The Water Is Wide by Pat Conroy

"The Water Is Wide" is a memoir that details the author's experiences as a young, idealistic teacher on Yamacraw Island, a predominantly Black community off the coast of South Carolina. He is shocked by the lack of resources and the poor educational standards of the school, and he embarks on a mission to provide the children with a proper education. However, his unconventional teaching methods and attempts to introduce the children to the wider world are met with resistance from the school's administration and the island's isolationist attitudes.

The 5924th greatest book of all time


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Total Points: 63

Since this book was first published in 1972, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 63.0.

This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.