Volume 26.01 | August 2019

Transforming Lives through Stories
Hey Out There
News from the Pat Conroy Literary Center
Conroy Center Featured in Lowcountry Weekly
"To say there is nothing quite like the literary center would not be much of a stretch."

Great thanks to Beaufort's Lowcountry Weekly  for an exceptional article on our nonprofit  Pat Conroy Literary Center  and Conroy Center executive director  Jonathan Haup t  as we approach our third anniversary of opening to the public and our fourth annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival   this fall. We're grateful to the many friends and supporters who continue to make this labor of Great Love both possible and an absolute pleasure.
Stories from Our Supporters
"I cannot find the words to explain my connection to Pat Conroy, his writing, his love of words, his love of the lowcountry, and his love of people; there is something beyond me that draws me in. On my first trip to Beaufort years ago, I bought his entire library from Bay Street Trading Co. and waited months to have the copies delivered to my home in Nevada; all personally signed to me. These are my treasured keepsake!

"My husband and I came to Beaufort again and had a beautiful visit to the Pat Conroy Literary Center, I waited the longest time to sit in Pat Conroy’s chair and run my hand along the desk because I knew I would cry; It was truly an honor to be there and I appreciate all the hard work and dedication everyone involved has put into the creation and vision for the Center. It will prosper; it will mold and guide writers; it will be a place for family, friends and fans to gather and remember; and it will be a place to make new memories. I have a home in Beaufort now and am committed to help in any way I can. I look forward to being part of the legacy that is Pat Conroy." — Caren W. , Beaufort, SC
See Us on WHHI-TV's North of the Broad
North of the Broad host Robyn Zimmerman interviews John Warley , author of The Home Guard , about his novel and the Conroy Center's new Rose Hill Author Series. The inaugural Rose Hill Author Series lunch will be held on September 24. See details below in our calendar of events.
North of the Broad host Robyn Zimmerman interviews the Conroy Center's Maura Connelly about our second annual Conroy Center Children's Book Fair , to be held in partnership with the Santa Helena History Center in Beaufort, SC, on October 12. See details below in our calendar of events.
OUR CALENDAR OF EVENTS
An Evening with Jessica Handler, Aug 6
Jessica Handler's debut novel The Magnetic Girl has been named one of Wall Street Journal's Ten Books You'll Want to Read This Spring, an Indie Next Pick, and a Spring Okra Pick from the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance. The Conroy Center will host Handler for a book discussion on Tuesday, August 6, at 5:30 p.m. Free and open to the public, the discussion will be followed by a book signing.

"Handler captures the ambivalence of female adolescence, where the newfound ability to captivate others exists in unsteady balance with the fear of loss of independence. A thoroughly fresh historical novel that both captures the essence of its time and echoes challenges that still exist today."— Kirkus Reviews, STARRED Review
"I Was Born to Be Library" Comes to Walterboro on Aug 8, Savannah on Sept 10, and Mount Pleasant on Oct 10
"A library could show you everything if you knew where to look."—Pat Conroy, My Reading Life

Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt will discuss best-selling author Pat Conroy’s lifelong love of books and libraries—focusing on the roles public libraries, school libraries, and Pat’s own personal library played in his writing life. Through video and audio clips, photographs, and published and unpublished writings by and about Conroy, this presentation welcomes attendees into the book-filled world of one of America’s most beloved writers.

Free and open to the public, this touring presentation comes to the Colleton County Memorial Library in Walterboro, SC, on August 8 at 6:30 p.m. to the main branch of the Live Oak Public Library in Savannah, GA, on September 10 at 5:30 p.m., and to the new Wando Mount Pleasant Library in Mount Pleasant, SC , on October 10 at 6:00 p.m.
Conroy Center at CDM Family Fun Day, Aug 13
The Conroy Center is proud to be one of many local participating partners at the Coastal Discovery Museum's annual Family Fun Day on Hilton Head Island on August 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Stop by our tent to learn more about our upcoming special events and to help us color scenes from Melissa Conroy's Lowcountry Coloring Book. This event is free and open to the public. Learn more at www.coastaldiscovery.org .
Book Club: The Prince of Tides, Aug 20
Registration is now full for this event.

The fifth Pat Conroy Literary Center Book Club meeting will be held on August 20 at 5:30 p.m. and led by USC Beaufort writer-in-residence English professor Ellen Malphrus as we discuss Pat Conroy's best-selling novel, The Prince of Tides, published in 1986 and later adapted for film in 1991. The Prince of Tides tells the story of Tom Wingo, his twin sister, Savannah, and the dark and violent past of the family into which they were born. With passion and a rare gift of language, Conroy moves from present to past, tracing the amazing history of the Wingos from World War II through the final days of the war in Vietnam and into the 1980s, drawing a rich range of characters, capturing the vanishing beauty of the lowcountry.

Each monthly book club session will be led by a guest discussion leader and held at the Conroy Center. These events are free, but advance registration is required and seating is limited. Participants are asked to read the books before the meetings and to come prepared for discussion.
Second Scribes Writers Conference, Aug 24
" Our Prince of Scribes isn't just a collection of homages but also a delightful introduction to Conroy's vast and talented circle of friends." — Washington Post

The essays in the award-winning anthology Our Prince of Scribes honor Pat Conroy (1945-2016) as lifelong teacher, mentor, friend, and champion of his fellow writers. In that same spirit of mentorship, the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host a one-day writers conference in Aiken, SC, on August 24 featuring five of the collection's writers. Join William A. Balk Jr., Tim Conroy, Jonathan Haupt, Alexia Jones Helsley, and John Warley for a lively series of four writing workshops at the Aiken County Historical Museum and a panel discussion at the Aiken County Public Library on Saturday, August 24--presented in partnership between the Conroy Center and the South Carolina Writers Association.

$40 for SCWA members and $55 for non-members, all-day registration includes all 4 workshops. The panel discussion is free and open to the public; books by presenting workshop faculty--including Our Prince of Scribes --will be available for sale and signing.
Scribes at Aiken County Public Library, Aug 24
"Honoring the acclaimed writer and compassionate man, Pat Conroy (1945-2016),  Our Prince of Scribes  is a collection of essays by individuals closest to Conroy, providing a multifaceted and organic look into the life of a truly Southern author. This collection is a unique and humanizing tribute to a man who was dedicated to the crafts of storytelling and teaching." — Deep South Magazine

The  Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy  book tour comes to the Aiken County Public Library (314 Chesterfield St. SW) on August 24, at 4:30 p.m. Featured writers for this conversation and signing are co-editor Jonathan Haupt, William A. Balk Jr., Tim Conroy, Alexia Jones Helsley, and John Warley. Free and open to the public; a book signing will follow the discussion. Sales of  Our Prince of Scribes  support the educational mission of our nonprofit Conroy Center.
Conroy Center at the DBF, Labor Day Weekend
Look for the Conroy Center’s exhibitor tent at the AJC Decatur Book Festival , held in beautiful downtown Decatur, GA, over LaLabor Day Weekend, August 31 and September 1. It’s your opportunity to learn more about the year-round programming of the Conroy Center and our annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival. Meet Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and Conroy Center board member and Pat Conroy’s daughter Jessica Conroy , see exhibit materials from Pat’s writing life, and purchase selected collectibles and books from our gift shop.

For more about the Decatur Book Festival, including a full schedule of events, list of presenting authors, and a festival area map, please visit  www.decaturbookfestival.com
First Friday with Kimberly Brock, Carla Damron, and Reavis Z. Wortham, Sept 6
Join us at the Conroy Center for a free First Friday reading and book signing on September 6, 5:00-6:30 p.m., with a trio of award-winning novelists and Anchorage Writers Retreat Weekend faculty members: Kimberly Brock (author of The River Witch ), Carla Damron (author of The Stone Necklace ), and Reavis Z. Wortham (author of Hawke's Target ). Their novels will be available for sale and signing after the reading.

"With lyrical prose, Kimberly Brock explores the hidden places of the heart. The River Witch is a magical and bewitching story that, like a river, winds its way through the soul."—Patti Callahan Henry

"In The Stone Necklace , Carla Damron 's masterful portrayal of misery giving way to empathy leads us toward a glimmering hope of redemption for families and a community on the cusp of bold rebirth. This a novelist to be read again and again."―Pat Conroy

“There’s a term we use in the west,  the genuine article , and those words fit Reavis Wortham to a Texas T.”—Craig Johnson
Anchorage Writers Retreat Weekend, Sept 6-8
Join us on September 6-8 for our newest Writers Retreat Weekend , a Southern Living inspired event at the award-winning Anchorage 1770 Inn , located in the heart of beautiful Beaufort by the sea. Participating writers will immerse themselves in a collaborative experience certain to inspire and enlighten. Our distinguished faculty of award-winning writers and publishing professionals will share their insights and experiences in the same generous mentoring spirit as the late Pat Conroy. In the retreat’s intimate setting, writers will get to know one another as well as our instructors over a span of three days and two nights of empowering workshops, discussions, writing prompts, readings, critiques, and social gatherings.

Retreat Faculty: Novelists Kimberly Brock, Carla Damron, and Reavis Z. Wortham ; memoirist and humorist Harrison Scott Key ; biographer and book review editor Adam Parker ; and literary agents Jeff Kleinman and Marly Rusoff .
An Afternoon with Harrison Scott Key, Sept 8
Join Anchorage Writers Retreat Weekend faculty member and Thurber Award-winning memoirist Harrison Scott Key as he lays bare the joys and terrors of the American Dream (and the writing life) from his latest memoir, Congratulations, Who Are You Again? , a book that "sugarcoats nothing about the grueling parts of forgoing safety for the pursuit of a life’s calling" ( Atlanta-Journal-Constitution ), where Key "humorously and tenderly mines his own life to understand why on earth anyone would want to become a writer" ( Kirkus Reviews ). Southern Living describes him as "Flannery O’Connor meets Chuck Klosterman meets Seinfeld." His mother describes him as "one of my sons."

To be held at the Conroy Center on September 8, 3:30-5:00 p.m., this event is free and open to the public. A book signing will follow the author's presentation.
Bernie Schein Book Launch, Sept 10
The Anchorage 1770 Inn and the Conroy Center will host a publication day book launch for Pat Conroy: Our Lifelong Friendship, the new memoir by Bernie Schein, on Tuesday, September 10, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing.

“Honest in its portrayal of both Conroy and Schein's own conflicted feelings toward the novelist, the lucid narrative deftly explores the complexities of a lifelong friendship. A thoughtful, poignant, and candid memoir perfect for Conroy fans.”— Kirkus Reviews
An Evening with Susan Cushman, Sept 17
The Conroy Center and NeverMore Books will host Susan Cushman , author of the short story collection Friends of the Library, for a book discussion on September 17 at 5:00 p.m. Free and open to the public, the discussion will be followed by a book signing. Cushman's stories follow Adele Covington, who becomes an author in her sixties, as her book tour bring her to speak to the Friends of the Library groups in ten small towns in her home state of Mississippi. Along the way she befriends an eclectic group of wounded people and become a caretaker of their stories.

"A beautifully wrought hymn of praise to readers and book-lovers in the most sacred of places, the libraries where we find both." — Cassandra King Conroy, author of The Sunday Wife and Moonrise
Scribes at Kershaw Co. Fine Arts Center, Sept 17
"The 2016 loss of acclaimed author Pat Conroy hit hard with readers, but none more so than his peers. In this book, authors who revered Conroy for his storytelling share their memories and stories of his life in an epic, vibrant way. Their candor gives readers a better view of the man behind so many of the Southern stories that have come to be classics—and, in the telling, create a classic of their own."— It's a Southern Thing

Celebrating the publication date of the paperback edition of Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy, the ongoing Scribes book tour comes to the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County in Camden, SC, on September 17, 7:00 p.m. Featured writers for this conversation are Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker , her son and fellow writer John Connor Cleveland , award-winning historian Alexia Jones Helsley , poet Tim Conroy , and co-editor Jonathan Haupt. Registration is $20/person; a book signing will follow the discussion. Sales of  Our Prince of Scribes  support the educational mission of our nonprofit Conroy Center.
Our Prince of Scribes Exhibit, Sept 20-Dec 6
In the 70 days leading up to the September 2018, publication of the hardcover edition of  Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy , co-editor Nicole Seitz sketched portraits of the 67 contributors to the anthology and of their inspiration Pat Conroy, revealing one new sketch online each day. Coupled with brief excerpts from each writer’s corresponding essay, the portraits in this exhibition honor the spirit of generosity exemplified by Pat Conroy and by the pantheon of writers who freely gave their time and remembrances to this project.

The  Our Prince of Scribes  portraits exhibition will be on display from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, from September 20 to December 6 at the Artists’ Gallery at Town Hall , located in the Hilton Head Island Town Center at 1 Town Center Circle. Part of the Pat Conroy Literary Festival and the Crescendo arts festival, the exhibition is free and open to the public.
New Rose Hill Author Series, Sept 24
The Rose Hill Author Series is a new partnership between the Conroy Center, the Rose Hill Readers book club, and Oak Terrace at Rose Hill to highlight the exceptional stories of lowcountry authors in engaging lunchtime discussions. The inaugural Rose Hill Author Series lunch will be held on Tuesday, September 24, beginning at noon and will feature a conversation between historical novelists Rebecca Dwight Bruff, author of Trouble the Water , and John Warley, author of The Home Guard.

Held at Oak Terrace at Rose Hill (4 Clubhouse Dr., Bluffton), this special literary event is open to the public. Registration for the lunch is $25.00. Books will be available for sale and signing following the authors' discussion. A portion of the proceeds from this event helps support the year-round educational mission of our nonprofit Conroy Center.
Lowcountry Book Club Convention, Sept 28
The Conroy Center’s third annual Lowcountry Book Club Convention is a day of educational conversations and fellowship programs for book club members and those considering joining a book club. This free public event is presented in partnership with the Technical College of the Lowcountry and NeverMore Books , and is funded in part by a generous gift from the Pulpwood Queens Book Club .

Keynoting our Lowcountry Book Club Convention this year will be Kim Michele Richardson , author of  The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek , in conversation with fellow novelist Bren McClain , author of  One Good Mama Bone . Also scheduled to appear: the Pulpwood Queen herself, Kathy L. Murphy ( The Pulpwood Queens Tiara-Wearing Book-Sharing Guide to Life) ; Kacey Kowars ( A Celebration of Words and Another Celebration of Words ); Mary Ann Henry ( Ladies in Low Places ); Kathryn Taylor ( Two Minus One ); Jonathan Haupt ( Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy ); and Margaret Evans , publisher and columnist of the Lowcountry Weekly.

For a full schedule of events and registration information, please visit the link below.
Book Club: Beach Music, Sept 28
The sixth Conroy Center Book Club meeting will be led by Lowcountry Weekly publisher and columnist Margaret Evans as we discuss Conroy’s novel Beach Music , published in 1995. This book club meeting will be held as the opening session in the Conroy Center’s third annual Lowcountry Book Club Convention and will meet in the auditorium of McLean Hall at the Technical College of the Lowcountry at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 28 . In Beach Music , Conroy writes of the dark memories that haunt generations, in a story that spans South Carolina and Rome and reaches back into the unutterable terrors of the Holocaust.

Each monthly book club session will be led by a guest discussion leader. These events are free, but advance registration is required and seating is limited. Participants are asked to read the books before the meetings and to come prepared for discussion.
Scribes at First Presbyterian of HHI, Sept 29
"Pat Conroy had a profound impact on the literary world. His work has inspired countless writers,and his generous spirit encouraged many to follow in his footsteps. Their appreciation for his support can be seen in a new collection of essays titled Our Prince of Scribes . Jonathan Haupt, executive director of the Pat Conroy Literary Center, and novelist Nicole Seitz gathered stories from 67 writers about Conroy and his impact on their lives.... [T]he underlying theme is that he never stopped mentoring."— Hilton Head Monthly

The  Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy  book tour comes to First Presbyterian Church of Hilton Head Island on Sunday, September 29, at 5:00 p.m. Featured writers for this conversation and signing are co-editor Jonathan Haupt, Stephanie Austin Edwards, David Lauderdale, Bren McCLain, and Kathy L. Murphy. Free and open to the public; a book signing will follow the discussion. Sales of  Our Prince of Scribes  support the educational mission of our nonprofit Conroy Center.
Scribes at Athens-Clarke County Library, Oct 5
“In Our Prince of Scribes , a collection of writers navigate the rich and often complicated landscape that was Conroy's life.... Many of the writers have benefited from Conroy's nurturing, and through their stories, they seek to honor his memory and continue to advance his unmistakable impact on modern literature.”— Augusta Chronicle

The  Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy  book tour comes to the Athens-Clarke County Library (2025 Baxter St, Athens, GA) on October 5, at 2:00 p.m. Featured writers for this conversation and signing are co-editor Jonathan Haupt and four of the Georgia-based contributors, Anthony Grooms, Mary Hood, William Walsh, and Teresa Weaver . This event is free an open to the public and presented in partnership with the University of Georgia Press. Sales of  Our Prince of Scribes  support the educational mission of our nonprofit Conroy Center.
Second Annual Children's Book Fair, Oct 12
Save the date! Join us for the Conroy Center's second annual Children's Book Fair on Saturday, October 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Free and open to the public, the day's events will feature nearly a dozen children's book authors in a series of workshops, book signings, and readings at Beaufort's Santa Elena History Center. More details coming soon.
Book Club: My Losing Season, Oct 15
Registration is now full for this event.

The seventh Conroy Center Book Club meeting will be led by novelist and attorney Scott Graber , a Citadel classmate of Conroy's, as we discuss Conroy's memoir My Losing Season, published in 2002. In My Losing Season , Conroy takes the reader through his last year playing basketball, as point guard and captain of the Citadel Bulldogs. Flashing back constantly to the drama of his coming of age, he presents all the conflict and love that have been at the core of his novels.

Each monthly book club session will be led by a guest discussion leader and held at the Conroy Center. These events are free, but advance registration is required and seating is limited. Participants are asked to read the books before the meetings and to come prepared for discussion.
"I Was Born to Be in a Library" at CDM, Oct 16
"My soul found ease and rest in the companionship of books."—Pat Conroy, My Losing Season

Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt will discuss best-selling author Pat Conroy’s lifelong love of books and libraries—focusing on the roles public libraries, school libraries, and Pat’s own personal library played in his writing life. Through video and audio clips, photographs, and published and unpublished writings by and about Conroy, this presentation welcomes attendees into the book-filled world of one of America’s most beloved writers.

This multi-media lecture will be presented on October 16, 2:00 p.m., as part of the Discovery Lecture Series at the Coastal Discovery Museum , Hilton Head Island, SC, during the Crescendo arts festival. Registration is $7.00/person.
Scribes at Arts & Seafood Festival, Oct 16
"A moving tribute to the legacy of one of the South's brightest lights."— Garden & Gun's Talk of the South

At the Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival's annual Author Night Our Prince of Scribes co-editor and Pat Conroy Literary Center executive director Jonathan Haupt will moderate a lively discussion among fellow Scribes USC Beaufort writer-in-residence Ellen Malphrus (author of Untying the Moon ), and Conroy’s Citadel classmate and fellow novelist John Warley (author of The Home Guard ) as they share their favorite Conroy stories from the collection. A book signing will follow the discussion.

This event will be held on October 16, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Rotary Community Center (11 Recreation Ct.) at Bluffton's Oscar Frazier Park. Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and beverages provided by Southern Spice Catering and Events. $15/person tickets sales from this special event benefit the Waddell Mariculture Center . Book sales of Our Prince of Scribes support the educational mission of our nonprofit Conroy Center. Registration will open later this summer.
Cassandra King Conroy Book Launch, Oct 29
The Pat Conroy Literary Festival and the USCB Center for Arts present the publication day book launch for Cassandra King Conroy 's highly anticipated new memoir, Tell Me a Story: My Life with Pat Conroy. At 7:00 p.m. on October 29, Cassandra King Conroy will be interviewed by award-winning journalist David Lauderdale on stage at the USCB Center for the Arts. A book signing will follow their discussion. This event is free and open to the public.

A pre-release cocktail party will be hosted from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the home of Dr. Lucius and Mrs. Darryl Laffitte on the historic Point. $45/person, $75/couple, includes one signed copy of Tell Me a Story and VIP seating during the 7:00 program. Limited tickets available through www.uscbcenterforthearts.com.

“Who wouldn’t want to know what it was like to be married to Pat Conroy, one of the greatest writers to ever spring forth from the Lowcountry of South Carolina? Cassandra, his widow, takes you inside their deep and abiding love in this beautifully and soulfully written memoir.” — Dorothea Benton Frank
Scribes at Coligny Theatre, Oct 30
"In these essays, you'll meet a man who was troubled, tormented, angry, scathing, outrageous, hilarious, tender, noble, brave, and generous beyond measure. But most of all, you'll meet a man who damn-well knew how to love. And thanks to the devoted efforts of co-editors Jonathan Haupt and Nicole Seitz, and the work of 67 very fine writers, his legion of fans will come to love Pat Conroy even more than they already do."— Lowcountry Weekly

As part of the annual Crescendo arts festival and the Pat Conroy Literary Festival , the  Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy  book tour comes to Coligny Theatre on Hilton Head Island on Wednesday, October 30, at 6:00 p.m. Featured writers for this conversation and signing are co-editor Jonathan Haupt, David Lauderdale, Ellen Malphrus, Sallie Ann Robnson, and Larry Rowland. A book signing will follow the discussion. Sales of  Our Prince of Scribes  support the educational mission of our nonprofit Conroy Center.

Presented in partnership with the Coastal Discovery Museum , this is a ticketed event; $15/person.
Save the Dates for Conroy Fest: Oct 29-Nov 3
Our fourth annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival will be held in Beaufort on November 1-3 — with preview events on October 29 & 30 — featuring Delia Owens , author of the #1 New York Times best-selling novel Where the Crawdads Sing, and the publication day launch of the new memoir by Cassandra King Conroy , Tell Me a Story: My Life with Pat Conroy. Other presenters include Janisse Ray, Mary Alice Monore, Sally R. Murphy, John Lane, J. Drew Lanham, Jon Pineda, Bernie Schein, Judy Goldman, Maureen Ryan Griffin, Dana and Virginia Beach, Aida Rogers, Clay Rice, and many more.
SCWA Beaufort Writers Retreat: Oct 31-Nov 3
In collaboration with the fourth annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival , the South Carolina Writers Association will hold its Fall Retreat in Beaufort on October 31 to November 3. The intensive writing workshops will be led by Judy Goldman (memoirist), Megan Mayhew Bergman (short story author & novelist), Jon Pineda (poet, novelist & memoirist), Dana Ridenour (crime novelist & former FBI agent), and Jason Ryan (creative nonfiction author & journalist). The SCWA Fall Retreat also includes networking opportunities and social gatherings among faculty and participants as well as access to free and select ticketed events of the Conroy Festival. For additional details and to register, click on the link below.
Book Club: Pat Conroy Cookbook, Nov 21
The eighth Conroy Center Book Club meeting will be led by food writer and caterer Debbi Covington as we discuss The Pat Conroy Cookbook , published in 2004. Delighting us with tales of his passion for cooking and good food and the people, places, and great meals he has experienced, Conroy mixes them together with mouthwatering recipes from the Deep South and the world beyond. A master storyteller and passionate cook, Conroy believes that "A recipe is a story that ends with a good meal."

Each monthly book club session will be led by a guest discussion leader and held at the Conroy Center. Advance registration is required and seating is limited. Participants are asked to read the books before the meetings and to come prepared for discussion.

This is a ticketed event. The $20/person registration fee includes a tasting of recipes prepared from The Pat Conroy Cookbook.
Book Club: South of Broad, Dec 10
Registration is now full for this event.

The ninth Conroy Center Book Club meeting will be led by Charleston writer and attorney Sean Scapellato as we discuss Conroy's novel South of Broad , published in 2009. Against the sumptuous backdrop of Charleston, SC, South of Broad gathers a unique cast of sinners and saints and an ever-widening circle whose liaisons will ripple across two decades from 1960s counterculture through the dawn of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s.

Each monthly book club session will be led by a guest discussion leader and held at the Conroy Center. These events are free, but advance registration is required and seating is limited. Participants are asked to read the books before the meetings and to come prepared for discussion.
Book Club: My Reading Life, Jan 14
Registration is now full for this event.

The tenth Conroy Center Book Club meeting will be led by Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt as we discuss Conroy's memoir My Reading Life , published in 2010. Starting as a childhood passion that bloomed into a life-long companion, reading became Pat Conroy's portal to the world, both to the furthest corners of the globe and to the deepest chambers of the human soul. My Reading Life show us that reading was for Conroy more than a pleasure to be enjoyed in off-hours or a source of inspiration for his own writing. Indeed, reading saved his life.

Each monthly book club session will be led by a guest discussion leader and held at the Conroy Center. These events are free, but advance registration is required and seating is limited. Participants are asked to read the books before the meetings and to come prepared for discussion.
Visit Us at the Pat Conroy Literary Center
The Conroy Center is Open to the Public Thursday-Sunday, noon-4:00 p.m .

" If you’re a Pat Conroy fan, this is a MUST visit ! I learned so much about Pat Conroy through our visit to the Center. The exhibits are beautifully presented to give a broad overview of Pat Conroy, the man and writer." — TripAdvisor review

TripAdvisor's top-ranked destination in Beaufort, our nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center is located at 905 Port Republic Street in historic downtown and open to the public from noon to 4:00 p.m. on Thursdays through Sundays. Winner of the 2019 Civitas Award for Tourism Leadership presented by the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Conroy Center is South Carolina's first affiliate of the American Writers Museum and second American Library Association Literary Landmark .

In partnership with Beaufort Tours , the Conroy Center also offers 90-minute van tours of Pat Conroy's adopted hometown, including sites related to Pat's books and films. Available daily at 2:00 p.m. with advance registration . $30/adult.
 
Pat Conroy Literary Center | 905 Port Republic St., Beaufort, SC 29902
843-379-7025 | [email protected]