Beach Music Unabridged Part One

by Pat Conroy

An American expatriate in Rome unearths his family legacy in this sweeping novel by the acclaimed author of The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini

A Southerner living abroad, Jack McCall is scarred by tragedy and betrayal. His desperate desire to find peace after his wife’s suicide draws him into a painful, intimate search for the one haunting secret in his family’s past that can heal his anguished heart. Spanning three generations and two continents, from the contemporary ruins of the American South to the ancient ruins of Rome, from the unutterable horrors of the Holocaust to the lingering trauma of Vietnam, Beach Music sings with life’s pain and glory. It is a novel of lyric intensity and searing truth, another masterpiece among Pat Conroy’s legendary and beloved novels.

Genres: Fiction

Audio Cassette

Published August 6, 1995

About the author

Pat Conroy (1945 - 2016) was 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. He is recognized as a leading figure of late-20th century Southern literature.

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) before publishing his first novel, The Boo. Conroy lived on Fripp Island, South Carolina until his death in 2016.

Conroy passed away on March 4, 2016 at his home from Pancreatic Cancer. He was 70 years old at the time of his death.

Reviews

[Kathie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't find a lot of variation in Conroys books. They all seem to have the same story- Dysfunctional father +/- dysfunctional mother leading to dysfunctional kids. A lot of poor me- just trying to get through life. So Jack leaves his family because he feels estranged from both his parents and his wife committed suicide. I never quite accepted her reason for doing so- she was so politically involved in college- that didn't seem to jive with her cracking up years after hearing her parents life stories. And if that's what made her crack up why does the book end with Jack telling Leah the whole family history- wouldn't he be afraid Leah would do the same? He hated both his parents but comes home when he hears mom is dying? And she was such a poor excuse for a mother according to the reason he left for Italy but for most of her dying days she's treated like a goddess and her VERY long drawn out death bored me. Jordan blows up a plane, fakes his own death then joins the priesthood? How does that make sense? He and his father forgive each other at the end when they hated each other to the extreme the whole story through? Sorry. I had trouble finishing this book. It didn't read realistic to me Although portions of the storyline had potential- they almost went into too much detail.

[Mitzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Pat Conroy book! As always there are dysfunctional families and friends. In Beach Music the story of Jack McCall and his family of brothers and the lives of 3 boyhood friends are told. At the beginning Jack is in Rome with his young daughter where he has escaped to raise her and get over the memories of the suicide of his wife. The story has intrigue and a little romance. Conroy is known for being verbose and this book was no different. Once you can learn to muddle through that part of his writing the stories are hard to put down. Shyla's (Jack's deceased wife) parents were Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. Once Jack learns their story years after Shyla's death he begins to piece together some of what lead Shyla to her suicide. He takes his beautiful daughter back to the low country to allow her to get to know her uncles and her grandparents. It is when Jack's mother is dying that he decides to go back. While there he and his boyhood friends reunite and one of them who fled during the Viet Nam war faces his demons. Jack also allows himself to fall in love again!

[Margaret Barney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not have the scholarly background that some of my English major friends have but I recognize good writing. I've read many of Pat Conroy's books and have loved them all. I especially loved the stories interwoven in Beach Music: love story with a strange twist, domicile in Rome, overriding gloom of the Holocaust, just a little bit crazy lowland South Carolina family and the love that ultimately endures and sees them through death but is re-ignited in a child. No wonder Conroy continues as one of our best recorders of southern culture in modern times.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all of Pat Conroy's books, but I think this is possibly my favourite. Possibly. It might have to duke it out with The Prince of Tides. Anyway, Pat Conroy's writing is just beatiful. It's not for everyone, some people might find it too overblown or pretentious, but he has such a lush lyrical style, it's like poetry at times. He paints beautiful pictures with his words and makes the South in general and South Carolina in particular sound so unutterably lovely.

[Jsarno49 · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this novel,Conroy tells the story of a dysfunctional small town South Carolinian family and the story of good friends growing up in the 1960s. Revealing characters' histories, Conroy weaves background accounts that range from the Nazis' persecution of the Jews, to the anti-war movement of the '60s, to current life in Rome. This is a good summer vacation read.

[Joey Gan]

Had a good time leafing through a southerner's life, struggle with deeds and tragedy from the past, and tradition. with a generous dose of dark humour, the story unfolds itself with an engaging rhythm. one that links mysteries at present time with their causal factors, often a secret, from the past.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would have been better as several books. Parts 1-6 managed to tell entire stories in themselves as an attempt to explain past, present and future. I would have liked it better as a series. But like all his books, Par Conroy made me cry for the last 50 pages. Love his prose and character building.

[Fran]

I thought it started out really bad. I've picked this book up a couple of times and just couldn't get into it. The third time I persevered and by mid point into it I was hooked. Glad that I finished it

[Jonathan Greeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book simultaneously depicts the beauty of South Carolina while sharing the life of Jack McCall and his tumultuous family. Alternately breathtaking and tragic, Conroy's rich prose paints a truly American story.

[Val · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is just plain silly. I really liked The Prince of Tides but I couldn't take the effusive writing in this one.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed 'Prince of Tides' in my 20's but found this overwrought. Way too many ' flowery' analogies. Maybe I'm just more cynical now :>

[Leslie Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

My all time favorite book. It's about my generation and I can relate to almost all of the adventures and trials of this group of friends! Loved it!

[Jean Becconsall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Long, but pretty good

[Kim Setser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping this book would reel me in like South of Broad, but after a three week library loan, I'm not even half-way. This is probably not one I'll finish.

[Karen Hogan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just did not speak to me.