The breathtaking novel of 4 cadets who become bloodbrothers.
This book's content and summary has been well covered by other readers in PBS. I just want to say that there is no other author I favor over Pat Conroy. He is simply the best and his descriptions of life in the south are on point and border on prose. He draws me into this story so deeply that I feel I am actually on the scene just dreading the evil that I know will evently present itself. This story is very powerful and very tragic. Our main character overcomes, but is clearly marked for life with his experiences at the military school (the Citadel)he attends for his college education. I finished this book two days ago and I am still thinking about it. Read it.
this is a great older story set in South Carolina. pat Conroy went to the Citidal, and obviously that influenced this story. Great characters.
From the back of the book:
Here is Pat Conroy's powerful, captivating and highly acclaimed bestseller. He sweeps us into the turbulent world of four young men - friends, cadets and bloodbrothers - and their days of hazing, heartbreak, pride and betrayal. We go deeply into the heart of the novel's hero, Will McLean, a rebellious outsider with his own personal code of honor, who is battling into manhood the hard way. Immersed in a poignant love affair with a haunting beauty, Will must boldly confront the terrifying injustice of a corrupt institution as he struggles to expose a mysterious group known as "The Ten."
Great read. Excellent wordsmith
*****
I am a huge Pat Conroy fan. He delivers with all his novels. Being a baby boomer, his
descriptions are of film/tv era. You'll like all his novels.
As a person who has had a fair amount of experience with The Citadel, I can tell you that Pat Conroy's descriptions are very accurate, particularly for the time frame. How many times have you heard a soldier talk about how it was so much harder back in "the old Army"? That's because it's true across the board, even when it comes down to military schools.
One thing I love about Pat Conroy is that even though his work is fictional, he writes from experience. He did graduate from The Citadel (or, the Carolina Military Institute, as it is named in the book) during a time when integration was just getting its start in the South, so I can only assume that he probably saw scenes very similar to some of the harsh ones depicted in the novel.
Fans of military stories and tales from the Civil Rights movement will be able to appreciate this one. Pat Conroy, as usual, paints such colorful and well detailed pictures of the South as it really is, warts and all. At the same time, he also showcases everything that is wonderful about the spirit of people and the cultural richness of the area. Conroy's book, The Lords of Discipline included, are pretty much the clearest idea of life in the Lowcountry that you can get without actually being present in that time and place.
