Books about Fraternities and Sororities

[naraht]

For Alpha Phi Omega, our history book was only sold by our national office. For Delta Sigma Theta, as best as I can tell, it was sold both by the national office and in bookstores, which way are various other fraternity histories...

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by naraht

For Alpha Phi Omega, our history book was only sold by our national office. For Delta Sigma Theta, as best as I can tell, it was sold both by the national office and in bookstores, which way are various other fraternity histories...

Apparently you can buy various Alpha books through the non-member side of the website.

ETA: I recommend them all for the serious student of BGLO history, but beware that the Centennial Book of Essays and Letters does not have an index.

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I'd wager that most GLOs more than a few decades old have at least one history book if not more. They are interesting reads. I always keep an eye out for them at used book stores and on used book websites.

Kappa Alpha Theta has a few hsitory books. I too must agree that the history is fascinating and there is no way everything could possibly be touched on in member education.

I have and own all of Theta's history books except for one, Kite Flight. I'm always on the look out for it.

[KSUViolet06]

I don't think I've ever seen A Path From Farmville available at a bookstore (not that I would mind as there is nothing remotely secret in it). I received a copy when I was initiated (I don't know if it is given out anymore).

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I don't think I've ever seen A Path From Farmvilleavailable at a bookstore (not that I would mind as there is nothing remotely secret in it). I received a copy when I was initiated (I don't know if it is given out anymore).

I've seen some Divine 9 related books in bookstores. But I've seen lots of other histories (and in used book stores. Occasionally, I can afford them -- they can be expensive.

[wolffootball37]

I recommend: The Naked Roommate. Its more of a freshmen intro into college life, but it has a good section on Greek life. It talks about the good and the bad, but is pro Greek all the way through. The guy who wrote it was in a fraternity as well.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by wolffootball37

I recommend: The Naked Roommate. Its more of a freshmen intro into college life, but it has a good section on Greek life. It talks about the good and the bad, but is pro Greek all the way through. The guy who wrote it is in a fraternity as well.

I actually had that. I thought it was a preety handy book, though of course YMMV. Oh and FYP.

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by wolffootball37

I recommend: The Naked Roommate. Its more of a freshmen intro into college life, but it has a good section on Greek life. It talks about the good and the bad, but is pro Greek all the way through. The guy who wrote it was in a fraternity as well.

Thank you for posting that. I have seen that book and wondered about it. My oldest step son graduates high school tomorrow and will be attending college in the fall.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24

Thank you for posting that. I have seen that book and wondered about it. My oldest step son graduates high school tomorrow and will be attending college in the fall.

I read it and also like it.

[DrPhil]

(The general silliness of reading another org's pledge manual aside) How on Earth can an outsider point out what's wrong with other GLOs' pledge manuals? Aside from historical inconsistencies.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

(The general silliness of reading another org's pledge manual aside) How on Earth can an outsider point out what's wrong with other GLOs' pledge manuals? Aside from historical inconsistencies.

Why is it silly? I find it really informative and interesting. There's nothing in it that outsiders shouldn't read.

And what I pointed out is right in line with an historical inaccuracy. No special fraternity knowledge required.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

And what I pointed out is right in line with an historical inaccuracy. No special fraternity knowledge required.

I'm not talking about you. Other than historical inaccuracies, how could an outsider correct a pledge manual?

[als463]

Because I'm a nerd for all things Greek, I ordered "I Heart Recruitment" and it came yesterday. I read it from cover-to-cover in a about an hour. I loved the book and it was pretty uplifting. It is true, EVERY GLO has something to offer. I appreciated the message! Thanks for the advice about getting this book!

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by als463

Because I'm a nerd for all things Greek, I ordered "I Heart Recruitment" and it came yesterday. I read it from cover-to-cover in a about an hour. I loved the book and it was pretty uplifting. It is true, EVERY GLO has something to offer. I appreciated the message! Thanks for the advice about getting this book!

I have read and own this one too. I have found it extremely helpful to me as a recruitment advisor. About two weekends ago, one of the authors of that book did a recruitment workshop at EKU. Phenomenal. If your campus panhellenic's can swing it or several groups going in together to pay for it, have them come to your campus.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I'm not talking about you. Other than historical inaccuracies, how could an outsider correct a pledge manual?

The text in question describes pronounciation of Greek Letters by various groups and indicates that the reason that the Phi and the Xi in Alpha Phi and Alpha Xi Delta are pronounced so as to rhyme with "bee" is that they follow vowels. This is not a correct understanding of Greek Pronounciation.

This is of course complicated by the fact that the fact that the names of the greek letters are different now than they were 2000 years ago. For example, the second letter of the greek alphabet is now pronounced as closer to an english v than a english b and the pronounciation of the name of the letter is has a shortish i like in fit (but a little bit of long e) rather than a long a like bay.

For Phi and Xi, the pronounciations where they rhyme with bee are what is in modern greek, the pronounciations where they rhyme with fly are what is in ancient greek. However for Xi, the modern greek is closer to ksee in pronounciation than zee.

The Wikipedia page for Alpha Phi says
"However, the pronunciation of Phi as "Fee" rather than "Fi" actually results from the fact that the organization adopted the Greek rather than anglicized, mainly American, pronunciation of the letter because it sounded more feminine." There isn't anything I can find on Alpha Phi's National page, but a lot of Alpha Phi chapter websites have the "after a vowel" explanation.

I can't find anything either on wikipedia or on the Alpha Xi Delta national website on why it rhymes with bee.

The text from the original pledge manual the GCer found gets it wrong, the one from Kappa Sigma is similar but basically says that not all GLOs pronounce them the same and these two are exceptions...

I'm not sure if that counts as a historical inaccuracy though.

For further information, just search greekchat for topics on greek pronounciation.

I'm not saying that anyone is pronouncing their own greek letters wrong, it's such a mess of Current Greek, British pronounciation of Ancient Greek and American pronounciation that just about everyone is right.