I have had a book on hold for months, and it finally became available: Pat Conroy's My Reading Life. But, true to Pat Conroy, it is about so much more than what he has read. The first part of his book is devoted to his mother, who read to him daily when he was a young child, Gone With The Wind being her all time favorite. The next part of the book is devoted to the memory of Gene Norris, Pat's high school English teacher. What a fabulous man Norris must have been, inspiring hundreds of students to live life to the fullest.
Speaking of living life, Conroy talks about his near-suicide during and after writing Beach Music. It was Mr. Norris, along with a skilled therapist, who walked Pat out of taking that disastrous action. Norris saved Pat's life in so many ways, Pat having had an incredibly abusive father, then encountering this teacher who believed in him so mightily.
This is as far as I have gotten in the book, but I am sure I'll have more to say later.
No comments:
Post a Comment