Beach Music

Patrick Conroy hurls words and ideas at you and they all land in a perfectly harmonized formation of drama, humor and outrageously engaging characters. His gift for creating characters from words on a page to larger than life people is magnificent. Beach Music incorporates some very difficult topics and weaves together a number of complex story lines, which intertwine in this multi generational epic. In all his books he is excellent at depicting dysfunction in families and this book is no exception.
Beach Music is essentially about Jack McCall; a single dad trying to raise his little girl Leah in Rome after his wife Shyla commits suicide. He wants to get far away from the dysfunction of the families and demons he leaves behind in South Carolina. But your roots are your roots, and circumstance brings Jack back home like a slingshot to the epicenter of drama. He is catapulted in to the lives of his 4 brothers, the most interesting of which is John Hardin his paranoid schizophrenic sibling, his mother who is battling cancer, his holocaust survivor in-laws who tried to take Leah in a dirty custody battle and old school friends who are not without major drama which peaked during the time of the Vietnam war. Beach Music had me laughing, thinking and sobbing. It's one of those books you need time to savor. I hate saying goodbye to these people who have become part of my life, albeit for a short time. So sorry to see it end.
As for the narrator Jonathan Marosz, he neither helped nor hindered this book. His narration was a bit flat, but once I got used to him, it blended well.

Pat Conroy has an almost lyrical way of expressing himself and that is all the more evident in the audio production of this book. The beauty of his words holds true even when the event is painful or horrific. It is a captivating tale filled with sarcasitc wit, family secrets, and tragedy on an epic scale. The South is always a character in itself in his novels and this one is no exception. This is one of my favorite Conroy novels, and I frequently give it as a gift to friends unfamiliar with his work. Take a trip to Pat Conroy's South and you will never quite look at it the same again - but it will seduce you just the same.

Fabulous, read it twice, beautiful story and well readfantastic

I enjoy Pat Conroy books, but... I had some issues with this one. The constant "wise cracks" got annoying, the subtle, or not too subtle, political stereotyping was also annoying. Mike's mock "town trial" was unbelievable. Other than that, it was very good.

Pat Conroy is just the best storyteller. This book as with most his books is just wonderful. The characters are very interesting and the book is totally engrossing.

Jack McCall comes to terms with his dysfunctional family after a time spent in Rome. He returns to South Carolina to a dying mother. While in SC he confronts his demons from his young adult years and his brothers. The smart a$$ dialogue between Jack and his brothers is hysterical. The only drawback for me is that this novel is intensely liberal. I - as a conservative - found this objectionable. The center line has been moved so far to the left that I appear radical. All of that aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the humour.

very dramatic and heart felt! I read it because it relates to my favorite vacation spot but I have been looking for additional titles from the same author..I highly recommend it!

I will listen to it again, because it grabs you and won't let go. If it were just the dialog itself it would be enough, but there is so much more!

Forest Gump comes to mind as a piece of comparable work and not just because of obvious subject matter, but because of its powerful story telling, and smart dialog.

Jack, because he has an unapologetic way of honestly speaking the truth and what's on his mind.

This book is thought provoking and intelligent. Brings South Carolina to life in so many ways. Makes you long for that "Beach Music"

I love Pat Conroy...Love his books. When I could still read books I this one and loved it. It is tragic and awesome and epic. Beautifully written. Loved the interview Audible did with this writer.
After my first listen this narrator was good, sounds southern but he just talks too fast when the characters are talking to one another. That being said I have criticized narrators before and regretted it. I really appreciate the work they do.
Pat Conroy is timeless and his writing eternal. He will make you laugh and cry and break your very heart. Historically worldwide these things either break you or you perservere. I believe you can enjoy this book.

Vintage Conroy...read Conroy to taste grits and shrimp, smell salt water, hear the drawl of Charleston. I love the southern flavor, but always lament Conroy's minimum requirements for enlistment as a Southern Belle... mysterious females born with Barbie doll figures, Mensa level IQ's, flawless skin, adorned by family diamonds (gifts from Sherman to grandmothers who saved homes...no towns... from being burned), mistress of all domestic arts, fluent in 6 languages (learned Italian and German while singing with the Met) ....and have at least one secret, illegitimate child by a brutal politician. I fall so short...but inspired to keep trying.