In this comic and irreverent novel, author and retired naval captain David Poyer--famous for such bestsellers as The Med, The Gulf, The Circle , The Passage, and other bestselling novels of the modern military--brilliantly re-creates the hothouse world of the U.S. Naval Academy.       Poyer's Philo T. McGiffin, arriving at Annapolis to find that he is burdened with the name of a legendary prankster from 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, deep trouble. . . . "Probably the best thing about Poyer's novel is not its strange, taut humor, its madcap drama, or even its hero's struggle and personal growth. The best thing is the glimpse we get inside that closed society." - The Annapolis Capital "A well-done comic novel about a hellish situation, but it also has serious things to say about survival, self-esteem, and tradition." - Philadelphia Inquirer "Full of humor, warmth, and suspense." - Hank Searls "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." - Roger Staubach "Has a ring of authenticity about academy life, jargon, and the Navy . . . Interesting, entertaining, and educating." - Newport News Daily Press From the day he reported in for Plebe Summer, everyone agreed: Philo T. McGiffin was a wimp. The original Philo McGiffin, Class of 1882, was a mythic master of outrageous escapades who became a symbol of subversive individualism to generations of mids. But his namesake seemed unlikely to carry on the tradition. Stoop-shouldered and meek, he nearly buckles under the emotional, physical, and mental stresses that are the lot of every plebe. Yet ultimately "The Mouse" triumphs in the grand style of his predecessor. Millions of copies of David Poyer's nearly fifty books are in print, including THE MED, THE GULF, THE CIRCLE, THE PASSAGE, TOMAHAWK, CHINA SEA, BLACK STORM, THE COMMAND, THE THREAT, KOREA STRAIT, THE WEAPON, THE CRISIS, THE TOWERS, THE CRUISER, TIPPING POINT, ONSLAUGHT, HUNTER KILLER, DEEP WAR, OVERTHROW, and VIOLENT PEACE, bestselling novels of the modern Navy and Marine Corps; historical fiction set during the Civil War; the Hemlock County thrillers, THE DEAD OF WINTER, WINTER IN THE HEART, AS THE WOLF LOVES WINTER, and THUNDER ON THE MOUNTAIN; and the other Tiller Galloway diving adventures, HATTERAS BLUE, LOUISIANA BLUE, and DOWN TO A SUNLESS SEA. Nonfiction works include HEROES OF ANNAPOLIS and HAPPIER THAN THIS DAY AND TIME.  Poyer's work has been translated into Japanese, Dutch, Hungarian, Serbo-Croatian, and Italian, and rights and options have been sold for films. A sport diver and sailor, he lives on Virginia's Eastern Shore and teaches in the MA/MFA Creative Writing Program at Wilkes University . Facebook: David Poyer Website: poyer.com Used Book in Good Condition