So, I watched Prince of Tides this past weekend and it was pretty awful (Nick Nolte and Barbara Streisand???) and honestly did not do the book justice. The actual book is tense, flowery, brutal and overwhelming. I was very surprised at how well done it was, and how poorly the film adapted it. It's a very long book with flashbacks that tell a horrible story, and the film pretty much glossed most of it over. Anyways, it reminded me of the strength of good stories and how powerful the written word is.
So, I looked up a few of his other books and autobiographies and recommended one to a friend. It seems that the richness of lived experience really 'shines' through Conroy's work, particularly the unvarnished, plain banality of evil that seem to permeate his books.
That said, I recommend Prince of Tides, Beach Music, The Water is Wide and The Great Santini...they're not easy reads, but excellent ones.
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