"NPC" sorority books
 

There are a lot of books out there about the NPHC sorority experience ("Sorority Sisters," "The Sisters of Theta Phi Kappa," "The Divine Nine") written by NPHC members. But I haven't seen any books (unless you count Baird's manual) that talk about sorority life in the NPC groups or fictional equivalents thereof.

Yeah, I know there are series books aimed at teens, but I'm talking adult fiction or non-fiction - especially adult fiction with a positive outlook on Greek Life, not "The Pledge." Where are all the books about NPC (or NIC) Greeks that are by Greeks? Do I just not know where to look?

Anyone have any reading suggestions?

Beat me to posting the topic. I was looking for some to read on the way to Florida.

here's one:

A Southern Belle Primer : Or Why Princess Margaret Will Never Be a Kappa Kappa Gamma
by Maryln Schwartz


I haven't had a chance to get it yet but I'm sure I will one of these days...

There's a humorous book about all the Greeks called From Here to Fraternity--by Robert Egan.

Fraternity by John Galsworthy


Don't know much about this one but it came out in '95

Oh, sorry, I guess I wasn't very clear in my first post ... I implied that the writer of "The Divine Nine" was a sorority member, which of course HE isn't!

This looks along the lines of "Sweet Valley High" and might be suitable for 13-15 year olds, but I thought I'd put it up here anyway. I just typed in "sorority" for books on Amazon.com and presto! I got some hits!

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/00...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg http://images.amazon.com/images/P/00...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg http://images.amazon.com/images/P/00...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg http://images.amazon.com/images/P/00...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

"You have to STAY COOL in order to get into the hottest house on campus"....PUH-LEEZE! :rolleyes:

I think a lot of NPC and NIC related books deal more with heavier topics such as Binge Drinking, Hazing, Date Rape, and Sexuality Issues:

Fraternity Gang Rape : Sex, Brotherhood, and Privilege on Campus by Peggy Reeves Sanday

Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing, and Binge Drinking by Hank Nuwer

Out on Fraternity Row : Personal Accounts of Being Gay in a College Fraternity by Shane L. Windmeyer

Secret Sisters: Stories of Being Lesbian and Bisexual in a College Sorority by Shane L. Windmeyer

or, they're books along the "Guide to College" lines and all about PARTY PARTY PARTY.

Apparently this book is a non-fiction account of Alpha Phi:
A Goodly Heritage: The Collected Works of Betty Mullins Jones
by Betty Mullins Jones

This one looked kind of interesting:
Sister Secrets by Breggie James

Anne Rivers Siddons (who was a Tri-Delt) wrote 2 novels, Outer Banks and Heartbreak Hotel, where she talks about Southern sorority life in the fifties.

two books on life as an alum, both fiction:

LEGALLY BLONDE by Amanda Brown...the book is actually really bad, the movie was way better

WELCOME TO THE WORLD, BABY GIRL by Fannie Flagg

I own this book and love it! However, it's not really about Sorority/greeks, but there is a nice section on this topic. It's a fun read too....

I hate to say it, but I cannot think of a single book on the topic that looks at things from a positive point of view. :( I'll ask around though and post back if I find anything at all.

My boyfriend ordered this book a few months ago but it has nothing to do with fraternity, unfortunately. I think it's some kind of Dickens type turn of the century novel, if I remember correctly. :)

I don't know anything about this one, but I found it by doing a search on Amazon (no one had reviewed it and no synopsis)...

Rush: A Girl's Guide to Sorority Success by Margaret Ann Rose

actually, those 3 books you listed are all there really is out there about NPHC organizations... I don't think that constitutes ' a lot'.

OK, you're right, three isn't a lot, but it was more more than I could find on NPC groups! Oh, there's also the Delta Sigma Theta book, too, I guess - that's a history, right?

I think I'm going to have to hit the library. Thanks everyone!

Kappa Delta has a version of the GIRLFRIEND series...it was out for National Women's Friendship Day this year!

It is a bunch of stoires from women all over including sorority women, not just KDs.

I have it and it is very sweet!

can't find the book
 

LexiKD,
I was wondering where you found the book and what is the exact name of it?? I was on Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com and could not find it!! I would love to buy it for myself and a few of my sisters and my best friend who is a Chi Omega. Thanks for the help!

I think it is just called Girlfriends...there are about 3-4 so far. I do not have a copy at work, but when I go home I will check it out and get back to you.

If I don't get back to you in time or you cannot find it, you can call KD HQ: 1-800-536-1897

thanks
 

KDLexi-
Thanks for the information!!

From Here to Fraternity - great Book! Unfortunately, my copy was stolen some years ago - but it was very thorough and funny.

It's been out of print for some time, so you have to dig around to find it - maybe ebay?

It is called Girlfriends for Life!

Good Luck!

hard to find
 

I've had a few people recommend this book and I haven't been able to find it anywhere. On amazon.com you can have out of print books "on order" if they come across them. (You're not obligated to buy them if you find it elsewhere or the price is too high or you just decide you don't want it). I've been waiting for this book for nearly 2 years with no luck. :(

So if anyone has a copy they want to unload, you can PM me. ;)

Other than that, the only books that I've seen/read/heard about have been 'serious', as someone else mentioned: risk management, coming out, etc. (Actually, I thought The Pledge was an okay read, if a bit unrealistic).

While we're on the subject of books- this isn't greek-related, but college-related... I would highly recommend The Student Body by Jane Harvard. I read it in a day, and have re-read it several times. It's about an undergrad student at Harvard who writes for the student paper, and finds out all kinds of things about her colleagues. Again, a bit unrealistic, but still very, very good!

I'll have to look out for some of those.

Eating the Cheshire Cat mentions Tri Delta a lot... although I don't think it's an accurate portrayal of the group. It also mentions the rush process.

texas*princess -- I hope that the Eating the Chesire Cat portrayal of Tri Delta isn't realistic! :p

As 33girl said, Anne Rivers Siddons, who's a Tri Delta, wrote Outer Banks and Heartbreak Hotel, both of which mention Greek life quite a bit. Outer Banks is about a fictional sorority, Tri Omega, and four of its alums that have a reunion. Heartbreak Hotel is about racial issues and a Southern school becoming desegrated in the 1950s, and involves a "Kappa" (KKG is never specified directly, but the connotation is there) and her KA boyfriend, if I remember correctly. In Outer Banks, she describes a fictional sorority initiation that some have speculated bears resemblance to Tri Delta's . . . hehe.

I'll Take You There by Joyce Carol Oates (a Phi Mu, if I remember correctly) includes a section where the main character joins the NPC-style Kappa Gamma Pi, but the portrayal isn't a positive one. I think she may have written some other novels where sorority life is mentioned, but I haven't read them . . .

LoL, yea I seriously doubt it is anything near the truth :)

I've met some awesome Tri-Deltas and they are a great represtation about what your sorority is all about !

I went to a national convention and we talked about this book- and how those of us who read it were kinda embarressed by it. I wonder if the author was a Tri Delt or had something against them. But I was actually surprised that when they talked about Tri Delta, they didn't hypenate it (which is a big no-no with nationals), which leads me to believe that someone, either the editor or writter, or something, knew something about the sorority.

Secret Life of Sororities: Inside America's Sisterhood
by Annie Paul

Everytime I do a search for "sorority" on Amazon, this one comes up, but it's always out-of-stock. I'm anxious to see what it's about though

How about that "Official Sorority Handbook", the "must read for anyone who wants to become a sorority girl (or just act like one!)"

;) :p :D

At the risk of sounding like a total idiot...

Was Animal House based on a book? I thought the guy that wrote the story was a Delta Chi?

Not that this has anything to do w/ NPC... I was just curious.

Yall don't laugh at me but... i read all these books a few years back:o and they were soo good, it was my first glimpse into the NPC rush( a little), i was kinda upset because they were not any more... as a matter of fact i mighgt still have them somewhere...hmmm:) :D

Animal House was based on a series of stories that appeared in National Lampoon magazine. The guy who wrote them was an Alpha Delta Phi (now Alpha Delta) at Dartmouth.

So... who's going to write one? I know that there are immensely talented people here on GC.

I remember in the past someone suggested it. They kind of suggested an anthology of GC people's experiences (obviously not secret rituals and suchlike). That person got mercilessly flamed. Her name was Kelly.