US Author Pat Conroy Dies

Author Pat Conroy, who chronicled both the beauty and the pain of growing up in the American South, has died at age 70 after a bout with pancreatic cancer.

Conroy's publisher announced the news late Friday, saying the author known for his lyrical prose died at home in Beaufort, South Carolina, surrounded by friends and family.

Conroy's novels often described troubled family relationships juxtaposed with descriptions of the natural beauty of coastal South Carolina - an area known for hospitality and gracious living, but also a dark history of slavery and racism.

Four of Conroy's novels were made into movies, the best-known of which are The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini.