TELL ME A STORY by Cassandra King Conroy
There have been a few books written about Pat Conroy. They confirm how legendary he was and how great his talent was. Most dealt with the hardness of the life he lived. While a few other reflected on how he affected people and how they affected him. Still no book about Pat Conroy can delve into the depth of his heart like TELL ME A STORY, Cassandra King Conroy’s story of her eighteen year relationship with him as friend, lover and spouse.
Many people who knew Sandra and Pat Conroy as a couple wondered why these two were such a perfect match. He was a major literary figure when they met, she was a struggling, aspiring writer. He had had two failed marriage and numerous failed relationships, while she had been a single mother and then was married to a preacher. That marriage was ending when she bumped into Pat Conroy at a literary function. And the rest was history.
Cassandra explores their differences in her book and shows why they fit together so nicely. Of course love was the glue and both being southern was what melded them together. He was searching for a soft place to land while she was searching for security that would allow her to be the who she always wanted to be. She helped calm his raging demons and he emancipated her by loving the total essence of her being.
In TELL ME A STORY Sandra Conroy exposes the heart of Pat Conroy and makes the reader understand why his books had so much power. He loved to tell stories and he loved to hear them. Any person who happened into Pat Conroy’s orbit was most likely going to reveal a few secrets to him without even knowing it. Pat was an “elicitor” and formed a trusting bond only moments after meeting strangers.
Cassandra Conroy also writes about “bridges.” There is the “bridge of friendship” that stretches from South Carolina to Alabama once she and Pat have met. There is the “bridge of forgiveness” that spans the breach between Pat and some of his family. Some take a long time to be healed but the “bridge of forgiveness” is never closed. Then there is the “bridge to eternity” that Cassandra and her family observe after Pat’s death. It is hard to believe this actual;ly occurred but in Cassandra Conroy’s words it is totally valid. Faith and love can provide any and every thing.
Cassandra Conroy tells her and Pat’s story in a calm and loving way. There is no malicious gossip to be unearthed in these pages. There some “I didn’t know that” stories interspersed in the chapters but it is all done in a loving way. It appears Ms. Conroy has no axes to grind, at least not in this sbook.
Pat Conroy was a man who inspired love from his family, friends and fans. Most worshipped from afar, but for those lucky enough to bask in his love from an insider’s seat it must have been amazing. With TELL ME A STORY Cassandra King Conroy gives us all a chance to be in that insiders’ circle for at least the length of this book.
TELL ME A STORY is published by William Morrow. It contains 400 pages and sells for $24.99.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com
