For 40 years, Joseph P. Riley Jr. was the public face of Charleston, an ambitious risk-taking mayor who led the city’s resurrection while vigorously advocating for healthier race relations and the importance of public spaces. As intense as Riley was on the public stage, he also zealously guarded his private life, especially when it came to his family. So, it was especially poignant when his son, Bratton, spoke about his father’s very private health situation to a large public audience. The occasion was the Jan. 27 launch of Riley’s new memoir, ”Windows on Washington Square,” at a sold-out event at...