Joint '72:... A Novel About Coming of Age—Twice

by Michael Clark

Dub Wiggins faces a dilemma: The military boarding school where he studied for four years, and has taught for more than twenty, wants him gone. Seeking revenge, he writes a memoir of the physical, mental, and sexual predation he suffered as a student, when brutality and betrayal derailed his first coming of age. But in his quest to bury the school in scandal, he finds a chance for redemption: He can either honor a solemn debt of friendship, or bring a murderer to justice. He cannot do both, yet his second coming of age – his chance to do it right this time – hangs in the balance.

348 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Michael Clark has been a military school cadet, a musician, a motorcycle journalist, a janitor, and a Human Resources executive (which is akin to janitorial work, but more lucrative). Today, he is a creative artist in multiple genres.

Reviews

[Jen (The Bookish Blonde) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having met author Michael Clark in person, I was so excited to read his debut novel, Joint 72. This book is part mystery and part coming of age story and I loved it! Joint 72 follows the life of main character Dub Wiggins. The novel opens with Dub about to lose his job at the boarding school where he works and where he attended school. In an effort to seek revenge, Dub decides to write a memoir about his time at the school and expose it for the mistreatment of students that he experienced first hand. Following along with Dub as he writes his memoir, the reader begins to understand the incidents and circumstances that have led to Dub becoming who he is. The writing is excellent and and the character development is outstanding. I connected with the characters and cared about what happened to them. I loved getting read about Dub's transformation and "second coming of age". This one is definitely worth the read!

[TheVeryBookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the description of Joint ‘72 I wasn’t sure if it was going to be my type of book. It sounded interesting but just didn’t hit me as a book I would enjoy very much.

Surprisingly I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would! The writing is well done, very simple and easy to read, letting you flow through the story.

I was quickly invested in hearing about the awful things young students had to go through in this academy and how they managed to survive through all the torment.

The betrayals and plot twists within this story are interesting and unexpected! Was a very fun read and honestly feels like a hidden gem. Definitely worth the read and I highly recommend if you enjoy reading about any kind of boarding school atmosphere.

[Timothy R. Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder in a Prep School Forces a Teacher and Former Student to Revisit a Disturbing Event from His Teen Years

Good plot, with recognizable characters, whose dialog brings the story to life. The prep school ambience coupled with the mystery of what exactly happened in 1972 provides an compelling tale. The intrigues, relationships, and the geography of the setting all combine to yield to the reader a unique experience.