My Lord! The Lords of Discipline was Great

The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy was an amazing novel.  Conroy is a gifted writer and one of my favorite authors.  His flowery writing style could make a dreadfully banal topic seem like the most beautiful things you have ever read.  Combine that with the fact that his literary focus is the South, and I am in bookworm heaven.

I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this book last night, but it was well worth the extra cup of coffee I needed to get going this morning.  The Lords of Discipline follows Will McLean through his years at The Carolina Military Institute in Charleston (based on Conroy's alma mater, The Citadel).  As he navigates his way through an intense hazing process, a brief love affair, and a treacherous secret society, he learns what it takes to make the transition from a boy to manhood and the meaning of true friendships. 

I was gripped by the characters' deception and yes, I cried at a point.  Don't worry, things turn out ok, but true to life, not everything works out perfectly.  Sad, but this makes the novel believable.  This book made me nostaligic for my beloved lowcountry and I am pleased to say that Conroy writes it to seem as beautiful as I know it to be.