I told my kids when they were little, 'Look, kids, your mother and I are screwing you up somehow. We don't understand how, or we wouldn't do it. But we're parents. So somehow we're damaging you, and I want you to know that early. So just ignore me when I go to that part of my parenting.' Pat Conroy damageearlyignore share on social
I mark the reading of 'Look Homeward, Angel' as one of the pivotal events of my life. It starts off with the single greatest, knock-your-socks-off first page I have ever come across in my careful reading of world literature. Pat Conroy angelcarefulevent share on social
The most powerful words in English are 'Tell me a story,' words that are intimately related to the complexity of history, the origins of language, the continuity of the species, the taproot of our humanity, our singularity, and art itself. Pat Conroy artcomplexitycontinuity share on social
A family is too frail a vessel to contain the risks of all the warring impulses expressed when such a group meets on common ground. Pat Conroy commonexpressfamily Change image and share on social
I've met many, many writers who say they would never write about their family, never write about people they did not totally make up. But that is not the composition of my character. Pat Conroy charactercompositionfamily Change image and share on social
I meet kids now who become novelists, poets, write for the theater and movies, who were simply inspired by what they saw during the Spoleto Festival. Pat Conroy festivalinspirekid Change image and share on social
It's an article of faith that the novels I've loved will live inside me forever. Pat Conroy articlefaithforever Change image and share on social
I think I learned about the relationship between books and life from Margaret Mitchell. Pat Conroy booklearnlife Change image and share on social
I'm fascinated by the people I grew up with and the mistakes I made - and God, I have screwed up. I like writing about where it all went off course. Pat Conroy fascinategodgrow Change image and share on social
I'm not the lovable, wonderful, tenderhearted grandfather that you read about in books. I'm grouchy and curmudgeonly, and I have a lot of rules. Pat Conroy bookcurmudgeonlygrandfather Change image and share on social
