Pat Conroy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pat Conroy
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Conroy in 2013
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| Born | Donald Patrick Conroy October 26, 1945 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | March 4, 2016 (aged 70) Beaufort, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Period | 1970–2016 |
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Donald Patrick Conroy (born October 26, 1945 – died March 4, 2016) was a famous American author. He wrote many popular novels and memoirs. Some of his most well-known books include The Water is Wide, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides, and The Great Santini. Many of these books were even made into movies, with The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini being nominated for Oscars! He is known as an important writer of Southern literature from the late 1900s.
Contents
Early Life and Influences
Pat Conroy was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the oldest of seven children. His father was a pilot in the Marine Corps, so Pat's family moved around a lot. By the time he was 15, he had attended 11 different schools! His family finally settled in Beaufort, South Carolina, where he finished high school.
Conroy often said that his childhood, especially the challenges with his father, greatly influenced his stories. Growing up in a military family meant moving often and being part of military culture. This tough environment is often seen in his novels, like The Great Santini and The Prince of Tides, which include parts of his own life.
Pat was also a great athlete. He played basketball at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in Charleston. His book My Losing Season (published in 2002) is all about his experiences playing basketball during his senior year there.
Writing Journey
After graduating from The Citadel, Pat Conroy taught English in Beaufort, South Carolina. He later took a job teaching children in a small, one-room schoolhouse on a faraway place called Daufuskie Island. He was fired after his first year because he had different teaching methods, like refusing to use physical punishment on students.
He then wrote The Water Is Wide about his time as a teacher on the island. This book won awards and was even made into a movie called Conrack in 1974, starring Jon Voight.
In 1976, Conroy published his novel, The Great Santini. This book features a tough Marine pilot father, Colonel "Bull" Meecham, who is very strict with his family. This character was based on Conroy's own father. Writing this book caused some tension in his family at first. However, it eventually helped Pat and his father become very close. His father even changed his behavior a lot after the book came out. The Great Santini was also made into a film in 1979, starring Robert Duvall.
His book The Lords of Discipline, published in 1980, was about his experiences at The Citadel. Some of his fellow graduates were upset by how he described life there. But the disagreements eventually faded, and Conroy was even given an honorary degree from The Citadel in 2000. This novel also became a movie in 1983.
In 1986, Conroy published The Prince of Tides. This story is about a teacher from South Carolina who goes to New York City to help his sister. This book was also made into a film in 1991.
Other books by Pat Conroy include Beach Music (1995), The Pat Conroy Cookbook (2004), and South of Broad (2009). In 2013, he released a memoir called The Death of Santini, which explored his changing relationship with his father.
Pat Conroy was inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame in 2009 for his amazing writing.
Military Brat Identity
Pat Conroy was a big supporter of understanding the "military brat" culture. This term refers to children who grow up in military families and move constantly. He wrote an important essay for a book called Military Brats: Legacies of Childhood inside the Fortress, which helped people understand the unique experiences of these children.
He also allowed his work to be used in a documentary called Brats: Our Journey Home. This film helps bring more attention to the hidden culture of military brats. The documentary ends with a quote from Conroy: "We spent our entire childhoods in the service of our country, and no one even knew we were there."
Personal Life
Pat Conroy was married three times. He had several daughters and stepchildren. He lived in Beaufort, South Carolina, with his third wife, writer Cassandra King, until he passed away.
Later Years and Legacy
On February 15, 2016, Pat Conroy shared that he was being treated for pancreatic cancer. He sadly passed away on March 4, 2016, at the age of 70. He is buried in St. Helena Memorial Gardens cemetery in South Carolina.
After his death, the Pat Conroy Literary Center was created in Beaufort, South Carolina. This center keeps his memory alive and supports new writers. It holds many educational activities and events, including an annual literary festival. In 2017, it was named a Literary Landmark by the American Library Association. The Citadel also created the Pat Conroy Writer’s Residency Fellowship for a basketball player each year, honoring his connection to the school and writing.
Works
- 1970: The Boo
- 1972: The Water Is Wide
- 1976: The Great Santini
- 1980: The Lords of Discipline
- 1986: The Prince of Tides
- 1989: Unconquered (TV play)
- 1995: Beach Music
- 2002: My Losing Season
- 2004: The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes of My Life
- 2009: South of Broad
- 2010: My Reading Life
- 2013: The Death of Santini
- 2016: A Lowcountry Heart: Reflections on a Writing Life
Awards and Honors
- 1973 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award
- 1974 National Education Association Humanitarian Award
- 1978 Georgia Governor's Award for the Arts & Humanities
- 1981 Southern Regional Council Lillian Smith Book Award
- 1988 South Carolina Academy of Authors Inductee
- 1992 Academy Award Nominee, Adapted Screenplay (for The Prince of Tides)
- 1993 American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award
- 1997 University of South Carolina Honorary Doctorate
- 2000 The Citadel Honorary Doctor of Letters
- 2002 South Carolina Order of the Palmetto
- 2003 Thomas Wolfe Prize
- 2004 Georgia Writers Hall of Fame Inductee
- 2005 F. Scott Fitzgerald Award
- 2010 South Carolina Hall of Fame Inductee
- 2010 Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor's Lifetime Achievement Award for the Arts
See also
- Teachers in movies
- Conrack
- The Water Is Wide
