The Lords of Discipline (1980)

Conroy's novel received criticism from some Citadel alumni who considered its thinly veiled account an unflattering picture of the school, and Conroy was ostracized by his alma mater and effectively banned from campus for over 20 years after publishing the novel. In 2001, Conroy was invited back to campus where he gave the commencement address and was given an honorary doctorate.