Book pledged: the secret lives of sororities

[DolphinChicaDDD]

I think this book is def 'creative nonfiction'. I took a class last semester called "Creative Nonfiction Workshop" and accoring to my prof, the facts can change "so long as the feeling is correct." I really think this is what Robbins is doing.

I feel like the part about the girls actually is fiction. I really think if you strung those chapters together, it would flow like a novel. I also find it highly irratiating with the chapters in between(when she discusses the politcs behind the chapter and what not.

But after reading the chapter about the NGLA, I am begining to doubt her more and more. I went to NGLA. I know I was in the one session she discussed (about the PR War Room) and the opening session about the sterotypes. I *think* I was in one of the other sessions she talked about. She took things WAAAY out of context. Further more, we were in Pittsburgh in March. No one was wearing spagetti straps. Was I wearing my tailored suit? Yes. Was I carring my Coach saddle bag? Yes. But I also wore the same clothes to a conference on intercollegic student athletes.

I haven' finished the book yet...I just had to get that part about the NGLA off my chest.

[James]

Bump for Deltasigstan

[Munchkin03]

I read the book, ironically enough, for my alumnae chapter's book club. I thought it was entertaining. Of course, I don't condone her sharing ritual (and thank GOODNESS mine wasn't in there!), but everything else was pretty much on point.

I had a small chapter at a very liberal private university--but you know what? Any of those four women--and their surrounding drama--could have been in my house.

[RAVEGIRL]

I AM NOT GREEK, BUT TO BE HONEST I DONT SEE HOW YOU ALL WERE NOT PISSED WHEN YOU READ IT. i WAS PISSED FOR YOU! tHERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS IN THERE ABOUT A LOT OF YOUR SORORITIES THAT I FEEL THE PUBLIC SHOULDNT KNOW. I KNOW IN BLACK SORORITIES THAT WOULDNT HAVE HAPPEND BECAUSE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SECRET THAT IS WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM NON GREEKS AND I FEEL YOUR RITUALS..SHOULD BE SACRED AND SECRET. AFTER ALL, WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO BE GREEK IF THEY KNOW INSIDE STUFF ONLY SORORS OR SISTERS SHOUD KNOW?

[Lil' Hannah]

whoa.

[KillarneyRose]

Originally posted by RAVEGIRL
I AM NOT GREEK, BUT TO BE HONEST I DONT SEE HOW YOU ALL WERE NOT PISSED WHEN YOU READ IT. i WAS PISSED FOR YOU! tHERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS IN THERE ABOUT A LOT OF YOUR SORORITIES THAT I FEEL THE PUBLIC SHOULDNT KNOW. I KNOW IN BLACK SORORITIES THAT WOULDNT HAVE HAPPEND BECAUSE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SECRET THAT IS WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM NON GREEKS AND I FEEL YOUR RITUALS..SHOULD BE SACRED AND SECRET. AFTER ALL, WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO BE GREEK IF THEY KNOW INSIDE STUFF ONLY SORORS OR SISTERS SHOUD KNOW?

The thing is, no one but actual sisters would know if the information Ms. Robbins put in her book is true or not. Her version of "research" doesn't seem very solid to me, so I would be shocked if much of what she wrote is accurate.

Originally posted by RAVEGIRL
I AM NOT GREEK, BUT TO BE HONEST I DONT SEE HOW YOU ALL WERE NOT PISSED WHEN YOU READ IT. i WAS PISSED FOR YOU! tHERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS IN THERE ABOUT A LOT OF YOUR SORORITIES THAT I FEEL THE PUBLIC SHOULDNT KNOW. I KNOW IN BLACK SORORITIES THAT WOULDNT HAVE HAPPEND BECAUSE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SECRET THAT IS WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM NON GREEKS AND I FEEL YOUR RITUALS..SHOULD BE SACRED AND SECRET. AFTER ALL, WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO BE GREEK IF THEY KNOW INSIDE STUFF ONLY SORORS OR SISTERS SHOUD KNOW?

Hi RAVEGIRL, this is your Caps Lock button speaking...Caps Lock would like to go on vacation now, thanks.

I'd like to echo KR and say that the research Ms. Robbins did for her book has no solid foundation. No one but members of XYZ sorority will know for sure if the "info" divulged in the book are true or not. Will they come forth and admit the truth? No respectful sister would ever do such a thing.

It's not just the NPHC sororities that hold their rituals with high regard. NPC, Multi-cultural, local, professional sororities' members also do the same.

So no, I wasn't "pissed" when I read the book. Why? Because I know what MY collegiate sorority experience was like and I know that thousands of others experienced the same thing. It'd be nice to say that the book is BS, but some of the crap she writes about does happen, and it's the stupid people that ruin it for us all. I read the book strictly for entertainment purposes and I encourage others to do the same, not as the "be all, end all" of sorority life, but read it so that you can appreciate your sorority affiliation and your memories a little bit more.

Finally...I read on the LJ SororityGirl Community that Paramount's thinking about turning the book into a motion picture. I sooooo can't wait.

[Munchkin03]

Originally posted by RAVEGIRL
I AM NOT GREEK, BUT TO BE HONEST I DONT SEE HOW YOU ALL WERE NOT PISSED WHEN YOU READ IT. i WAS PISSED FOR YOU! tHERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS IN THERE ABOUT A LOT OF YOUR SORORITIES THAT I FEEL THE PUBLIC SHOULDNT KNOW. I KNOW IN BLACK SORORITIES THAT WOULDNT HAVE HAPPEND BECAUSE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SECRET THAT IS WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM NON GREEKS AND I FEEL YOUR RITUALS..SHOULD BE SACRED AND SECRET. AFTER ALL, WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO BE GREEK IF THEY KNOW INSIDE STUFF ONLY SORORS OR SISTERS SHOUD KNOW?

How do you know it wouldn't have happened in an NPHC sorority? Disgrunted members span all conferences. Believe me, we all have secrets and aspects to our ritual that you know nothing about. Reading Pledged isn't going to enlighten you about the world of NPC sororities.

Like my girls KR and OTW said, so much of it seems so unrealistic that most of us can't help but to let it roll off our shoulders. I thought it was entertaining as hell...like a novel, even.

[KillarneyRose]

Well, it was a long wait, but my turn finally came up on the hold list and "Pledged" is sitting on my desk in front of me. Now I can enjoy the book without lining Ms. Robbins' pockets!

[phisigcloud]

I just started reading plegded, but I already know the details about the book because half my chapter has read the book. The book reads very much like a novel, however I don't find her writing that good. She jumps around from character to character, then she talks about sororities in general, which makes it hard to read. I do not appreciate that she glorifies ethnic based sororities. They are good and all, but she makes its seem like only they do philanthropy and NPC's don't. In the first chapter she mentions an AKA incident, but she doesn't mention it is NPHC. Also, the quotes at the begining of the chapters from "Rush: A Girls Guide to Sority Success, 1985" I heard that book was a joke written for Greeks. However, Ms. Robbins is quoting it as if it were real.
Whether her information is correct or incorrect, Ms. Robbins is doing her job. She could right an entire book on Sorority ritual and be totally incorrect, but you know it would sell. And that is her goal, to make money.

[James]

I had never lent a lot of credence to the idea that if you weren't Greek you couldn't understand what Greek Life was about until I read this book.

I always thought that anyone with half a brain could extrapolate general human interactions and apply it to something specific such as greek life.

Until I read Miss Robbins.

She went to Yale so you know she has at least an Average IQ and probably an above average work ethic and yet she didn't seem to be able to comprehend that people are people and that most of the illustrated activities are far from unique to Greek Life.

Scary.

[swissmiss04]

Originally posted by James
I had never lent a lot of credence to the idea that if you weren't Greek you couldn't understand what Greek Life was about until I read this book.

I always thought that anyone with half a brain could extrapolate general human interactions and apply it to something specific such as greek life.

Until I read Miss Robbins.

She went to Yale so you know she has at least an Average IQ and probably an above average work ethic and yet she didn't seem to be able to comprehend that people are people and that most of the illustrated activities are far from unique to Greek Life.

Scary.

No matter the intelligence, work ethic, etc. people will see what they want to see. She had it in her head that Greeks are all party hardy alcoholic whores, and so she did her best to seek out information that proved her right. Nevermind that Greeks have higher GPAs, more community service hours, etc. She doesn't see that. So much for journalistic integrity.

[AchtungBaby80]

Originally posted by phisigcloud
Also, the quotes at the begining of the chapters from "Rush: A Girls Guide to Sority Success, 1985" I heard that book was a joke written for Greeks.

Actually...I was wondering about that. I thought those quotes were hilarious and so cartoonish that the book had to be some kind of joke that Miss Robbins failed (purposefully or not) to get. I really want to read the rest of it, but I can't find it anywhere!

[KillarneyRose]

Isn't it amazing what a good photo touch-up can do???

Alexandra Robbins picture on the "Pledged" book jacket



Random pic of A.R. on the Internet

[33girl]

Robbins is the one on the left, correct?


Apparently girls still get nose jobs for graduation.