Prologue -- The promise -- Fun and games at The Citadel -- Daufuskie Island -- The writing of The Great Santini -- Publication of The Great Santini -- On the set of The Great Santini -- Two premieres -- Stanny -- Piedmont -- Peg Conroy Egan -- Trim to Rome, Georgia -- Gnome -- Tom's breakdown -- The end to it all -- Tom's leap, Carol Ann's ball of tears -- Losing Carol Ann -- Escape from San Francisco -- Don and the Chicago Irish -- The Arcs -- Hurrah for the next man to die -- The God of last things -- Epilogue: Pat Conroy's eulogy for The Great Santini.
Summary
A powerful and intimate memoir by the beloved best-selling author of The Prince of Tides about his father, the inspiration for The Great Santini, and a re-affirmation that love can conquer even the meanest of men.