In Glory's Shadow: Shannon Faulkner, the Citadel and a Changing America

by Catherine S. Manegold

Book Overview

In Glory's Shadow explores the history of The Citadel, an institution set on preserving tradition in the face of profound change. Established as protection against slave insurrections feared by the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679446354
• ISBN13: 9780679446354
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.6" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Excellent

The first time I saw the behaviour of Nazi soldiers in Schindlers List I said to myself "they remind me of the cadets in the Lords of Discipline". The Lords of Discipline is fictional account of the Citadel. A fact was confirmed after seeing pictures of Citadel cadets dressed up as Nazi's in their yearbook.I found this to be a wonderful and engrossing book and I am frankly not surprised that most of the negative reviews come from Citadel attendies. In his books The Boo and The Lords of Discipline Pat Conroy (who for years was villified by his alma matter) basically stated that most of those who attended the Citadel thought that it was paradise on earth and "God created it on the eigth day after he rested". Obviously some have problems with criticism of their school and can't handle it. The Citadel has always fascinated me and I was intrigued by this book which I actually read in record time. The book gives a fascinating account of the school, and the history of Charleston. Yes this book is at times is harsh and does not reflect the school in a good light. But it isn't as if Ms. Minegold is the first to do so. Numerous news organizations among them 60 Minutes have done pieces on the school and their handling of the comming of women. To this date I really don't think that I have read one positive piece on the Citadel which does not make the school into a factory for bullies and sadists. Hopefully one day one graduate (hopefully female) will give a true and balanced acount of the school. From what I have seen lately it seems as if the school has done some growing up and is truly trying to change their reputation.

Glorious Storytelling of less than Glorious History

This book is a prize. Catherine Manegold braids three complex themes into a riveting, artfully told story: the frequently sensationalized "Shannon Faulkner story" takes on new dimensions as Manegold examines Faulkner's experience against the context of the Citadel's dramatic,tortured history and the enormous social changes going on in the U.S.Military. This book is brilliantly reported and gracefully written. Great characters, too. It's educational and at the same time, "entertaining", in the best sense of the word. And yes, it's provocative. If you are looking for easy answers and conventional reasoning, this book won't do it. If you relish intellectual challenges and are open to learning about chapters of American history that are rarely told, you will come away deeply moved from Manegold's work. If she weren't such a sharp journalist, she could have been a historian.

At the Citadel: Domestic Violence Training Ground

Catherine Manegold's work has much that is valuable to say about how boys are raised to become men in American society. Manegold details the horrific hazing rituals at the Citadel, but she views them in light of the history of the institution, formed as it was after the failed Denmark Vesey slave revolt. Manegold has the vision to see that these hazing rituals show that the school is still fascinated with the civil War paradigm of mastery and subjugation. Upperclassmen get to play the masters and the lowerclassmen the slaves, and the next year the sophomores get to do it to the next bunch. In this way, patterns of abuse get perpetrated. Cadets who stay give then what they got. Although this is a tragic cycle, it has great ramifications for relationships between men and women and for our understanding of domestic violence. Are not in these hazing rituals the cycle of domestic violence being played out, with the young men playing both sexes? And if so, what does the four-year experience teach Citadel graduates about entering into loving relationships with intimate partners?All persons interested in domestic violence and relationships between men and women should read this extremely provocative work, that opens up new ways of thinking about the many ways that violence against women is taught and reinforced in our society. Highly recommended.

Revealing saga of modern, gender-based prejudice.

In Glory's Shadow tells of Shannon Faulkner, who attempted to become the first female cadet in the all-male military school of The Citadel in South Carolina. Her struggles for admittance raised questions ranging from Constitutional rights to standards of excellence and admittance for men and women. She eventually won her battle for admittance - but left the school after only a week, fearing for her family's safety. An eye-opening saga of modern prejudice and struggles.