The piercing, iconic semi-autobiographical novel of a domineering father and ambitious son, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Prince of Tides 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 back, against a father who doesn't give in--not to his men, not to his wife, and certainly not to his son. Bull Meecham is undoubtedly Pat Conroy's most explosive character--a man you should hate, but a man you will love. Praise for The Great Santini "Stinging authenticity . . . a book that won't quit." -- The Atlanta Journal "[Pat] Conroy has captured a different slice of America in this funny, dramatic novel." -- Richmond News-Leader "Conroy takes aim at our darkest emotions, lets the arrow fly and hits the bull's-eye almost every time." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "Robust and vivid . . . full of feeling."-- Newsday "God preserve Pat Conroy." -- The Boston Globe