Volume 24.02 | June 2019

Hey Out There
News from the Pat Conroy Literary Center
Camp Conroy 2019 Is in the Books!
Representing 9 schools and 3 states, our Camp Conroy kids spent the last two weeks collaborating on art, photography, poetry, and prose for a 78-page book, Re-World, inspired by their experiences learning about recycling and our environment. What a wonderful opportunity this has been for our campers, instructors, and teaching assistants! Many thanks to our generous sponsors who provided scholarships for many of our campers; to our partners at Beaufort Middle School, Beaufort Tours, Lowcountry Produce, and Plums restaurant; and to our remarkable trio of instructors Maura Connelly, Lisa Ann Cullen, and Miho Kinnas for an unforgettable experience, held on the former Beaufort High School campus where Pat Conroy himself had been a school student and teacher.
The Conroy Center Receives the 2019 Civitas Award for Tourism Leadership!
We won! The Pat Conroy Literary Center is honored to be recognized with the 2019 Civitas Award for Tourism Leadership , sponsored by the Greater Beaufort-Port Royal Convention & Visitors Bureau and presented by the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce. Congratulations to our dedicated corps of volunteers and board members who give so generously of their time and talents, and to our tireless two-person staff of  Jonathan Haupt   and  Maura Connelly  for garnering this recognition in our third year of operations.

In his memoir The Death of Santini , Pat Conroy wrote “I’ve come home to the place I was always writing about…. I’ve tried to make Beaufort, South Carolina, my own.” Pat’s great love for his adopted home here in the lowcountry is also deeply felt by the millions of readers across the globe who have been introduced to Beaufort through Pat’s writings. Our nonprofit Conroy Center is honored to have been embraced by Beaufort, by our many generous supporters from near and far alike, and by the thousands of visitors and local patrons who now pass through the doors of our interpretive center and who attend our annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival and our year-round educational and cultural events. Thank you for making the Conroy Center a dream come true! 

And congratulations to all of this year's Civitas Awards winners and nominees!
OUR CALENDAR OF EVENTS
A Taste and Tour of Barbecue, July 7
"Beautifully illustrated with a riot of barbecue memorabilia and including a few solid recipes, Smokelore is a must-have for anybody who cares about the ’cue. In other words, pretty much all y’all." — The Bitter Southerner

The Anchorage 1770 Inn and the Conroy Center will host award-winning journalist and food writer Jim Auchmutey , author of  Smokelore: A Short History of Barbecue in America , on July 7. Join us from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Anchorage 1770 (1103 Bay St., Beaufort, SC) for a discussion, tasting, and book signing. Registration is $100/person and includes a copy of Jim’s book, barbecue tastings, a signature drink, and a Conroy Center apron. Seating is limited. Advance registration is required by July 3.
Loud's Slam Camp Begins July 8
The Conroy Center is a proud promotional partner — along with the Beaufort Arts Council and 1212design — of Slam Camp 201 9, presented by Loud . To learn more about this 6-week performance poetry camp for young poets ages 13 to 18, please visit  www.loudinc.org.
Book Club: The Lords of Discipline, July 16
Registration is now full for this event.

The fourth Pat Conroy Literary Center Book Club meeting will be held on July 16 at 5:30 p.m. and led by Citadel English professor Sean Heuston as we discuss Pat Conroy's second novel, The Lords of Discipline, published in 1980 and later adapted for film. The novel sweeps us into the turbulent world of four young men—military college cadets, friends, and blood brothers—and their days of hazing, heartbreak, pride, betrayal, and, ultimately, humanity.

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.
OLLI Presentation: Conroy as Reader, July 17
The author of The Prince of Tides, The Great Santini , and The Water Is Wide , Pat Conroy (1945–2016) is synonymous with the lowcountry. Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt will discuss Conroy’s love of reading—focusing on the importance of his mother Peggy Conroy in fostering Pat’s love of reading and of libraries in continuing that great love over the course of a lifetime. Through video 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.

Presented on July 17, 1:00-3:00 p.m., at the USCB Hilton Head campus, this two-hour course is offered in partnership between the Conroy Center and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at USCB. OLLI summer classes are free for members and open to non-members for $10 per class.
Scribes at Main Street Reads, July 18
"Pat Conroy's death in 2016 left a colossal void in the literary landscape, but his spirit survives not only in the legacy of his work but in new books like this collection of funny, bittersweet recollections by those who knew him. Most contributors are Southern authors, many of them influenced by the long shadow he cast in the publishing world."— Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The  Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy  book tour comes to the Main Street Reads bookstore in Summerville, SC, on Thursday, July 18, at 1:00 p.m. Featured writers for this discussion are co-editor J onathan Haupt and novelists Stephanie Austin Edwards and John Warley . Each author in this collection shares a slightly different view of Conroy. Through their voices, a vibrant, multifaceted portrait of him comes to life and sheds new light on the writer and the man. 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 Savannah B&N, July 20
"In Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy , edited by Nicole Seitz and Jonathan Haupt, 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 Savannah Barnes & Noble on Saturday, July 20, at 1:00 p.m. Featured writers for this conversation and signing are co-editor Jonathan Haupt and novelist 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.
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
Library Tour Comes to Walterboro, Aug 8
"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 the Colleton County Memorial Library in Walterboro, SC, on August 8 at 6:30 p.m.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
Book Club: My Losing Season, Oct 15
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.
Scribes at Coligny Theatre, Oct 30
"A moving tribute to the legacy of one of the South's brightest lights."— Garden & Gun's Talk of the South

"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, 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, and many more.
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
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
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.
Save the Dates
Our second annual Pat Conroy Literary Center Children's Book Fair will be held on October 12 in partnership with the Santa Elena History Center in Beaufort.

The Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival's Author Night , October 16, will host a discussion of Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy with Jonathan Haupt, Ellen Malphrus, and John Warley.

Our fourth annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival is scheduled for November 1-3 in Beaufort, 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 many more presenters to be announced this summer.
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

Visit us in person in Pat Conroy's beloved Beaufort. The Pat Conroy Literary Center is South Carolina's first affiliate of the American Writers Museum and an American Library Association United for Libraries Literary Landmark . The Conroy Center is open to the public Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free.

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 | contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org