The Lords of Discipline
Books | Fiction / Literary
4.4
(280)
Pat Conroy
A cadet encounters hazing and racism at an elite military academy in this novel from the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Prince of Tides. As Will McLean begins his studies at the Carolina Military Institute, the American South is in turmoil over desegregation. An outsider to the harsh authoritarianism of the military, Will survives the school’s notorious freshman hazing, and avoids attention from its fabled and menacing secret society, the Ten. But when he is asked to mentor the school’s first black student, Will is drawn into the intense racial politics—and the threat of violence—simmering beneath the surface. Based on Conroy’s own military school experience and featuring his lush prose and richly drawn characters, The Lords of Discipline is a powerful story of a young man’s stand for justice and the friendship, love, and courage he finds along the way.
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More Details:
Author
Pat Conroy
Pages
561
Publisher
Open Road Media
Published Date
2010-08-17
ISBN
1453203982 9781453203989
Ratings
Google: 5
Community ReviewsSee all
"This book was originally published I believe in 1980. Though it uses a different name in the book it’s indeed based on The Citadel in Charleston (like House Of Cards did with Frank’s Alma Mater). The movie wasn’t as good but the book is phenomenal! Get out the tissues!"
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Claire Freeman
"I love Pat Conroy but shied away from reading this book. How can a story about an experience at military school be interesting? Well, now I know. I can’t say enough about this classic except…read it!"
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Roberta Moore
"Review cross-posted from <a href="https://books.max-nova.com/lords-of-discipline">https://books.max-nova.com/lords-of-discipline</a><br/><br/>"The Lords of Discipline" is my favorite thing I've read this year. Sure, it's a bit of a genre piece, but it's at the absolute top of its class. Writing about the brutality, cruelty, and beauty of his alma mater, The Military College of South Carolina ("The Citadel"), Conroy gifts us with a nearly perfect novel. He possesses equal fluency in the literary classics and in the viciousness of boys and men. The effortlessness of the style belies Conroy's meticulous craftsmanship and his cutting observations about himself and his classmates. He doesn't shy away from the ugly and the painful. But Conroy balances his most wounding passages with some of the funniest dialogue I've ever read. I burst into completely inappropriate laughter on several flights as I read this book, drawing concerned looks from my fellow passengers.<br/><br/>One of the central conflicts in the book is the tension between Will's deep-rooted cynicism and the seductive romanticism of patriotism, duty, and camaraderie. As I begin to ponder my reading theme for next year, I'm haunted by Conroy's line:<blockquote>What do you hold sacred, Will? And do you have a single belief you’d die for?</blockquote>"
Max Nova
"I loved the other two Conroy novels I've read, so was surprised to find myself not enjoying this one. I was so horrified by the hazing going on toward freshman at the academy that I just completely disconnected from the story emotionally. I did enjoy the storyline with Annie Kate, but overall I was disappointed."
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Gretchen Nord
