Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities - by Alexandra Robbins
Published July 05, 2004
I was extremely excited when I saw ads for this book, 'cause what guy hasn't wondered what really goes on in sororities?
I got even more worked up at Barnes & Noble, when I read author Alexandra Robbins' introduction, in which she wrote the following:
- In writing this book, the surprise for me was that the notions of those topless pillow fights may not have been so far off base after all.
At about the time I heard about traditions like "Naked Party" and "Boob Ranking," I had to reconsider my preconceptions.
I learned that many of the rumors (as well as the fantasies) about sororities are indeed staggeringly true, including those concerning loyalty, sex, conformity, drugs, violence, verbal abuse, mind games, prostitution, racism, forced binge drinking, nudity, cheating, eating disorders, rituals, "mean girls," and secrecy.
Well, that sounded awfully good to me, so I bought the book.
Its author, herself a babe and a 27-year-old graduate of Yale University, didn't do a "Cameron Crowe" - you may or may not recall that he actually enrolled in high school as a senior at the age of 22 and attended for a full year - and actually pose as a college student and pledge a sorority: that would've been next to impossible, what with the background investigation the better sororities undertake.
Pedigree and parents matter a lot.
Rather, she sought out individual sorority sisters "who were willing to risk their sorority membership by letting me into their lives for an entire academic year."
To protect these four girls, Robbins doesn't identify them, their sororities, or even the state university they attended.
In the end, she interviewed several hundred sorority girls, what with the four girls' friends and all.
She wrote that "essentially I got to return to college and experience the path I had not taken the first time around (and had a far better time than I did when I was actually enrolled in college)."
OK, but where's the beef?
Because Alexandra Robbins is, as they say down in Texas, "all hat and no cattle."
There's no "juice" in the book.
Where's the lesbianism, the orgies, the sex, the drugs, the rock n' roll?
All we get is girls going to the "drug room" for hits on the house bong, and nights in a hotel room "where they hooked up."
What a waste of $23.95.
- Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities - by Alexandra Robbins
- Published: July 05, 2004
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- Section: Books
- Writer: bookofjoe
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Does anyone have any idea which University STATE U. is????
I loved the book. Although I was not particularly interested in "topless pillowfights" or "lesbian orgies", just peeking into what goes on in the Sorority houses was worth it. I read the book quickly (2 days) and never got bored.
In the end, I only had to pay 11 dollars for it and I don't feel that I got ripped off. :)
I have just started reading the book and already I can see that this doesn't happen at most schools. I was in a sorority myself. Our university had such strict rules that you could shit without getting permission. And if the University wasn't strict enough our Nationals had spies everywhere, if they could smell alchol then we got in trouble. Houses are so strict now because in the 80's there was alot of bad publicity for greek houses. I don't know what house she is siting this from but a "drug" room, if advisors from national came to the house ever(which they do at least twice a year) they would not allow that. I don't care what National sorority you are in that is screaming law suit. At this point in the book I am not believing this is real. Being in one myself this is not allowed on any level even in the south.
After reading this novel I concluded my sorority was nothing like the one portrayed. I find it quite insulting that people who are not Greek will read this and think so bad about certain organizations. I agree with Autumn C. in comment #4 that nationals are so strict now that nothing like what the novel said would ever happen. Futhermore, the university I attend has established rules and regulations as well. This novel would make a great a movie, but that is about it.
"After reading this novel I concluded my sorority was nothing like the one portrayed. I find it quite insulting that people who are not Greek will read this and think so bad about certain organizations"
I completely agree. My sorority does not condone hazing AT ALL. I'm not naive and I know that other sororites on my campus haze like crazy.
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(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/17129)
I have only read the first 5 pages and already know that sororities in the south are WAY different than my Philadelphia-based college sorority is. We WALK our "new members" after bid day. This year, we WALKED them right into cars for a members-only night of cosmic bolwing, complete with some fattening food, music, and dancing on the lanes!
Note, we call them "New Members" not pledges. That to us is hazing, and we take no part in such.