of Tides" and thought "yuck" which may (or may not) have been a complete misjudgment on my part. So when a friend gave me "My Reading Life" as an especially thoughtful Christmas gift, I did not know whether I would love his writing or hate his writing. Turns out a little of both.

Conroy himself admits his prose can be viewed as overwrought, and I cannot agree more. Here is a sa...more In all of my reading life, I have never read a Pat Conroy book. I couldn't tell you why - probably because I saw "Prince of Tides" and thought "yuck" which may (or may not) have been a complete misjudgment on my part. So when a friend gave me "My Reading Life" as an especially thoughtful Christmas gift, I did not know whether I would love his writing or hate his writing. Turns out a little of both.

Conroy himself admits his prose can be viewed as overwrought, and I cannot agree more. Here is a sample sentence from his chapter on the works of Thomas Wolfe: "He kept the howlings and incoherences and bawlings, these hymns of tongueless, inchoate madness that rise up in nightmare, in the moonless wastelands of sleep when the ores of greatness move through the soft cells of all artists, then disappear when the full light of day is upon us and we blush at the ravings and lunacies of our deepest selves." Phew! That's a mouthful. And what exactly was his point again? I forgot in all of the opulent language he just threw at me. Now imagine an entire book chockfull of sentences just like this, and even more so!! (BTW, do you think he actually meant "oars" not "ores"?) This is why it took me nearly six months to finish this reasonably short book - I had to digest it in small bites or I would have gotten sick the way finishing an entire chocolate layer cake in one sitting would make you sick. This is also why this book did not turn me into a reader who wants to read all of Pat Conroy's books. If they are even half-way full of this type of writing, I would simply expire.

BUT I loved the message of this book! He has devoted this book to an explanation of how and why he grew to love reading. When you are a dedicated reader, you love to be with other readers (thank you, Goodreads). You love to read books, read about books and read about reading books. Conroy has thought his love of reading through carefully, and he is able to acknowledge how his mother, his high school literature teacher, a certain bookstore owner, the city of Paris, and certain authors, among others, turned him into a diligent and delighted reader and a writer, to boot. Have you ever thought why you like to read? I know I haven't, but this book resonated in me with its explanations. Here is one sentence I loved: "I want a book so filled with story and character that I read page after page without thinking of food and drink, because a writer has possessed me, crazed me with an unappeasable thirst to know what happens next." This explains to me why readers read.

PS: Nora Ephron has just died. I loved her essay on the pleasure of reading - find it if you can and read it in her honor. I just know Pat Conroy would say "Amen."(less)

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May 16, 2011 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-about-books-and-reading, non-fiction, favorite-authors, favorites, highly-recommend

This book is the type of book that I love and hate simultaneously. I literally found myself hanging on every word (and they are such magical, illustrious ones)as I slowly turned the pages, fearing that I might miss yet another pithy, entertaining statement from Mr. Conroy. OK, so the only hate aspect of my relationship to this book is the arduous task of noting all I wanted to remember with post-it flags and highlighter marks, not to mention looking up a few words whose meaning I obsessively had...more This book is the type of book that I love and hate simultaneously. I literally found myself hanging on every word (and they are such magical, illustrious ones)as I slowly turned the pages, fearing that I might miss yet another pithy, entertaining statement from Mr. Conroy. OK, so the only hate aspect of my relationship to this book is the arduous task of noting all I wanted to remember with post-it flags and highlighter marks, not to mention looking up a few words whose meaning I obsessively had to learn. There is so much to love in what Pat Conroy conveys to us about his reading life, a prolific one to say the least. Conroy must be the best-read author ever. I'm not sure when he finds the time to write, but, of course, I'm most grateful that he does. I was fortunate to hear this wordsmith speak at a book festival, and remember hanging on his every word then, not just smart this Southern charmer is but laugh-out-loud entertaining. Reading this book was akin to listening to the silver-tongued tale spinner himself. Insights into Pat Conroy's life and growth as an artist are, of course, an inexorable part of what he has read and why. Seemingly ordinary people, starting with his bibliophilistic mother, places, authors, and books devoured are given separate chapters in which Conroy brings each alive with his memory and their value. Gene Norris, a high school mentor/teacher may be singularly responsible for my beloved author channeling his love or reading and writing into a path of genius. I felt a moment of epiphany when Conroy talks about "exactness" as being a "virtue" and responsibility of a writer. As with all meaningful writing, this love story to reading will prompt you to read more, both of Conroy and others. I count meeting Pat Conroy at that book festival as one of the highlights of my reading life. Fortunately, I didn't know just how smart he was at the time, as his down-to-earth Southern civility and habitual smile belie the erudition of his demi-god status. His bearing and manner invite you to blurt out whatever is on your mind, and he greets it with interest and grace. Reading his story of his reading life, as if there is any other kind, one gains understanding of how an author so sublime could be so humble. (less)

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Feb 27, 2013 Michael Jenkins rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: conroy

Pat Conroy is my favorite author, he is an amazing storyteller. The first book I read by him was "South of Broad.", I remember being mesmerized with the language and how he wrote his characters with so much depth and substance. Since then, I have read his other novels and he never failed to captivate me with his writing. All of his characters are so rich and lively and his writing style is beyond description, he makes you feel sympathetic with the characters he promises to have a lasting effect...more

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Feb 17, 2011 Relyn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: book lovers everywhere

Recommended to Relyn by: Jeffrey Lawson

2/11/11
What can I say about this book? I've read one chapter and already laughed, grinned, and cried. This is a book for any book lover. My favorite things so far, "Though it was not a part of a lesson plan, it imparted a truth that left me spellbound. Great words, arranged with cunning and artistry, could change the perceived world for some readers." YES!! YES!!

His teacher was crying as he read Whitman's poem about Abraham Lincoln. I also have something I read to my students each year. And I c...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Joan Colby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A fascinating group of anecdotes which touch at least tangentially on Conroy’s reading life. One of the best is his tribute to his remarkable English teacher Gene Norris who remained a lifelong mentor. Another is a genuflection to and assessment of Thomas Wolfe who was a seminal influence on Conroy’s writing. He makes a valid point on style in defense of Wolfe’s and his own tendency to overreach and express an excess of poetic passion—both men are word-infatuees—as opposed to the spare style of...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Sydney Young rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-favorites

I love to read authors' autobiographical books, especially when they details the books that were influential in their lives. I can already tell that I am going to love this book for its rich depth in that detail. I find it interesting that the entire second chapter is about Gone with the Wind. What Pat says about it reminds me of my own journey with that book and movie (as well as my mom's journey). I think it is interesting that he devoted an entire chapter to it, as I have been afraid that the...more

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Nov 30, 2010 Kip rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had a two year period where I loved reading Conroy's emotional male novels, then I overdosed and haven't enjoyed him since. But, even if you're tired, now tire, of his writing or have always found him overwrought and overdone, there's no denying that he's led an amazing life and is a great lover of books. His enthusiasm for books, reading, and their relevance to living is infectious, the people he talks about are wonderful, and there are some great book recos and stories. Great book to dip in...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This memoir explores the books and people who have influenced Conroy's life and his writing. Each chapter examines a different person/book, starting with his mama who opened the world of reading to him, and especially her passion for Gone with the Wind. He also thanks an influential teacher, Leo Tolstoy, James Dickie, and Thomas Wolfe.

Conroy helped me put into words why reading is such a huge passion of mine. "Here's what I love: when a great writer turns me into a Jew from Chicago, a lesbian o...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Edith rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir

I really, really, really liked this book!

While looking for something else on the Biography shelves at the library, I totally chanced upon this title and I thank my lucky stars that I did! I spent the better part of a complete day with this wildly enthusiastic lover of words and books and consequently, have added to my 'must read' list.

First, I want to read some of Conroy's other books--especially The Water is Wide, The Losing Season (memoirs), The Great Santini, and The Prince of Tides (fictio...more

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May 24, 2012 Bev rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: logos

I read a quote somewhere that says "Reading Pat Conroy is like watching Michaelangelo paint." A very good description. It was Conroy's facility with words which made me choose to read "Prince of Tides" when we were driving around Honolulu, rather than look at the scenery. I couldn't put the book down. When I saw this book on the shelves of Logos, I knew I couldn't possibly read >300 pages in 4 hours, but I also knew that this was a book I had to read, so I read it during my shift and then bro...more

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Mar 16, 2012 Marie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pat Conroy writes with a love of language and for some this makes him a fairly long winded person who will use four adjectives instead of one. I'm in the camp that enjoys it when it works and rolls their eyes when it makes the book far too dramatic. Point being, this book has at least told me why he writes the way he writes: Thomas Wolfe. That is what I loved about this book. It was essentially an ode to the people, authors and events of his life who made him the way he is. The neat thing about...more

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Mar 13, 2012 David rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm not much of a fiction reader, but author has been on my radar since I saw the movie version of "The Great Santini" many years ago and read a long excerpt from My Losing Season, I think in Sports Illustrated. In theory this book is about the title subject, but that part is actually the boring part. As you might expect of a prolific novelist, he likes to read -- hangs out in bookstores, looked up to his charismatic h.s. english teacher, thinks War and Peace is quite the novel, etc. Even the (I...more

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Mar 12, 2012 M.M. Mayle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pat Conroy's MY READING LIFE is an invitation to go backstage, look under the hood, examine the blueprint, and witness the discovery and development of a truly great writer. But there are no special effects to demystify, no magic tricks to unravel, and no shortcuts to discover. A gift may be given, but greatness has to be earned.

Mr. Conroy's revered mother deserves much of the credit for opening his young mind to the sound of superior story telling. She has been a recurring presence in his writi...more Pat Conroy's MY READING LIFE is an invitation to go backstage, look under the hood, examine the blueprint, and witness the discovery and development of a truly great writer. But there are no special effects to demystify, no magic tricks to unravel, and no shortcuts to discover. A gift may be given, but greatness has to be earned.

Mr. Conroy's revered mother deserves much of the credit for opening his young mind to the sound of superior story telling. She has been a recurring presence in his writing and, in this latest offering, receives her just due for having ingrained in him (and his siblings) deep respect and love for the written word. With her reading aloud, she may also have been providing sanctuary from the children's reviled father.

An extraordinary English teacher takes over as reading coach and mentor during an impressionable time in the author's life, introducing him to potential that's expanded on by a celebrated poet who demonstrates, by his own example, the value of encouraging other writers. An unforgettable book seller, a de rigueur stint in Paris, and a voracious appetite for reading additionally shape the gift Conroy was born with.

Not so surprisingly, Conroy's list of influential/favorite writers is far-reaching in style, substance, and era. Thomas Wolfe and James Dickey are standouts; Margaret Mitchell and Leo Tolstoy rate special mention in chapters devoted to their respective masterpieces, Gone With the Wind, and War and Peace.

While other gifted writers may spark a desire to learn more about a previously unknown work, Mr. Conroy goes a step further by promoting a desire to dig deeper into works already visited and mine for treasure overlooked upon the initial visit when Tolstoy or Mitchell may have been in the category of required rather than discretionary reading.

Never one to conceal weakness and insecurity, Conroy instead shows strength and confidence by maintaining a 200 pages a day reading habit that originated while he was in high school, and by continuing to demonstrate the level of discipline and passion necessary to shaping basic language into fine filigree.

A book for readers and writers . . . an unequivocal five star recommendation. (less)

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Dec 04, 2011 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio

Take a deep breath. This is a long sentence and probably the longest review I have written. If you love your mother, if you love to read to yourself and to your children and grandchildren, if you like anything else by Pat Conroy, and if you love goodreads because you can read what friends and strangers have thought about what you read and you can follow those people to see what else they have read that you might also enjoy, then you will love My Reading Life.

Here's a brief list of my reading hi...more Take a deep breath. This is a long sentence and probably the longest review I have written. If you love your mother, if you love to read to yourself and to your children and grandchildren, if you like anything else by Pat Conroy, and if you love goodreads because you can read what friends and strangers have thought about what you read and you can follow those people to see what else they have read that you might also enjoy, then you will love My Reading Life.

Here's a brief list of my reading history for the past 18 hours...or at least the 10 I was awake for:

1. Skyped Nthabi and read "The Naming of Cats" from Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Elliot.
"When you notice a cat in profound meditation
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name."

2. Quote from My Reading Life. “Good writing is the hardest form of thinking. It involves the agony of turning profoundly difficult thoughts into lucid form, then forcing them into the tight-fitting uniform of language, making them visible and clear. If the writing is good, then the result seems effortless and inevitable. But when you want to say something life-changing or ineffable in a single sentence, you face both the limitations of the sentence itself and the extent of your own talent.” I think Conroy used the word ineffable more than once in this book.

3. First sentence of next book I started, Snapshot Chronicles, Inventing the American Photo Album: "Whether by design or by accident, those enraptured by the deeply personal and elegant imagery, luminous surfaces, and sensuous materiality of early vernacular photo albums are moved by an ineffable impulse to collect, organize, and narrate."

It just caught me as funny that the writers of all 3 books I picked up this weekend said that something was "not to be described in words"!! (The World Book Dictionary)
(less)

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May 28, 2011 Jon Manchester rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: autobiography-memoir

Conroy writes partly about the authors (Thomas Wolfe, e.g.) and books that inspired him, but he also writes extensively about his life experiences. I lost interest at times and found the book a smidge egotistical here and there, but I guess it's hard not to think highly of yourself when you've had the success he's had. Conroy says near the end that "Nothing is more difficult for a writer to overcome than a childhood of privilege, but this was never a concern of mine. To experience a love that is...more

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Apr 21, 2011 Paul Signorelli rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: creativity, writing, essays

Pat Conroy's "My Reading Life" interweaves ruminations on authors and books that have deeply influenced him--"Gone With the Wind," Charles Dickens, Leo Tolstoy, Thomas Wolfe, and many others--and in the process also draws us into what they offer. Furthermore, he crafts splendid portraits of those around him who have, through books or by serving as the inspiration for characters in his own work, made him the writer that he is.

Nowhere does he more clearly touch those of us involved in workplace le...more Pat Conroy's "My Reading Life" interweaves ruminations on authors and books that have deeply influenced him--"Gone With the Wind," Charles Dickens, Leo Tolstoy, Thomas Wolfe, and many others--and in the process also draws us into what they offer. Furthermore, he crafts splendid portraits of those around him who have, through books or by serving as the inspiration for characters in his own work, made him the writer that he is.

Nowhere does he more clearly touch those of us involved in workplace learning and performance, however, than in his essay "The Teacher." Recalling how he first met high school English teacher Gene Norris in 1961, Conroy holds before us the person we all need to be: the one who recognizes the potential in his learners, who remains a lifelong source of encouragement to the student Conroy was and obviously still remains, and who continues to serve as a mentor and a friend as he was struggling with leukemia. Norris, even in his final days, encouraged Conroy the student to "Tell me a story." All of us should be lucky enough to have that sort of trainer-teacher-learner in our lives and, more importantly, remember to emulate them.

Equally compelling, for entirely different reasons, is Conroy’s "Why I Write." Whether it is because he touches the basic insecurities all of us--teachers, trainers, learners, and writers--have when he writes "I have been mortally afraid of the judgment of other writers and critics since I first lifted my proud but insecure head above the South Caroline marsh grass all those years ago" (p. 303) or because he leads us through our struggles by confirming that "Good writing is the hardest form of thinking. It involves the agony of turning profoundly difficult thoughts into lucid form, then forcing them into the tight-fitting uniform of language, making them visible and clear" (p. 304)--a challenge all of us face when we attempt to translate difficult concepts into terms our learns can grasp and absorb--Conroy nearly leaps off the pages of "My Writing Life" to encourage us to join him on his learning journey.(less)

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Mar 29, 2011 Judy99 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pat Conroy is one of my favorite authors--I've read everything he's written and loved it all (except I wasn't wild about The Boo). His earlier books are mostly fiction in which he draws on his life experiences, but this one and The Pat Conroy Cookbook are accounts about different aspects of his own life--food and books, two things near and dear to my own heart. In this book, he writes about the books that influenced his life and the people who influenced him to read those books. His writing is b...more

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Feb 15, 2011 Steven Kent rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, read-it-cause-i-had-to

To say that I have long considered Pat Conroy a talented writer who wrote books for women and men who are in touch with their feminine side would be an understatement. In a world filled with great writers, I have never seen a need to read the works of authors who write for audiences other than my own; so, miraculous or not, I have never felt a need to read The Prince of Tides or The Great Santini. When I read books about fighter pilots, I want to see them shooting down their enemies instead of t...more

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Feb 10, 2011 Perelandra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir, reading

What attracted me to this book was the desire to explore the inner working of how lifelong reading can affect a life, and in that respect this book delivers. That having been said, one does get the sensation that reading in Conroy's life is elevated quite literally to the role of a religious experience, with writers and authors as his guides and prophets. I felt that took it to an unhealthy extreme, but I did appreciate the author's openness and vulnerability in displaying it all out on the tabl...more

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Feb 04, 2011 James rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: about-books, memoir

"Each day of my life begins with a poem that will unloose the avalanche of words inside me, that secret ore that, once published, will sit before me disguised as the earth's jewelry." (p 329)

I believe each reader has his own story about the books that have been important in his life. This book is Pat Conroy's story and as a writer of several successful novels and memoirs he has created a beautiful paean to those books that influenced his life and writing. And with the books his memoir includes t...more

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Jan 17, 2011 Paul Aslanian rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This past month I have been immersed in a wonderful visit with two of my favorite all time authors: Vasily Grossman and Pat Conroy. First Pat: My Reading Life allow the reader to crawl behind the veil and learn what makes Conroy, Conroy. I was blow away by the violence in his family. His dad smacks not only the kids but the mom too. Pat grew up hating his dad a Marine Corp fighter pilot. His mom's formal education stopped at HS, but her reading would surpass all but .1% of college graduates. She...more

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Jan 08, 2011 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Few things linger longer or become more indwelling than that feeling of both completion and emptiness when a great book ends." Pat Conroy voices the exact feelings I have had when reading the last page of a memorable, well-written book. Conroy's language is wonderful, and I actually copied several quotes from the book just so I could read them again and again. For example, "I gather stories the way a sunburned entomologist admires his well-ordered bottles of Costa Rican beetles."
Conroy writes...more

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Dec 15, 2010 Matt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: southern-literature

In My Reading Life I discovered a lot of things about Pat Conroy that I did not know. He calls to some scenarios in his life and also books that shaped his prose and influenced the directions of some of his written works. He revealed why he never returned to teaching and how he discovered his own voice amongst his writing and recollections of his childhood. He speaks about why we should read. He fed us numerous examples of books that have changed his views of himself and his shy place in this wo...more In My Reading Life I discovered a lot of things about Pat Conroy that I did not know. He calls to some scenarios in his life and also books that shaped his prose and influenced the directions of some of his written works. He revealed why he never returned to teaching and how he discovered his own voice amongst his writing and recollections of his childhood. He speaks about why we should read. He fed us numerous examples of books that have changed his views of himself and his shy place in this world. I have felt many times myself certain books carry you away and teach you to look at the moon in a certain way as his teacher taught him to always know the phase of the moon. The same is true of a stream or the wind or the people that are all around us and touch our lives. Books spike our curiosity of the world. He described books as a passport to an imagined world a way out of his depressing life and even goes as far to say that if it wasn't for books he would have taken his own life. He found characters in his book as companions even when he had no companion.

He also shows us how a writer should write. He gave examples in his own life of his various influences who taught him to be an honest writer and to write with a purpose and not just to write. Pat Conroy's life story is very unique but the one thing I like about his writing is that he helps us recall our own childhood when we felt the same feelings that he does. It is why we enjoy reading "his story" because we learn about ourselves. He states that when you write you need to make your descriptions distinct. It is not just a butterfly, a rose, or a stream. I am from Charleston and every time I go out in the Charleston Harbor in a boat I remember the way that Pat Conroy starts the book South of Broad with the description of the Cooper River and the Ashley River meeting to form the Atlantic. That is distinction!

I learned a lot from this book but was not overwhelming pleased on a whole. I wanted more. I wanted the book to flow better. It was not put together like a normal Pat Conroy book that takes 12 years to write. I don't think that was what it was supposed to be but he sets his own bar It jumps back and forth in his life and there is no flow between the stories each with similar conclusions but a chapter at the end that makes a little different conclusion. Also it did not give us any present day examples. I wanted to know about his life on Fripp, his current marriage. His writing of the South of Broad or Beach Music (which he eludes to once). I will use this book as a guide as I sink my teeth into many of the great novels he discusses but I still what want more from Pat Conroy. (less)

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Nov 24, 2010 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-read-list

I love books. I love the feel of them in my hands, the smell of the ink printed pages, and I love devouring all of those words on the pages. I also love to read books about books. I just finished My Reading Life by Pat Conroy, about ten minutes ago and I want to start at the first page of it again. I have to admit that I have never read one of Conroy's novels and now I know that I must. His language and writing make me want to read and read as much as I can take in and never stop. I love hearing...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Vilo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Thrilling, absorbing, magical--a must if you are a Pat Conroy fan and probably enjoyable even if you are not familiar with his work. This is not just a list of books he has enjoyed (although he drops plenty of titles), but is a list of the readers (his mother, teachers, mentors, book store owners, publishing house reps, other writers) that have influenced him and how they and the books they and he love have influenced his writing. Each chapter is a story all its own, written with the beauty, pow...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Jenny rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read2012, books-on-books, biography-memoir

I have a confession to make: I have never seen the movie The Prince of Tides. I have also not read a single book by Pat Conroy, a southern author who is prevalent in every book store I walk into in my three-state radius.

That is going to change now. After reading his love letter to books, and to the people who led him to those books, I want to see how his reading has been the breeding ground for the books he has produced.

Unfortunately, the book does not have an index of books he discusses, and I'...more

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Feb 27, 2011 Patty rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, audiobook, books-and-reading, books-about-books, family, fathers-and-sons, autobiography, memoir, georgia, north-carolina, south-carolina, mothers-and-sons, relationships, paris, travel

I know that one of the reasons I enjoyed this book was listening to Pat Conroy read this book. I am not always fond of author's reading their own works. Just because you can write does not mean that you can read out loud. However, I believe that Conroy had good training - his mother read to him.

This was an enjoyable book, I found parts laugh out loud funny and I learned lots about Conroy's life, why he reads and why he writes. Conroy and I have differing opinions about some of his books, but for...more

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Nov 13, 2010 Marialyce rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: november-books-2010

I have always enjoyed the books that Pat Conroy has written. While his characters and his prose can often be sardonic, I love the way he moves you with all the frailties and humanness of his subjects.

Mr. Conroy tells in this book, of his undying love for readng. He firmy holds to the belief that one needs to read to be educated and to be constantly in love with the world around you. His two particular favorites War and Peace and Gone With the Wind receive special treatments in the annals of all...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Edith Byrd rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm a Conroy fan. I have read most of his books. I went to Beaufort High (graduating class behind Pat) so I had the some of the same experiences at school as he did. I also had Mr. Norris as my English teacher and he was a huge influence on my reading life. But apparently Mr. Norris was an even bigger influence on Pat outside the classroom. I had a family experience somewhat like Pat's, with a Marine father that moved around. The chapter on "Being a Military Brat" spoke to me personally. Like Pa...more

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About Pat Conroy

Pat Conroy is the New York Times bestselling author of two memoirs and seven novels, including The Prince of Tides, The Great Santini, and The Lords of Discipline. Born the eldest of seven children in a rigidly disciplined military household, he attended the Citadel, the military college of South Carolina. He briefly became a schoolteacher (which he chronicled in his memoir The Water Is Wide) befo...more

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Trivia About My Reading Life

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Quotes from My Reading Life

“Books are living things and their task lies in their vows of silence. You touch them as they quiver with a divine pleasure. You read them and they fall asleep to happy dreams for the next 10 years. If you do them the favor of understanding them, of taking in their portions of grief and wisdom, then they settle down in contented residence in your heart.” — 43 people liked it

“Here is all I ask of a book- give me everything. Everything, and don't leave out a single word.” — 35 people liked it

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