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The Great Santini
by
Pat Conroy
Step into the powerhouse life of Bull Meecham. He’s all Marine—fighter pilot, king of the clouds, and absolute ruler of his family. Lillian is his wife—beautiful, southern-bred, with a core of velvet steel. Without her cool head, her kids would be in real trouble. Ben is the oldest, a born athlete whose best never satisfies the big man. Ben’s got to stand up, even fight ba
...morePaperback, 480 pages
Published
August 26th 2003
by Dial Press Trade Paperback
(first published 1976)
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The story of Bull Meecham, a Marine pilot, and his complex relationships with family and The Corps.
Pat Conroy is an amazing writer. The Houston Chronicle is quoted on the back of my book as saying "Reading Pat Conroy is like watching Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel," and I don't think I could articulate the experience any better. I laughed until tears ran down my face and in the same chapter I cried for the sheer pain the characters experienced.
The Grea...more
Pat Conroy is an amazing writer. The Houston Chronicle is quoted on the back of my book as saying "Reading Pat Conroy is like watching Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel," and I don't think I could articulate the experience any better. I laughed until tears ran down my face and in the same chapter I cried for the sheer pain the characters experienced.
The Grea...more
Ellyn Stangarone
Ms. Wheeler
Honors English 2
30 August 2009
Book Review
The Great Santini
Ms. Wheeler
Honors English 2
30 August 2009
Book Review
The Great Santini
After reading this book one feels like they actually grew up in a Marine Family. The book The Great Santini, by Pat Conroy, is one of the best books I have ever read. Pat Conroy is the #1 New York Times best selling author. This book shows us the life of children growing up as military brats. The main characters are Bull the marine father, Lillian the mother, Ben the oldest c
...more
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Pat Conroy is one of those writers who can write only one story (John Irving and Amy Tan come to mind, as well). Conroy seems obsessed with the idea of a Southern family trying to navigate the high school experiences of a sensitive son and a smartass daughter. Again there is the angry, abusive father and the rather ineffective mother who is mostly concerned about what the neighbors think. Again there are themes of forgiveness and redemption and racial tension. Again someone gets raped. Again the...more
This is on my second tier of favorite Pat Conroy books. I didn't love it as much as The Water is Wide or Lords of Discipline... but it is nevertheless riveting. I found it especially fascinating that he wrote this about his troubled relationship with his father... while his father was still alive. I've read some other interviews where he talks about how this really helped his relationship with his dad, and as strange as that sounds, he does an impressive job of balancing his frustrations and ...more
Of all the Conroys I've read so far, this is my least favorite. The book jacket describes Bull Meacham as someone you should hate but will wind up loving, anyway - but that was not my experience. I found very little loveable about
"The Great Santini". The thing that amazed me was how brave his family was on those occasions when they stood up to him. While I don't doubt he loved his family, and maybe was even proud of them in a way, he was domineering and controlling and someti...more
"The Great Santini". The thing that amazed me was how brave his family was on those occasions when they stood up to him. While I don't doubt he loved his family, and maybe was even proud of them in a way, he was domineering and controlling and someti...more
Marguerite
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Brats
Shelves:
read-over-and-over
I saw the movie before I read the book, and it was the first time I saw my experiences as a military brat played out in a work of fiction. I recognized the shifting family dynamics and the insistence on appearances to the exclusion of all else. I experienced the warrior culture, the comradeship of a family in opposition to the world every time we transfered, too, and moves from one alien environment to another. My dad was no Bull Meecham, but he was a piece of work. Conroy helps me remember.
This is one of Pat's earliest books and the only one that has been a disappointment to me. I've had this book for a long time, but haven't read it because I knew that "The Great Santini" was Pat's father's nickname and I assumed it would be full of his father's brutality towards him. I don't enjoy reading about people beating other people up, especially parents beating up their children. There is a little of that in this book, but not nearly as much as I expected. Most of it is referen...more
I read "Beach Music" last month and I was impressed by the author's mellifluous eloquence, so I decided to read this earlier novel.
Very good description of a family ruled by an ace Marine fighter pilot, a man's man.
As a woman who is not familiar with the military ethos, I could not quite get into the details of the super-macho strutting and obscene swearing scenes of the Marines, but I understood the sense of violence, the ultra macho-hood, the brotherhood, the duty, ...more
Very good description of a family ruled by an ace Marine fighter pilot, a man's man.
As a woman who is not familiar with the military ethos, I could not quite get into the details of the super-macho strutting and obscene swearing scenes of the Marines, but I understood the sense of violence, the ultra macho-hood, the brotherhood, the duty, ...more
The Great Santini was not all that great. After reading Prince of Tides and Lords of Discipline I was looking forward to another of Patrick Conroy's works of art. Alas, this one was a bit of a dud. Fabulous writing and excellent character building, but the story line falls short. There were a number of smaller stories that never really went anywhere towards the full story line. They were all instrumental in building the personalities of each individual character, but did not tie in nicely with t...more
Danielle
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
southern-lit,
own,
family,
power,
wow-that-is-a-bargain,
school,
friendship,
racial-tension
There are a few facts that should go up front in this review. 1) It took me upwards of 2 months to read a 440 page book when I wasn't pressed for time. 2) Whoever at Bantam decided that the type should be itty-bitty and the spacing should be tight is not a friend of mine. 3) I liked the story quite a bit.[return][return]That being said, the synopsis promised that I would find Bull Meecham dispicable and want to hate him but not be able to. That he was one of Conroy's most horrifying charact...more
A book picked out for my book club - I would have never placed this one on my read list. And even after a rousing discussion with the ladies, I am still not sure how I exactly stand with this one.
Upon beginning the book, I completely despised Bull Meecham - his presence, his attitude and basically just him. I kept telling the boy that I would NEVER live with this man, let alone have four children with him. As the book went on, my feelings for him kept moving to the dark side along wi...more
Upon beginning the book, I completely despised Bull Meecham - his presence, his attitude and basically just him. I kept telling the boy that I would NEVER live with this man, let alone have four children with him. As the book went on, my feelings for him kept moving to the dark side along wi...more
Pam
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
No one
Recommended to Pam by:
Just read because I've liked some of his other novels
I couldn't give it more than two stars because I really don't like reading about child abuse but if that had been my only complaint, I would have given it more stars. Additionally, I thought there was just too much, too much of everything....the way the Marines behave (if this was a true picture of what it is like to be a Marine I'm glad no one I know has been one); the way Santini treated his family; the way the family talked to each other (really got tired of Mary Anne and Ben sparred with eac...more
I love this book and think it is one of the more hysterical novels I have read, yet everytime I try to explain what is funny about it to people I get weird looks.
I have the feeling, that to enjoy this book to the degree I have, one must have experienced a 'scary' parent. Not necessarily an abusive one, or some sort of criminal, but one that allows their children to grow up in an environment where morbid humor rules all.
I have the feeling, that to enjoy this book to the degree I have, one must have experienced a 'scary' parent. Not necessarily an abusive one, or some sort of criminal, but one that allows their children to grow up in an environment where morbid humor rules all.
I gave it the old Air Force try. At about page 33 I told myself that I would read to page 100, just to give it a chance. I literally dropped it about page 70. Just couldn't do any more.
It may have a good story line, as many people obviously enjoy the book. But I just couldn't get past the flat characters, insipid dialogue, and uninspired writing. It's not that I can't handle unlikable characters (cf. Wuthering Heights), it's that I'm not willing to put up with bad writing.
...more
It may have a good story line, as many people obviously enjoy the book. But I just couldn't get past the flat characters, insipid dialogue, and uninspired writing. It's not that I can't handle unlikable characters (cf. Wuthering Heights), it's that I'm not willing to put up with bad writing.
...more
I'm a big fan of Conroy - I think he writes beautifully and tells a compelling story that I don't want to put down once I've begun. I wish there were 1/2 stars here, because I'm somewhere between liked and really liked on this one. My main complaint is that Conroy tried to tell too many character's stories, leaving the book feeling disjointed and episodic. The promises made with the introduction of some characters and some story lines are dropped and either not heard from again or followed up un...more
Yumiko Hansen
added it
This is a somewhat of an autobiographical story about Conroy's father. The character used to portray him was Bull Meecham, a hard-nosed Marine fighter pilot admired by his peers, who tries to raise his family the same way he leads his platoon.
What works well in the military fails miserably in family relationships. His wife Lillian Meecham was padding between Bull and her children Ben, Mary Ann, Matt and Karen.
Throughout the novel, I felt the same overwhelming conflict that Bull's children did. ...more
What works well in the military fails miserably in family relationships. His wife Lillian Meecham was padding between Bull and her children Ben, Mary Ann, Matt and Karen.
Throughout the novel, I felt the same overwhelming conflict that Bull's children did. ...more
I found this book awfully predictable, although the middle parts were funny. It was the first Conroy book I've read and it will probably be the last. The most maddening part of this book is how many frayed loose plot ends there are. What ever happens to the girl who is raped? What happens to Sammy Wertzberger after he moves to New York? What happens to race relations in the town? I can go on and on. Conroy repeatedly builds to climaxes throughout the novel, then drops them when a new chap...more
The Great Santini is a delightful read which puts you clearly in the midst of this rough Marine family. Conroy successfully walks you through the life of a Marine's child, embellishing upon the various personality traits and idiosyncrasies which can develop as a result of such a disciplined, bullied lifestyle. The reader explores this through the eyes of an eldest son and a middle daughter, who respond to the familial situation in entirely different ways. Furthermore, Conroy let's you see love t...more
Violence seemes to be revered in The Great Santini. True, it's a book about a Marine, a fighter pilot, and he is very good at shooting down the enemy. I expect violence there. The problem I have is that he is just as violent outside the fighter jet. Everyone in his world, wife, children, friends, superiors, and anyone who comes in contact with him, must accept his superiority, crass behavior, as well as verbal, emotional and physical abuse.
The main character, Bull Meecham, lives up to...more
The main character, Bull Meecham, lives up to...more
Claudia
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
all readers
Recommended to Claudia by:
Danny
Shelves:
contemporary-fiction
Conroy said his mother told the judge at her divorce hearing that he wouldn't need to call any of the children to testify for her. She gave him a copy of this book and said, 'this is all you need to know.' Santini is bigger than life, fascinating, abusive, mercurial. Santini WAS Conroy's father. Conroy got the last word.
This is November’s book club pick. I do like the way Pat Conroy writes; uses words. The Great Santini, Bull Meecham, is a Marine fighter pilot, though this book is really about his son, Ben and the conflict/rivalry between father and son that seems to intensify as Ben nears adulthood. Like so many other books we have read, Meecham is a flawed parent. He rules his home like a squadron, with alcoholism, physical abuse and intense bullying in the mix. I wonder if the Marines (and other like in...more
What can I say- I am a series reader- discovered Pat Conroy when my mother read the Prince of Tides, and it was passed around the family. Then, I went on a library journey to read all I could find. I love his books, and others of the regional South.
This novel is probably the most conflicted I have ever been about characters in a book. I hate them, I love them, I want them to die, I weep for them (not literally - I'm a man; I don't cry while reading), I laugh out loud, I think I understand them, and I start the whole cycle over.
I had never read anything by Pat Conroy and a friend gave this to me while we were living in the barracks. I read it because I didn't have much else available, but it slowly sucked me in. By about page 100, ...more
I had never read anything by Pat Conroy and a friend gave this to me while we were living in the barracks. I read it because I didn't have much else available, but it slowly sucked me in. By about page 100, ...more
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The great dysfunctional dad novel. If you like your childhood fucked up and your dad's meaner than spit, read this book. I've always loved it.
Probably Conroy's best book. Hits all the themes that inform his fiction, particularly the troubled relationship between Conroy and his father, a one-time Marine fighter pilot and officer. Anyone who's read "The Great Santini" and any bio of Conroy recognizes instantly that Santini--profane, abusive, fighter jock--is a thinly disguised version of Conroy's own father.
Conroy's novels after Santini, though largely commercially successful, become lachrymose and maudlin in tone...more
Conroy's novels after Santini, though largely commercially successful, become lachrymose and maudlin in tone...more
Hilarious "fictional" coming of age account of a Marine fighter pilot brat. Anyone who's grown up military, felt like an outsider with every move, and wondered if anyone else's dad is "like this" will get a kick out of The Great Santini. I became interested in this book after reading Conroy's thoughtful, funny, and warm eulogy to his father. His father used to joke that after Conroy's career "went downhill" after this book...since this book was essentially non-fict...more
Once again drawing on his past, Conroy's novel steeps in his military-family past, here the Meechums. A gentle son and other long-suffering family members try to cope with the stormcloud patriarch, a Marine. Bull Meechum is a charismatic leader of men who puts his family through the wringer. "The Great Santini" also features sports (Conroy played basketball at The Citadel), including a memorable one-on-one father/son basketball game that was a highlight of the film version. Add racial ...more
people who say that this book is not all that great are not to bright >:P,
i am 16 years old with the attention span of a dog . i had to read this book for a book reaport and i hated reading, after reading this book i was astonished that a book could be so poignant ,concidering that i can relate to ben, although i havent read any other books by pat conroy i feel one shouldnt compare a book or movie with any other by the same author,or director, because if u wanted something similar just ...more
i am 16 years old with the attention span of a dog . i had to read this book for a book reaport and i hated reading, after reading this book i was astonished that a book could be so poignant ,concidering that i can relate to ben, although i havent read any other books by pat conroy i feel one shouldnt compare a book or movie with any other by the same author,or director, because if u wanted something similar just ...more
Lt. Colonel Bull Meachum is one of those characters that I will never be able to erase from memory. He is a character that you abosolutely hate in the book at times and have great compassion in other parts. I spend a lot of time in Beafuort, SC and enjoy the decriptions of the rivers and marshes that surround the city. My favorite character in the book is Toomer. I felt that he is created from a true southerner. Toomer is a lover of the land and has a passion for teaching how to respect and ...more
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The first of seven children born into a military family, Pat Conroy was the victim of his father’s violence and abuse from a young age. The family moved constantly during his youth. After attending The Citadel, a military college in Charleston, South Carolina, Conroy wrote and published his first book, The Boo, about a legendary school administrator.
Conroy became a teacher after graduation, ...more
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Conroy became a teacher after graduation, ...more
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“I’ve never had anyone’s approval, so I’ve learned to live without it.”
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