The Boo

by Pat Conroy

Librarian's note: There is an Alternate Cover Edition for this edition of this book here.

Conroy's first book, published after he graduated from The Citadel. Colonel Nugent Corvoisie, better known as "The Boo," was the Lt. Commandant in charge of discipline at the military college. He was both loved and feared by his "lambs." The book is a collection of stories explaining life at The Citadel and interactions between the cadets and The Boo (Conroy twice nearly got dismissed from the school for infractions but remained a staunch fan of The Boo). Col. Corvoisie was the model for "The Bear" in Conroy's later novel "The Lords of Discipline."

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Southern, Military Fiction, History, Biography Memoir

174 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Pat Conroy (1945 - 2016) was the New York Times bestselling author of two memoirs and seven novels, including The Prince of Tides, The Great Santini, and The Lords of Discipline. He is recognized as a leading figure of late-20th century Southern literature.

Born the eldest of seven children in a rigidly disciplined military household, he attended the Citadel, the military college of South Carolina. He briefly became a schoolteacher (which he chronicled in his memoir The Water Is Wide) before publishing his first novel, The Boo. Conroy lived on Fripp Island, South Carolina until his death in 2016.

Conroy passed away on March 4, 2016 at his home from Pancreatic Cancer. He was 70 years old at the time of his death.

Reviews

[George · Rating 2 out of 5]

PROBABLY CONROY’S LEAST INTERESTING.

“The Citadel prides itself on being one of the last protectorates of right-wing conservatism in the country.” (Kindle Locations 120-121).

Pat Conroy’s first book, The Boo, is a collection of vignettes and anecdotes about life at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, that Conroy attended in the 1960s; and its often feared, often revered, Assistant Commandant of Cadets, in charge of discipline, Lt. Colonel Thomas Nugent Courvoisie, nicknamed The Boo. It is written with obvious fondness and respect.

Unfortunately, most of the stories are imbued with a ‘you’d’uv had to been there,’ insider, quality that didn’t connect with this reader.

Recommendation: If you’re as stoked on Pat Conroy’s writing as I am, then you should want to read this offering, too. Just don’t expect too much.

“The Citadel cherishes the belief that the more hardship endured by the young men, the higher the quality of the person who graduates from the system.” (Kindle Locations 233-234).

Open Road Media. Kindle Edition, 174 pages, 3,064 Kindle Locations.

[Paul Aslanian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Pat Conroy's first book. He graduated from the Citadel in 1967 and wrote this book in 1969. He had to pay to have it published. I think it is not easy to find a copy. In the edition I read, Conroy has a fairly lengthy introduction wherein he states that the book crys for the editing of a seasoned writer, but decides not to edit the book, but leave it the way "the young man wrote it"

It is a book about the number two guy at the Citidel who was among other things the disciplinarian, but much more. He was the guy who the students could approach, he as their go to guy when they needed a little understanding. He wasn't soft, but by Citadel standards he was human.

A year after Conroy graduated he was back on campus for the first time and happen to learn that "The Boo" had been fired by the new administration. He was outraged which led to his decision to write this book. It is not earth shaking nor is it profound. It gives a lot of details of life as a student (sounds totally awful to me)

The book does not flow and at times seemed to me to drag especially when he devoted so many pages to the written explanations which were required when you were pulled in for discipline. I'm sure a Citadel grad would have gotten more from these than I did.

What I got from this book is a window into a young writer who in his own time has blossomed into one of our best contemporary writers. It is like being able to watch Bret Favre play junior high school football. Having read all of conroy's books except Boo, I felt compelled to read it. I'm glad I did it sort of completes the set. I am interested in your views of reading authors. For me I like to read as much as I can of an author I like. I've pretty much done that with Conroy, Stegner, Doig, and Tolstoy. I'm serious, I do want your thoughts on reading authors. Thanks, PJA

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pat Conroy is one of my favorite authors. "The Water is Wide", "The Prince of Tides", "My Losing Season", "The Great Sabatini"...all are American classics. "My Reading Life" was the first of his books that I read (I've read them all at this point...the only exception being his cookbook :), and it provided a great many other selections for my reading addiction. I'm not exactly certain why he is a favorite, although he was a basketball player at the Citadel, was/is an eclectic renaissance student/reader/writer, and (obviously) followed a passion to write with an honesty that I truly admire. But...I'm not a Southerner, I don't come from an abusive background, and I'm certainly not military. His words, though ... many or most describing some portion of his life in extremely honest detail ... move me in some deeper way. He's an accomplished, practiced, intelligent writer who skillfully weaves a story and writes, humbly, with a style I'd love to imitate.

That said, "The Boo" was Conroy's first novel. In the Forward of the later edition that I read, he freely talks about how immature his writing style and voice was at this point in his career...definitely not his to-be best effort, by his own admission. This book is basically a series of mostly connected shorter stories about one man he greatly admired, Citadel Lt. Colonel Thomas Nugent Courvoisie. Conroy later, due to the brutally honest writing of his later novels, was completely shunned by the Citadel. Courvoisie, the Boo, helped form Conroy's honest, direct life view. I read this book mainly because I wanted to digest all things Conroy...but found that even though his style wasn't fully formed, "The Boo" gave me tremendous insight into what made Conroy Conroy. He later learns to tell a better story, but "The Boo" shows how that process started.

[Fred Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conroy’s first published work, a memoir of his time at the Citadel. Not well known but worth reading if you like Pat Conroy, AND if you can find a copy!

[Argott · Rating 3 out of 5]

My cousin Michael went to the Citadel. He is smarter, more successful, and even better looking than I am. (Actually, that describes a lot of people. However, Michael is actually smarter, more successful, and better looking than almost every other man in America.)

Pat Conroy went to the Citadel too. He wrote The Boo as an homage to the Citadel. I read The Boo to gain important insights into my why my cousin has outpaced me in such a brutal fashion. If I could prove to myself that it was the Citadel that made him the man he is today -- and not Michael's hard work -- it sure would take some of the pressure off of me.

After reading this book I discarded my Citadel theory. Maybe Michael is motivated by his desire to see me suffer?

If you want to read a pretty good review of this book, go read Randall's review.

[Angela Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Boo is a memoir and tribute to the Boo who was a mentor to Conroy and his peers during their time as students at The Citadel.  In a military school environment the Boo represented comradery, kindness and more reasonableness than other adults admist the structure and often emotionally stagnant environment.  Often Conroy penned works that highlighted the social injustices within an educational institution or system.  The Boo is an example of the education theme that threads itself like a ribbon through many of his books.  I find The Boo and it's sibling books like a prayer.  A prayer is a call to action and Conroy's works were often a call of action to be the positive role models students need and create a school or educational system of fairness for all.

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As most readers know, Pat Conroy spent his formative years after high school at The Citadel, a military college in Charleston, SC. The Boo is Conroy's first book, recently re-edited by him. It is a memoir of that time, but especially of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Nugent Courvoisie, the Commandant Of Cadets, nicknamed 'The Boo' by the cadets he oversaw.

Courvoisie was in charge of cadet behavior, and he was feared and respected in equal measures by those young men. Although those who broke the rules lived in fear until caught by him, he was also capable of great kindness and sometimes even leniency to those in his care. He thought of the cadets as lambs and he was their shepherd. He had to be tough to get them through the perils of Citadel life, which would either crush a young man's spirit or toughen him up and give him self-respect for life.

The Boo is a series of vignettes about various infractions that The Boo discovered and the punishments given out. There are many written explanations in the cadets' own voices, explaining their behavior and asking for forgiveness. Although punishment was almost always sure, the men were in awe of The Boo and they recognized that he cared deeply for them. Many spent years afterwards asking for his advice, knowing that he would always be there for a cadet who needed help, no matter how many years had passed. He was enormously popular with the cadet corp, and when the administration decided to strip him of his job, it was an incredibly unpopular decision.

Pat Conroy is one of America's national treasures, an author whose every book serves to identify and explain the male psyche to the world. In particular, he has a particular skill in explaining those men with military backgrounds, and those who grew up with alpha fathers and who spent their lives trying to be a success for these men. The Boo is his first book, and it is raw, but what is noticeable above all is the raw talent that would make Conroy a beloved author. This book is recommended for Conroy fans, fans of Southern literature, and those interested in what makes a man.

[Debby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pat Conroy's debut book is a tribute to a Commander at The Citadel who is nicknamed The Boo. It would have been helpful to have read this book BEFORE reading The Lords of Discipline, but I never seem to do things in an orderly manner.
I kept thinking, as I read this book, that each of us could use somene like The Boo in our lives. He held to a very high standard, expected the most and best out of you, and yet you also knew he cared and would go the extra mile to encourage and support and have your back in the hard times. Like a good father should. Tough and tender.
Very thought-provoking book.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every now and then, I need to hear Pat Conroy's voice, so when I saw this book available on Bookbub, I went for it. It happens to be Conroy's very first novel (with a very interesting introduction written years later by Conroy). Sure, it has its flaws, but still - that voice.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this as part of my completionist desire to read everything by Conroy (I'm saving The Prince of Tides for last). While it was interesting to get a glimpse into life at the Citadel in the 1960s, I can't recommend the book to anyone, even fellow Citadel graduates and/or lovers of Conroy's work. Most reviewers point out the immaturity of Conroy's writing and I agree wholeheartedly (Conroy himself even admits as much in his introduction to the version I read). Not only is the prose occasionally purple, but the overall organization of the book is lacking. It seemed slapped together and like he didn't bother having any non-Citadel graduates read it, which would have been helpful to those readers not as familiar with Citadel strangeness. There might be the basis here for a much better book, but it's hard to say with such a disjointed and fragmentary narrative. One thing I can offer is that, despite sharing Conroy's alma mater, I can't say that I got all of the references, either. I started at the Citadel twenty years after Conroy finished and the place had just changed too much in the intervening years. Despite that, the Lords of Discipline did resonate for me (and still does). For anyone who might be interested, here's how the mature Conroy eulogized LTC Courvoisie: https://www.citadel.edu/root/conroy_b.... I love this eulogy and it seems proper that Conroy went back and provided such a fitting epitaph to the Boo's life. It saddens me when I consider that we don't have any more new books to look forward to from Pat Conroy. The world is the worse for that.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prior to reading this book, I have to first admit that Pat Conroy will always be my favorite author. The first book I read by him was,South of Broad,since then I read all of his books and found the majority of them astounding. However, I gave Conroy the benefit of the doubt by rating this only three stars, solely because he is my favorite author and I cannot bring myself to rate any book of his lower than a three.I will admit that this book was not the greatest, not writing style wise or how the story was told. There is not much I can say about this book, other than it not being memorable. It pains me to even write this review but I have to say that the descriptions of this book was very poor.

Now don't get me wrong, this book was not horrible by any means but I felt that it was not that convincing enough. Conroy has a gift of developing character that will stay with you for the rest of your life. I expected this book to capture the same beauty but I did not feel like this book really impressed me in regards to the direction of the story this book was going.

It was 'alright' an adjective that I never use to describe Conroy writing.

[Gary Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boo was Pat Conroy's first book. It foreshadows the masterpieces that would follow, but it doesn't have the voice or drama of what would come later. Still, it is entertaining and, for those of us who admire Conroy's body of work, The Boo lays down markers that pay off in great novels such as The Great Santini and The Lords of Discipline, as well as in the nonfiction works The Water is Wide, My Losing Season, and The Death of Santini.

The Boo is a nostalgic and sometimes raucous remembrance of the assistant commandant of The Citadel when Conroy was a student there. The Boo was in charge of discipline, which he handled with creativity, sternness, and sometimes humor. The respect, fear, love, and hate he generated made The Boo a complex figure worthy of a book.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pat was pretty scathing about this book. Loved it.

[Kent Miller]

Acclaimed author Pat Conroy’s debut novel about life at the Citadel in the 1960s is a profound exploration of what it means to be a man of honor



Lt. Col. Nugent Courvoisie, known to the cadets as “the Boo,” is an imposing and inspiring leader at the South Carolina military academy, the Citadel. A harsh disciplinarian but a compassionate mentor, he guides and inspires his young charges.



Cadet Peter Cates is an anomaly. He is a gifted writer, a talented basketball player, and a good student, but his outward successes do little to impress his abusive father. The Boo takes Cates under his wing, but their bond is threatened when they’re forced to confront an act of violence on campus.



Drawn from Pat Conroy’s own experiences as a student at the Citadel, The Boo is an unforgettable story about duty, loyalty, and standing up for what is right in the face of overwhelming circumstances.

**

[Linda Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the author tells you in his introduction, it was not his best work, but I still think it was a good one to read, especially with my new-found obsession with Pat Conroy. I don't have that much interest in the Citadel at all, but my interest in Pat Conroy and Charleston, made it still interesting to read. I didn't have any prior knowledge of military school life, which sometimes made it confusing or boring, but the chapters that related the author's first hand experience with "The Boo" as well as the chapters relating to The "Boo's" relationship and dealings with the cadets over the years, as well as his banishment were interesting. I also enjoyed the ERW's (the explanations that the cadets had to write when they got in trouble). Only recommended for Pat Conroy fans or Citadel fans, but still glad I read it. Next up, "The Great Santini".

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving the book 4 stars because I like Pat Conroy. I also like the fact that at the beginning of the book there is an "Introduction to the Second Edition of The Boo" written by Conroy. In this introduction he states The Boo was the first book he "tried" to write and that writing The Boo proved one thing - that he did not know how to write. He learned from this and went on to write several outstanding books later. He thought about rewriting The Boo but knew he couldn't do justice to the man whom this book is about if rewritten. So I accepted this from the beginning and read the book with that understanding. Great book even if it's not written well. It's written from the heart and sometimes that matters more.

[Sharon Griffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pat Conroy himself admits at in a forward that this was the first book he wrote and that he did a poor job. The information is interesting and relevant, esp to those familiar with the Citadel. But as Pat points out, it is not well written.

[Bat713 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always loved Pat Conroe's books. This is his first and least favorite book of mine. I can't get into admiring a man who worked and supported the viciousness that was the Citadel in the 60s. I found the short stories hard to read. The early Conroy showed glimpses of the future author.

[Randall Yelverton · Rating 2 out of 5]

For hardcore fans of Conroy and "The Lords of Discipline" only. Episodic, by design, and lacking any narrative cohesiveness.

[Paul Lyons · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pat Conroy's first book was a combination compendium, and challenge to the military college that educated and traumatized him (The Citadel), as well as testament to the one authority figure that Conroy held in high enough respect that Conroy named his first book after him: "The Boo." Yet as the author himself admits in the book's introduction (at least in the late edition I had read), Pat Conroy had not yet developed as a writer, and the book is not that good.

On the plus side, the book contains hints of what kind of writer Pat Conroy would become in later books. Amidst the clutter of random letters, cartoons and anecdotes from The Boo (aka Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Nugent Courvoisie)'s life at The Citadel, the author does occasionally tell a good story. In addition to tales that The Boo has shared with Pat Conroy regarding wayward cadets and the inventive means that they tried to save their hides, the author also includes stories from his own indiscretions and resulting confrontations with The Boo.

As expressed in "The Boo," Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Nugent Courvoisie (aka "The Boo" did indeed seem like a no-nonsense, stern, yet honorable man whose good humor and genuine love for his Citadel cadet "lambs" made him a favorite of both "knobs" and Senior cadets alike. Pat Conroy certainly makes a good case that in the late 1960's, The Boo was done a grave injustice by the new guard at The Citadel after they stripped away his position as Assistant Commandant and demoted The Book to be in charge of toilet paper and luggage.

However, the majority of "The Boo" is a jumbled mess of inside stories that do not always translate well to the civilian reader. Unless you were there at the time, or are an alumni of South Carolina's Citadel, you most likely will not be in on the many references and jokes contained in the book. Worse still, the book includes many anecdotes that have a beginning, yet no middle nor end, causing the reader to scratch his or her head in wonder how these narrative non-sequiturs made the book.

Reading "The Boo" felt like consuming empty calories. Sure the tome contained words, sentences, paragraphs and pages, yet the digestion of such gave one a synthetically full stomach. In other words, I read "The Boo," yet I never felt nourished by it. Considering its half baked, haphazard approach, it's a wonder the book ever got published in the first place...Yet I am so glad it did, as it allowed Pat Conroy to publish greater books in years to come.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Boo” was the nickname of the Assistant Commandant of the Citadel, Lieutenant Colonel Courvoisie. It derives from the booming sound of his voice as he called out the names of unfortunate cadets who had committed some infraction. The Boo reviewed the ERWs (charges against cadets that required them to explain in writing what had happened i.e. what breach of discipline they were charged with , and whether they had a justification for it. (Conroy included samples of some of the more creative and funny ones.). The Boo meted out punishments accordingly. He was strict as he upheld discipline but was fair. He also had compassion and a sense of humor.

This is also a book about The Citadel which has a proud history as the Military College of South Carolina. (Conroy graduated in 1963). It describes student life with the freshman hazing, regular marching in formation, as well as the creativity and humor to succeed in that environment. In his section “Bits and Pieces” Conroy relates stories of some of the exploits of certain cadets.

[Joshua Gross · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pat Conroy wrote in his new introduction that this was going to be bad but boy it was a slog. I especially disliked the Bits and Pieces sections which were just filled with tiny anecdotes, the long sections of ERWs, and the fact I didn't notice there was a glossary at the end until I got to it. This book is very specific, sentimental, nostalgic, and mostly cobbled together stories and documents about the students of the Citadel in the 60s and the Assistant Commandant The Boo. It explains very little, never gives much of a narrative, and seems like its primary audience would be nostalgic citadel students and alumni. I did like how all these men, many who may have already passed or died in Vietnam, are immortalized in this book when they were young and strong and rambunctious. They existed and they mattered and they had lives. It's also certainly a southern literary relic, even if it's only the earliest and weakest effort by the author. The strongest part is the end when he's writing about his personal interactions with the Boo.

[Hayley Dyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book.

First - if you are looking to read a Pat Conroy novel because you love him so much, this is not the book for you. Don't read it.

This is a book about the Citadel, about one legendary man in particular, The Boo. I imagine that if you don't have any connection to the Citadel, or any interest in learning about its very unique culture, this book won't be of value to you. It tells stories upon stories of a man so humble and caring; of a man who loved his school so much that he would take a demotion just to continue serving the school and her students. It's a very nice homage to him.

My dad went to the Citadel - Class of 80 - and this book (and Conroy's others) have brought us closer together. I love hearing the stories, which inevitably lead to many questions, and bonding over this school that I find so fascinating.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn’t have read this book if it wasn’t written by Pat Conroy. It’s not amazing (I had a hard time finishing it) but it offers glimmers of the type of writing he would later be known for. It did make me smile many times throughout, but sometimes I felt the book just dragged along. I mainly read it because I was interested to see how he developed as an author, as this was his first literary work. I’m giving it a 3 because those who enjoy his works will appreciate the author he became but no extra stars because it fell a bit flat, and has that “inside joke feel” that’s difficult to appreciate as someone who has never been apart of the joke at hand.

[David Gramley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pat Conroy writes in the foreword that, as his first book, he didn’t write it well. He said he seemed to find his verse in the end of the book. I agree, and the final two chapters are worth the wait. That said, I purchased this book because I am a huge Pat Conroy fan. I knew this book would be insightful to Pat Conroy, albeit differently than the Water is Wide. It is also insightful to The Citadel, especially in the Viet Nam era. And, perhaps, this book is written because it presents The Boo as a strict military officer who has more heart and love for the cadets, in a more human way, than the Great Santini. The Boo is therefore part of Conroy’s being in a balancing way.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I love Pat Conroy. He says in the the forward that this was his first book and and very poorly written. It really is, to the point that it's hard to read. It is a good back up for The Lords of Discipline" what it the fictional account of his time at The Citadel. It's worth reading, but the disjointed stories are very hard to get into. IF you've not read Pat Conroy before...do not start with this one. He was a wonderful, gifted storyteller with an incredible person story. He just didn't do the storytelling well in this first try.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed more than I expected!

This was quite interesting to read. First, because it was Conroy’s first published book and you can tell that he grew tremendously as a writer, based on this initial book.

While I have family that has moved to SC in the last decade, I don’t have anything else that ties me to the state. I don’t have any military in my family that would cause me to be enamored with The Citadel. And yet, I found myself thoroughly enjoying this book. Cringing at times, laughing out loud frequently and admiring the man known as “The Boo”.

[Rebecca Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"[The Boo] was my tribute, my heart-felt valentine to the one man who demonstrated a shining, innate sense of mercy and laughter in the dark land of the barracks. He was both dutiful and humane, stern and merciful, fierce and infinitely kind. The heart of a lion and the spirit of a lamb wrestled for primacy in his high-rulings over our destiny. He was the father of the Corps, the father who replaced the ones all of us had forsaken, and still needed, when we left our homes for college."

[AG · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read this because me and dad are both completely obsessed with Pat Conroy and we want to read everything there is to read by him… he admits in his foreword that this is his least mature novel, that his first foray into literature is his weakest. That said, The Boo is clearly written with love and admiration of another Great Man — it is humorous, witty, and just full to the brim with nostalgia.

[Rebecca Martell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a novel. Pat Conroy's first book, for which he apologizes profusely in the introduction to this edition, is a sort of literary scrapbook. It includes anecdotes, letters, personal memories of the author, and even E.R.W.s of a humorous nature. Very much set in the 1960s era of the The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. For all the quickly-sketched tales of young men who passed through the halls, Conroy's depiction of The Boo comes through full color.