 First edition | |
| Author | Pat Conroy |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | George Hall |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Semi-autobiographical |
| Published | 1976 Random House |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
| Pages | 536 |
| ISBN | 0-395-24297-5 |
| OCLC | 49408583 |
| LC Class | PS3553.O5198 G74 2006 |
| Preceded by | The Water is Wide |
| Followed by | The Lords of Discipline |
The Great Santini is a novel written by Pat Conroy and published in 1976. [1]
Hard-nosed Marine fighter pilot Lt. Col. Wilbur "Bull" Meecham calls himself "The Great Santini." He runs his family with a strict hand. In 1962, before the Vietnam War, the Meecham family struggles to fit into the Marine town of Ravenel, South Carolina (closely based on Beaufort, South Carolina) where they are newcomers. Conroy makes the point that Santini is a warrior without a war, and in turn is at war alternately with the service that he loves and his family.
The novel explores main character Ben Meecham's growth into manhood, his experiences playing basketball for his high school, as well as his friendships with a Jewish classmate and an African-American farmer. The novel exposes the love-hate relationship between Ben and his father, and the lengths Ben goes to in an effort to win his father's acceptance and love.
This book is based on the life experiences of Donald Conroy (Meecham) and his son Pat Conroy (Ben).
The novel was made into a film of the same name in 1979, starring Robert Duvall in the title role. [1]
Charles McCarry was an American writer, primarily of spy fiction, and a former undercover operative for the Central Intelligence Agency.
The Prince of Tides is a 1991 American romantic drama film directed and co-produced by Barbra Streisand, from a screenplay written by Pat Conroy and Becky Johnston, based on Conroy's 1986 novel. It stars Streisand and Nick Nolte. It tells the story of the narrator's struggle to overcome the psychological damage inflicted by his dysfunctional childhood in South Carolina.
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. Beaufort is known as the "Queen of the Carolina Sea Islands". The city's population was 13,607 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton metropolitan area.
The Great Santini is a 1979 American drama film written and directed by Lewis John Carlino. It is based on the 1976 novel by Pat Conroy. The film stars Robert Duvall, Blythe Danner, and Michael O'Keefe.
The Lords of Discipline is a 1980 novel by Pat Conroy that was later adapted in a 1983 film of the same name.
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort or MCAS Beaufort is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) air base located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) northwest of the central business district of Beaufort, a city in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. About 4,700 personnel serve at the station, and it is home to four Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet fighter-attack squadrons and one F-35B Lighting II training squadron.
Donald Patrick Conroy was an American author who wrote several acclaimed novels and memoirs; his books The Water is Wide, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini were made into films, the last two being nominated for Oscars. He is recognized as a leading figure of late-20th-century Southern literature.
Battle Cry is a 1955 Warnercolor film, starring Van Heflin, Aldo Ray, James Whitmore, Tab Hunter, Nancy Olson, Anne Francis, Dorothy Malone, Raymond Massey, and Mona Freeman in CinemaScope. The film is based on the 1953 novel by former Marine Leon Uris, who also wrote the screenplay, and was produced and directed by Raoul Walsh. The film was shot at Camp Pendleton, California, and featured a large amount of cooperation from the United States Marine Corps.
Michael O'Keefe is an American actor, known for his roles as Danny Noonan in Caddyshack, Ben Meechum in The Great Santini, for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and Darryl Palmer in the Neil Simon movie The Slugger's Wife. He also appeared as Fred on the television sitcom Roseanne from 1993 to 1995.
The Water Is Wide is a 1972 memoir by Pat Conroy and is based on his work as a teacher on Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, which is called Yamacraw Island in the book. The book sometimes is identified as nonfiction and other times identified as a novel.
Beach Music is Pat Conroy's novel about Jack McCall, a South Carolina native who flees the South with his daughter Leah after his wife commits suicide. This novel explores the Vietnam War-era, the Holocaust, and coming of age in the 20th century. It was published in 1995.
John McKissick was a head football coach of Summerville High School in Summerville, South Carolina. In 2012, he became the first American football coach in history to win 600 career games. His 600th win came against Summerville's Ashley Ridge High School. Up until 2013, he had never missed a game in 62 years and was the longest serving high school football coach of all time. He led Summerville to 10 state championships. With 621 wins, McKissick held the record for most wins by a football coach at any level until 2023, when John T. Curtis Jr. broke it. He graduated from Kingstree Senior High School in Kingstree, South Carolina, then went to Presbyterian College for two years before being drafted into the Army. He returned to Presbyterian to graduate with a degree in economics in 1951. He then worked for his father for a while before finally getting the coaching job at Summerville High. He coached all three of his grandsons, Richard and Joe Call, and Donny McElveen. He was elected to the National High School Hall of Fame in 1990. After McKissick's retirement ahead of the 2015 season, grandson Joe who had been his offensive coordinator was named head coach.
Donald Conroy was a United States Marine Corps colonel and a member of the Black Sheep Squadron during the Korean War. He was also a veteran of World War II and served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War. He is best known for being the inspiration for the character Lieutenant Colonel "Bull" Meecham in the novel The Great Santini, which was written by his son Pat Conroy.
Conrack is a 1974 American drama film based on the 1972 autobiographical book The Water Is Wide by Pat Conroy, directed by Martin Ritt and starring Jon Voight in the title role, alongside Paul Winfield, Madge Sinclair, Hume Cronyn and Antonio Fargas. The film was released by 20th Century Fox on March 15, 1974.
Lady in Cement is a 1968 American neo-noir mystery crime comedy thriller film directed by Gordon Douglas, based on the 1961 novel The Lady in Cement by Marvin H. Albert. The film stars Frank Sinatra, Raquel Welch, Dan Blocker, Richard Conte, Martin Gabel, Lainie Kazan, and Pat Henry.
South of Broad is a 2009 novel by Pat Conroy. The novel follows the life of Leopold Bloom King in Charleston, South Carolina. It ranges from his troubled childhood to his adult life with his close group of friends.
Lewis John Carlino was an American screenwriter and director. His career spanned five decades and included such works as The Fox, The Brotherhood, The Mechanic, The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, Resurrection, and The Great Santini. Carlino was nominated for many awards, including the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The Death of Santini: The Story of a Father and His Son is a 2013 memoir written by Pat Conroy. It complements the 1976 novel The Great Santini which was adapted into a 1979 film of the same name.
Ann Head was an American fiction writer whose work was regularly published in magazines including Redbook, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, McCall's, Ladies Home Journal, and others during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Nugent Courvoisie was a United States Army Officer and Assistant Commandant of Cadets at The Citadel who was the subject of The Boo, the first book authored by famed novelist Pat Conroy and the inspiration for “The Bear” in Conroy's novel The Lords of Discipline.
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