Maggot

by Robert Flanagan

Book Overview

A thousand miles from the nearest war zone--in a foreign country call the U.S. Marine Corps, a few good men are finding out what living hell is all about. The place: Parris Island, S.C. The time:... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446305235
• ISBN13: 9780446305235
• Release Date: November 1982
• Publisher: Warner Books (NY)
• Weight: 0.36 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Just Prior To My Entry Into The Service

I purchased and read this book way back in 1972. I served not in the Marine Corps, but rather the Army and it was just prior to my basic training that I read this book. I think it was in part to the book that I had this expectation of what was going to happen once I arrived at Ft. Ord, California for basic - being yelled at to get the hell off the bus, being yelled at once off the bus; didn't happen, didn't even see a drill sargent for quite awhile and once we did it wasn't as intense as that. Well, this was the Army and not the Marines.

Parris Island in a nutshell

I read this book in the mid-70s, I reread it twice more over the years. I found this book to be very realistic to Marine bootcamp.The reason I read it more than once is because I failed to get the moral to the story. In marine bootcamp Adamchzk would have most likely been a screwup until he graduated. Pvt Waite being fairly squared away would most likely have made it through to the end. I am not faulting the story for this reason, but I am puzzled by it. I wonder if Robert Flanagan authored any other books. I would be interested in reading them.

A must read for every future Marine

I read this book several years ago prior to my shipping out to Parris Island for boot camp. I thought I could use some insight into the mystique of U.S.M.C. training. How silly of me. The only "true" way to learn of this training is to experience it first hand. I had read some of the book before arriving at Parris Island, but sadly I misplaced my copy--never to be found again. The experiences I shared with my platoon mates were much more colorful than that of the book, but the book wasn't far from the mark.

Quite arresting reading

A powerful read. I have no experience with the marines and found this slice of life view interesting. It is compelling aside from the setting however with characters that stick with you long after the last page is turned. How surprising that this is out of print, it sold over a half million copies or more. I guess it needed Oprah's recommendation to stay in print, what a shame.

A clear and truthful story of boot camp life in the Corps.

As a former Marine, this story takes me back to the day when I first landed at Parris Island for basic training over twenty years ago. A truthful, yet entertaining story.