patconroy, has sown with charlie gibson. >> i love pat conroy's books. i have read them all. "south a broad," refers to part of charleston people that know that have followed pat's career and his books, he was a military brat. he moved 23 times when he was a kid. so, this is largely about wanting a place. wanting a place you can call home. and it's about his love affair with charleston. and i asked him to start by reading some of the first lines from the book. >> charleston was my father's ministry. his hobby horse. his quiet session in the great love of his life. in his bloom lit up my own a passion for the city i never lost nor never will. >> reporter: pat conroy's novel, "a broad." this novel is about charleston. >> here's what it says. like every place else i've ever been on earth. it is complicated. it is bizarre. it has its secrets. it has its areas of openness. but in charleston, south of broad, the rivers meet. an remarkable society, black and white formed, in that peninsula. and it excites me, as much as anything in the world. >> for someone who has moved so often, as

pat conroy has a new novel coming out. it is called himself a broad. is an area, if you know charleston, south carolina, in that grand old city, that pat knows very well. and when he writes a novel it is occasion for celebration. so south abroad comes out august 11, and i hope to have it read by august 12 or 13th. there are a couple of other books i'm going to read this summer. janice lee has written a book called the piano teacher, a novel set in china that i am told is a very good. maryland robinson has written a follow-up to her great book of a couple of years ago. this book is called home. it is a further sort of the prodigal son returning. her first book was so eloquent that i look forward to reading this one. a spy novel called the tourist that is highly recommended and on my bookshelf. it is a spy novel, but that's what you read in the summer. good spy novels. and as long as i have this occasion, two other books that i want to recommend that i've read in past summers, but i think are a joy for anyone who picks them up. one is the book thief by a

i neglected to mention that pat conroy couldn't be with us today but his book is available for you, hisers making it available. do we have -- mary suggested q&a, is there time for that or do we just break? >> [inaudible]. >> anyone wants to leave or ask questions, let's do it. questions. any questions? >> is this on? click -- there is a button on these, does anybody have a question, you can go if you need to go. i don't have my glasses on so wave your hand if you do. >> i... i don't think we have provoked any questions, people want to go to the next thing. thank you for what you do and thanks for coming. [applause] [inaudible conversations]