South of Broad by Pat Conroy

First of all this is a tribute to Charleston - a beautiful tribute. Second it is a tribute to the special unlikely friendships that are forged in high school and make you the person you will be forever. Third, it is a story of the South so it is families dysfunctional and events tragic. "...what it means to be human, born to nakedness and tenderness and nightmare..." Race, class, AIDS, religion - it's all there and no one can turn a phrase like Conroy.