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42 pages 1 hour read

Pat Conroy

The Water Is Wide: A Memoir

Pat ConroyNonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1972

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Book Brief

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Pat Conroy

The Water Is Wide

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1972
Book Details
Pages

320

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

Daufuskie Island • 1960s

Theme
Publication Year

1972

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

14-18 years

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Super Short Summary

First published in 1972, Pat Conroy's memoir The Water Is Wide recounts his experiences teaching on Yamacraw Island off the South Carolina coast. Young teacher Pat Conroy, avoiding the Vietnam War draft, finds a community of children starved for knowledge and uses innovative methods to engage them, leading to conflicts with traditional educational authorities. The book contains descriptions of corporal punishment and racism.

Contemplative

Inspirational

Melancholic

Emotional

Bittersweet

Reviews & Readership

4.3

32,969 ratings

82%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

The Water Is Wide by Pat Conroy is praised for its evocative storytelling and meaningful exploration of racial and educational challenges in the 1960s South. Critics laud Conroy's heartfelt narration and vivid descriptions, though some argue the book's tone can be overly sentimental. Overall, it stands as a poignant and thought-provoking read.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Water Is Wide?

Readers who enjoy The Water Is Wide by Pat Conroy typically appreciate poignant narratives of social justice and educational reform. Fans of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Educated by Tara Westover will find similar themes of challenging societal norms and personal growth within a community setting.

4.3

32,969 ratings

82%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

320

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

Daufuskie Island • 1960s

Theme
Publication Year

1972

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

14-18 years

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