Summary of The Prince of Tides

The Prince of Tides is a novel by author Pat Conroy, first published in 1986. The story follows the narrator, Tom Wingo, a former high school football star-turned-teacher who reluctantly returns to his hometown of South Carolina to help his twin sister, Savannah, who is being treated for a suicide attempt. The plot revolves around Tom's struggle to uncover and confront the family secrets that lie beneath the surface of his dysfunctional upbringing, while also trying to make sense of his complicated relationship with his contradictory father, and his unresolved feelings for a married woman with whom he had an passionate, yet ultimately doomed, love affair. Tom ultimately overcomes the numerous obstacles preventing him from understanding his past and reuniting with his loved ones, while also gaining a newfound appreciation for the complexities of human relationships.