2005

What an emotional ride I had with this book. Conroy captures the essence of growing up in a military family. As the daughter of an Army colonel, I have experienced the same feelings on moving day. "If the birds of the North are born with migratory instinct fused into the albumen of eggs, then the military families of America develop the same instinct out of necessity. They pack, move, unpack, burrow in, and nervously await their next orders." (Pg. 30) He is dead on with his descriptions of how difficult it is to fit into a new school and community every few years knowing that friendships will be shortlived and that another moving day is in the near future.

This is a story of an extremely challenging and complex father/son relationship. Bull Meecham is a Marine through and through who treats his family with the same callousness as he would new recruits. The language is quite crude at times, and the book is saturated with dark humor centering around the demonic mean streak and unpredictability of the "Great Santini."

Conroy writes with such beauty and honesty that I am grateful he became a writer instead of a Marine fighter pilot. I read this on a trip to Charleston and Beaufort so I can report that he does an outstanding job of depicting the SC low country. One can tell that he has a real affinity for this region, so much so that he has chosen one of the islands for his permanent home.

I can't say I "loved" Bull Meecham as the back cover blurb promises, but I do understand that he loves his family deeply in his own warped way. This may be hard for some people to relate to, but as a military brat I totally get it. If Bull Meecham were around today, he would certainly tell everyone to "read this book, sportsfans!" and I concur. ( )

Couldn't put this book down - fabulous! ( )

This book is about a family who is run by an abusive father who is a Marine fighter pilot. The son is a basketball player who does not like his father. I liked this book because it takes place in South Carolina and because I can relate to the character, Ben, sometimes. ( )

Great movie and great book. Robert Duvall was perfect in the role. I saw the movie before reading the book - and feel both were excellent, which is often not the case for a movie/book comparison. Conroy does an excellent job of portraying the career military life, the relationship of father and son, the grittiness of the military world. There are moments between father and son that are painfully palpable and difficult to experience - kind of like real life at times. From my perspective, the best book Conroy has written. ( )