Born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1945, Pat Conroy moved 23 times in his youth because of his father’s career as a Marine Corps fighter pilot. Conroy enrolled at The Citadel in 1963, first as a walk-on and later as a scholarship basketball player, graduating in 1967. Before establishing his writing career, Conroy worked as an English teacher in his adopted hometown of Beaufort, South Carolina. Much of his literary work is based on his actual life, from his year spent teaching on isolated Daufuskie Island in South Carolina, to his upbringing with an emotionally and physically abusive father, to his experiences at The Citadel. Conroy’s novels include The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides, and Beach Music, and his memoirs include The Water is Wide and My Losing Season.

His memoir My Losing Season primarily chronicles Conroy’s senior year as a player for the 1966-67 Citadel Bulldogs basketball team. Conroy also uses his memoir to explore his teen years with his abusive father, his relationship with his tough college coach and teammates, the beginnings of his love for literature, and his deep affection for the game of basketball.