Snackz logo
The Prince of Tides

Pat Conroy

672 Pages
1988

The Prince of Tides

Below is just an AI summary! If you really want to learn something:

⚡ Free 3min Summary

The Prince of Tides - Summary

Tom Wingo, a football coach with a failing marriage and career, is called to New York after his twin sister Savannah's suicide attempt. As he helps her psychiatrist understand her mental state, he must confront their shared traumatic past, leading both siblings on a journey of healing and redemption.

Key Ideas

1

The Enduring Power of Family

Conroy explores a family bound by love, loyalty, and shared trauma, showing how the Wingos remain devoted to each other despite their violent father and unspoken truths. Their story demonstrates how deeply formative years shape family bonds.

2

The Healing Power of Confronting Trauma

The novel examines the lasting impact of childhood trauma and the importance of confronting painful memories for healing. Through therapy and reflection, the siblings begin understanding how their past shaped their present and work towards breaking the cycle of pain.

3

The Search for Identity and Redemption

Tom Wingo struggles between his current self and aspirations, dealing with failed marriage and lingering trauma. Through his sister's psychiatrist and time in New York, he discovers the possibility of growth, forgiveness, and hope despite past mistakes.

FAQ's

While the novel is not strictly autobiographical, it draws heavily from Pat Conroy's own experiences growing up in the American South and his complex relationship with his family.

"The Prince of Tides" deals with mature themes such as suicide, domestic violence, and mental illness, and may not be suitable for younger readers.

The novel is often categorized as Southern Gothic fiction, known for its exploration of family secrets, social issues, and the complexities of Southern culture.

Enjoyed the sneak peak? Get the full summary!

Explore Books

They Called Us Exceptional

They Called Us Exceptional

And Other Lies That Raised Us

Prachi Gupta

289 Pages
2024
The 5 AM Club

The 5 AM Club

Sharma, Robin Shilp Sharma

356 Pages
2018
A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain

A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain

Sara Manning Peskin

218 Pages
2022
The Wretched of the Earth

The Wretched of the Earth

Frantz Fanon

328 Pages
2007
Moonwalking with Einstein

Moonwalking with Einstein

The Art and Science of Remembering Everything

Joshua Foer

341 Pages
2011
Summary of Robin Wall Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass

Summary of Robin Wall Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass

Milkyway Media

0 Pages
2021
A Scandal in Bohemia

A Scandal in Bohemia

Seven Sherlock Holmes Stories

Arthur Conan Doyle

88 Pages
1981
The Pirate Prince

The Pirate Prince

Gaelen Foley

416 Pages
2006
Bright Line Eating

Bright Line Eating

The Science of Living Happy, Thin and Free

Susan Peirce Thompson, PHD

322 Pages
2021
We Do Not Part

We Do Not Part

A Novel

Han Kang

0 Pages
2025
Starling House

Starling House

A Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick that is the perfect dark Gothic fairytale for autumn!

Alix E. Harrow

392 Pages
2023
Machine Learning For Dummies

Machine Learning For Dummies

John Paul Mueller, Luca Massaron

464 Pages
2021
The Human Stain

The Human Stain

Philip Roth

405 Pages
2010
Pete the Cat: 5-Minute Pete the Cat Stories

Pete the Cat: 5-Minute Pete the Cat Stories

Includes 12 Groovy Stories!

James Dean

0 Pages
2017
Ali Cross

Ali Cross

James Patterson

201 Pages
2019
Summer Love

Summer Love

Subina Bhaṭṭarāī

256 Pages
2015
The Cost of Hope

The Cost of Hope

A Memoir

Amanda Bennett

241 Pages
2012
Successful and Set for Life

Successful and Set for Life

Get Everything You Want in Life, Work, and Relationships

Les J. Tripp MBA

197 Pages
2015
Find Your Unicorn Space

Find Your Unicorn Space

Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too-Busy World

Eve Rodsky

353 Pages
2022
Unbroken

Unbroken

A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

Laura Hillenbrand

497 Pages
2010
Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary

A Novel

Andy Weir

497 Pages
2021
What Matters Now

What Matters Now

How to Win in a World of Relentless Change, Ferocious Competition, and Unstoppable Innovation

Gary Hamel

308 Pages
2012
Good Omens

Good Omens

The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett

434 Pages
2011
The Echo of Old Books

The Echo of Old Books

A Novel

Barbara Davis

0 Pages
2023
The Midnight Feast

The Midnight Feast

Lucy Foley

0 Pages
2024
Weather For Dummies

Weather For Dummies

John D. Cox

384 Pages
2021
The Great Transition

The Great Transition

A Novel

Nick Fuller Googins

352 Pages
2023
Border as Method, or, the Multiplication of Labor

Border as Method, or, the Multiplication of Labor

Sandro Mezzadra, Brett Neilson

380 Pages
2013
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

Haruki Murakami

827 Pages
2011
The Plot Against America

The Plot Against America

Philip Roth

52 Pages
2010

Let's find the best book for you!

Get book summaries directly into your inbox!

Join more than 10,000 readers in our newsletter

Snackz book

Discover the Snackz AI catalogue

Snackz logo

The right book at the right time will change your life.

Get the books directly into your inbox!

✅ New Release

✅ Book Recommendation

✅ Book Summaries

Copyright 2023-2025. All rights reserved.