Rating: 
Summary: This book is great, you've gotta read it
Review: I liked the book very much. This book is full of internal conflict between kids and their parents. At the beginning you think that Bull acts like a stupid jerk but towards the end he becomes one of your favorite characters. It was my first book of Pat Conroy and I really enjoyed reading it. IT'S GRRRRRRRRREAT
Rating: 
Summary: Good intentions but the characters fall short
Review: Good intentions but the characters fall short. The book is full of important life lessons. The problem is the people learning them are unrealistic. First, the oldest, Ben, for a seventeen/eighteen year old he's very immature. When you read the book it'll be obvious to you, the reader, what I mean about Ben's immaturity. The second oldest, Mary Anne, is smarter but too cynical to pity. She gets herself and Ben in trouble so many times with her cynicism that the reader can't believe she wouldn't have learned her lesson after the 100th time. I don't have many gripes about the other kids because they acted their age while Ben and Mary Anne acted their age too.
Rating:
Summary: "Major Dad" in a serious bent
Review: It's arguable that Pat Conroy is the Faulkner of the 'Boomer generation, and this story is a good argument for the opinion that some warriors should not raise families. The syndrome of "bringing the job home" can really get out of hand. Bull Meecham (a.k.a. "the Great Santini") has only his Southern Belle--Philosophical Version wife to counteract his attempts to turn his household into a boot camp and his children into grunts (until I read this book, I thought my own WWII generation Dad was the poster child for vets who never really became civilians again--at least my old man wasn't still serving). "Santini" is without a doubt an asset to his jet fighter wing, but he's managed to father a son who's got an identity crisis from trying to emulate the old man without being enough of a hardcase to bring it off. There's also a daughter whose above-average intelligence, combined with the household invironment, has made her into an aggressive cynic. Then there's a baby sister who's still young enough for naiivite, but you can't help but speculate about what kind of person she'll turn out to be later in life. "Santini" is a curious mixture of a superlative fighthing man and a lousy parent.
Rating:
Summary: TREMENDOUS NOVEL!
Review: This was the first Pat Conroy novel I ever had the privelege to read. I have recommended it over and over to numerous friends, relatives, and the like. Conroy tells us, sometimes in brutally honest terms, what it is to grow up trapped in a military family. From his own real-life experiences that he has woven into his novel, we are tormented, debating whether or not we love or hate Bull Meecham, the symbol of old-corps Marines that fought so hard for our country. Kudos to Conroy on this one! My favorite of all the novels. I have read this book over 15 times already and every time I reread it, I gather new insight and new appreciation for his mastery of the English language. Conroy's scenery alone is enough to buy this book! No one else can paint a picture of the American South like Pat Conroy!
Rating:
Summary: Hate Him, But Love Him
Review: I read this book when I was in high school and at first I hated Bull. Towards the end of the book I learned to understand how he ticked and I bawled at the end, very sad. My husband and I are in the military and there really are a few "soldier" that act like Bull. Watch the movie it was great!
Rating:
Summary: Bull Meacham is an asshole, but a true hero.
Review: I loved this book. As the son of a fighter pilot (one who was very different than Bull Meacham, but who would have understood him ), I thought this book captured the life of a military family perfectly.Many readers will read this book and think Bull Meacham is not a honorable or likeable person. I disagree. His method of dealing with his family may leave much to be desired, but he is a hero and a man of honor and integrity. We should be thankful that men like Don Conroy, the author's father and role model for Bull Meacham, lived and fought to protect the freedom we so often take for granted. I recommend this book to everyone, and give it out frequently as a gift.
Rating:
Summary: A great, suspenseful yet humorous novel.
Review: This book is great. In a way, I'm able to relate my own life to the characters. Bull started out to be a joker yet over the years... became a very ungrateful man. This definitely shows at the end of the book when Ben is very upset due to his fathers (Bull), expectations.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: This was the first of Pat Conroy's books I ever read and it has since become my favorite of all time. He is a wonderful author who brings his characters to life with a grace, humanity and humor rarely seen in modern literature. I would recommend any of his books, and have read them all myself many times.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I found the book to give a different perspective on the "american family". I was delighted to see the great detail that Pat Conroy used when describing the emotions of the characters. Great book to read.
Rating:
Summary: A great book to read
Review: It made my trip to NY worth remembering.
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