The Return of Philo T. McGiffin

By David Poyer

Book Overview

In this comic and irreverent novel, author and naval officer David Poyer--famous for such bestsellers as The Med, The Gulf, The Circle, and The Passage--brilliantly re-creates the hothouse world of the U.S. Naval Academy. When the book was first published in 1983 Roger Staubach, class of 1965, wrote, ""Anyone who has attended a service academy will recognize Philo T. McGiffin and his classmates. However, anyone who has ever had a dream or a goal will feel a special kinship with Philo. This is a book worth reading.""

Poyer's Philo, burdened with the name of Annapolis's legendary prankster of the class of 1882, attracts attention from the day he reports for Plebe Summer, and the upperclassmen soon make his life a living hell. Stoop-shouldered and meek, he seems an unlikely candidate to carry on the tradition of the original Philo, whose outrageous escapades had served as a symbol of subversive individualism to generations of midshipmen. At first Philo nearly buckles under from the strain, but gradually ""The Mouse"" learns to roar and ultimately to triumph in the grand style of his predecessor. Funny, touching, and enormously realistic, this madcap novel will bring back to everyone what it was like to be 17--and in deep trouble.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557506892
• ISBN13: 9781557506894
• Release Date: April 1997
• Publisher: Naval Institute Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Philo McGiffin-A great book!

For those of us who will never attend a service academy, books such as "Return of Philo McGiffin" give us a glimpse of what it takes to get through these tough institutions. They are colleges in one sense but as a character in the book says "this is your first duty assignment in the Navy!" For anyone thinking about Annapolis or who has a friend or relation who will attend, this book is a must read. My grandfather went to West Point and spent almost 40 years in the Army - now I have an idea of how he got there. Philo McGiffin is great book for anyone who is a fan of our Naval Academy but wants no illusions of how hard it is there.My hats off to all Annapolis Alumni!

A wonderful story

I can only add to the plaudits below. I didn't go to Navy, but my father and brother did. I've always wondered if plebe year was as wierd and hard and fascinating as they said it was -- now I know the answer. But beyond the wonderful introduction to USNA life, this is a terrific story -- great, complex characters, inspiration as well as sardonic humor, and a terrific twist at the end. Anyone who is interested in military life will enjoy this book. I'm about to buy several copies to send to friends.

Wonderful Entertainment!

From all indications, the Naval Academy is not a place for humor but with this book, David Poyer has shown that humour can thrive in a military environment even though it really doesn't have a place. The characters were well developed and the ending had a surprising twist. A wonderful read for anyone interested in the military way of life

Take the time to read this.

It won't take too long, because you'll find Philo hard to put down. If you're a Navy grad, you'll love it. The book is funny and poignant. You'll remember incidents you'd long forgotten. (Hmmm, maybe that's not such a good recommendation.) Beat Army!

Excellent - A must read!

As a classmate of Dave Poyer, I can say that I am sure I know who the real Philo is! But then every midshipman who has ever gone to the Naval Academy knows who he or she is as well. Philo is in every class with a different name - I think that is what so appealed to me about this book. It was just like doing the four years all over again - G_d forbide! If you went to Navy, you need to read this book. If you have ever known a Naval Academy grad, you need to read this book. If you ever wondered about "those who go to Navy and what it does to them", you need to read this book. If you are young and thinking about any service academy, you should read this book - so should your parents. Plebe year has changed a great deal since 1967-68 but the concepts that make the academies what they are and the officers and leaders they produce are, in a sense, timeless. Not all of the answers but enough to make for a great read.