Worst book review I've ever read, hands down. This woman needs therapy.

Maybe she was the one at Reader's Digest who got my dad's letter telling them to go @#$% themselves because they screwed up his subscription and it sent her over the edge.

Co-sign. That wasn't a review. That was a rant and an incoherent one at that.

:eek: "the reader doesn't learn anything about "the secret life of sororities"--unless, that is, you didn't already know that sorority girls are drunk whores." :eek:

Personally I just think she's jealous because she didn't get a bid in college. :p

Since she went to Yale and was in a secret society there, that's pretty unlikely...the secret societies are FAR harder to get into than the sororities. (That's not a slam -- just a fact.)

I thought she was speaking about Zimmerman, the TNR Author, who does not have the glitz, the glam, or anything similar to Yale and the tomb societies.

ETA: The Author went to SUNY Binghamton - a school that does carry a lot of the sorority girl stereotypes.

-Rudey

What stereotypes are those? Greeklife was small there and, from my experience, not the stereotypes described at length in threads on GC. She was there in the early to mid 1990's so maybe things changed since then.

Binghampton definitely has the stereotypes Robbins talks about down pat, from the Tiffany and LV everywhere (which is really just a rich girl stereotype) to the eating disorders and rampant hazing. I know two girls who have depledged from sororities there for behavior that was absolutely insane.

Binghamton no P.

Where do you get your information?

From the two girls I know who depledged, one of who did it after having something done to her that is a felony in some states.

The stereotypes are brought over by the long island kids. I don't know how it was back then - only what it's like now.

-Rudey

Umm, I'm looking at Binghamton's website and I can't even find a list of what all Greek groups are there, let alone links to the individual sororities & fraternities. That doesn't exactly scream big stereotypical sorority system in my book...

Yeah, I was just kidding, but I was talking about the author of the book review not Robbins.

Nobody said it was a big stereotypical sorority system. I did however say they carry a lot of the sorority girl stereotypes. And Greek life is definitely not a small thing there...they are very visible but I don't know the percentages.

-Rudey

i dont really know alot of the Texas universities..but maybe stephen F Austin?
justa idea

Just FYI, the book really has hit the discount rack on Amazon.com.

It's down to $16.77.

I just saw Robbins on a local talk show down here in Miami... don't you just love how she prefaces anything she says with, "not all sororities are like this" and then goes on to talk about isolated incidents with a tone that suggests they're widespread.
As if that wasn't enough, both of the hosts of the show were like, "I never joined a sorority/fraternity, and that's why!"
Talk about a one-sided presentation... :rolleyes:

Personally, I just bought the book. It was under the "womens studies" section here at B&N. As a guy and looking at it in that light, it has been pretty interesting. I have much more to comment on the book, but I'll wait till I'm done...in about 2 days.

Ditto, I just finished it last night. I don't like the whole "most don't do this but"... then she goes onto to describe a few instances of whatever she was talking about.

I also agree with what someone earlier in this thread said, how can her details with some of those girls be so clear?

You're going to love this one.
 

Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ will be using "Pledged" as the required reading for all students taking College Composition I this year. All freshmen have to take College Composition I.

Discuss.

i'm speechless.
*shakes head in disbelief*

shelley j
sigma k

Re: You're going to love this one.
 

You HAVE GOT to be kidding. College Composition? That mess?

Maybe they'll use it as an example of how NOT to write!

God I hope so!

Perhaps it's being used to show examples of yellow journalism. I just read it myself. Awful.

I wrote a review of the book a while back and sent it to Robbins' e-mail account. Apparently 5 pages was some heavy reading for her because I have not received a response. Regardless, thought I'd post it here for y'all. Please let me know what you think!

http://www.livejournal.com/users/lik...ind/21291.html

yes
 

I really liked the book. I bought it and read it and found it very interesting how some other GLOs are so different from mine. It gave me a a greater appreciation for my own situation. So yay for Alexandra for venturing into the unknown and pulling out what she could, as fairly as she could. I'm sure she was ready for all the backlash that would happen from the Greek Community, and here it is.

I disagree on some aspects of her book because that is not how my sorority is at all, we don't have houses, nor do we go to a big greek school. I think it would have been more well rounded if she follwed some girls around who didn't have houses, or go to school in the south.

I very much enjoyed reading your review of the book. I did take the time to read Robbin's book and came across with the same feeling as you. Most of it just made me roll my eyes b/c hardly anything she talks about related to me or my sorority (which is at an especially large commutter campus, however has a very small Greek system). Thank you for pulling out each part. It definately gave me another look at the book, b/c there were things that I did not catch at the time of reading it. Great review and I think that everyone should take the time to read it!

hmm....

i wonder if the professor was/is greek....

One of our sisters shared the email that she and other Greeks received from the English department, and they said that part of the class is to learn how to view journalism critically. So hopefully they'll be doing things like dgdramdawg's review.

Apparently they have had books on things before like "high school football culture in Texas" and "the plight of the working poor" and they try to pick something controversial. However, I doubt there are many people in these classes who plan on becoming Texas hs football coaches. I understand the desire to have a book that gets you talking, but for the school to choose something that has to do with a group of these freshmen's fellow students, and could possibly incite unfounded negative feelings toward them, is utterly irresponsible.

very well said 33girl. i totally agree.

shelley j
sigma k

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4751618/
ANYONE ELSE THINK THIS IS COMPLETELY DEGRADING?! That's from that MSNBC article! Stereotyping a little? I think so!

She most likely has a thing for raising her profile and making money. Writing about sororities serves this purpose, especially since the book resembles "reality TV" which generates lots of attention and revenue. Most of the sorority women she talked with were undergrads who weren't exactly media-savvy. It's easy to get naive or inexperienced people to embarrass themselves on the record - just ask Michael Moore. My honest opinion is that sororities are sitting ducks for this kind of thing, and AR saw the opportunity and took advantage. Whether this was right or wrong is open to debate.

Sorry, but from the link, I want to gag my dinner of fruit juice so I dont get fat and ugly!:rolleyes:

Her innuendos are not very hidden and she is pressing flesh to sell this booklet in hard back.

With Her looks, she should have been included in some Sorority, a, but as was stated, maybe she wasnt for some reason?

I wont spend a dime to get the book as do not want to give her any more money!

I am up to barrowing it from someone so I dont have to pay a royalty.

Requiring it as a read by an Acadamian, god, what have College Professors come to?:rolleyes:

Maybe she didn't want to join a sorority?

With Greek Life being not so big at Rowan, I'd be surprised if many people bothered to read this book with much more than a "this is pretty true", about their system. The Greek members may not say it, but the non-Greeks may. It's the culture of Northeast Greek life...either you are or you aren't, but if you are, you are always defending what you're about to non-Greeks, and if you're not Greek, you often times have some stereotype in mind. I've seen it at nearly every school I've visited in PA, NY and NJ.

Lordy. This kind of perspective injures sororities a lot more than some pseudojournalistic potboiler ever could.

The picture is from USM's Bid Day!!!

Not knowing Her School and what kind of Greek Organizations were there and Reputations, maybe she didnt.

So, what gives Her the right to tell the wold about Greek Life other than giving a little under cover working and snooping?

Cannot anyone write an expose' about Greeks and say things.?

Animal House is a prime example even though many of us can relate in some way. Doesnt mean it is right, but the percepcition is the same when seen and read by non Greeks!

Still would like to barrow that book!.;)