Books on fraternity/Greek life

[ThetaPrincess24]

There is also:

Bound by a Mighty Vow: Sisterhood and Women's Fraternities, 1870-1920 by Diana Turk.

I own this book and I highly recommend it to all greek women. Ms. Turk is not a greek herself, but does present women's fraternities in a good light.

To quote part of the back cover: " Bound by a Mighty Vow, a history of the women's greek system, demonstrates that these organizations have always served more serious purposes" rather than being thought of as exclusive clubs for socially inclined college students. " Diana B. Turk explores the founding and development of the earliest sororities...and explains how these groups served as support networks to help the first female collegians succees in the hostile world of nineteenth-century higher education."

Kappa Alpha Theta archives were used as a primary source for this book but several other women's fraternities are also discussed.

[exlurker]

New (2007) Book on Greek Life: Inside Greek U.

A book review, an e-mailed Q & A with the author, and assorted comments can be seen at

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/10/25/greek

I bought a copy a couple of weeks ago, and found it interesting. It isn't anti-Greek, although as the book review mentions, it may not completely please Greeks or college and university administrators.

The author, Alan De Santis, is a faculty member at the U. of Kentucky. There's a substantial amount of discussion of gender roles. A long bibliography indicates a degree of research considerably above that of, say, Pledged. It's unlikely that Inside Greek U. will ever be a runaway best-seller; not quite popular enough in style (still readable, though), and no big ad campaign behind it.

A mild caveat: when De Santis discusses "quota," he gives the impression (at least as I read it) that quota is set by the university or college. That's usually not true -- it's set by Panhellenic using formulas associated with the fairly new release figures method, or by some other math application.

Edited to add: Inside Greek U. has little to say about NPHC, multicultural, Latino/Latina, or Asian social fraternities or sororities. That's a limitation potential buyers / readers may want to be aware of.

[Wolfman]

Biographies (or autobiogrpahies) are places where this information can be found. For Omega Psi Phi luminaries, I've seen discussion of Fraternity experiences for the following:

Biographies:
Langston Hughes by Arnold Ramparsad
Founder,Dr. Ernest E. Just ('Black Apollo of Science') by Kenneth Manning

Autobiographies:
Vernon Jordan
Sterling Brown
Roy Wilkins

[icicle22]

Originally Posted by ADSigMel

Actually, I liked Pledged. It read like fiction, and I read it as though it were. Well, except for the parts that I knew were true. I was actually featured in the book. The section about me still read kind of like fiction, though, since she sort of made me seem pathetic, which, at least as far as I can tell, I was not.

You're the founder of Alpha Delta Sigma, aren't you?

[jon1856]

There is a new book, which I do not have in front of my at the monent, written by the author of Animal House.

[Leslie Anne]

Originally Posted by jon1856

There is a new book, which I do not have in front of my at the monent, written by the author of Animal House.

His website: http://www.chrismillerwriter.com/

[icicle22]

In Smashed (which is like a memoir), there is like a considerably big section on Greek life. The woman who wrote it was a member of one of the sororities when she went to Syracuse University.

[exlurker]

Inside Greek U. (Book Review)

A newspaper's review of this fairly new book is at:

http://www.kentucky.com/books/story/260542.html

[davincisoprano1]

Isn't Legally Blonde which was originally a book based on Delta Gamma?

[SMUalphachi]

Originally Posted by icicle22

In Smashed (which is like a memoir), there is like a considerably big section on Greek life. The woman who wrote it was a member of one of the sororities when she went to Syracuse University.

I recommend Smashed as well, not simply for the section on Greek life. It was a good read.

[princessjv]

Originally Posted by davincisoprano1

Isn't Legally Blonde which was originally a book based on Delta Gamma?

Yup! I have the book that inspired the first movie, and "Elle", "Serena" and "Margot" in the book are Delta Gamma's, "Brooke" is a Kappa Alpha Theta, and "Chutney" is a Kappa Kappa Gamma.

[NoorJahanGPhiB]

There's a cute, older book called "From Here To Fraternity" by Robert Egan.

http://www.amazon.com/Here-Fraternit.../dp/0553341936

"I Heart Recruitment: The Eight Steps to Limitless Possibility for Sororities" by Colleen Coffey and Jessica Gendron. I haven't read it, but the reviews look good.

http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Recruitm...8509062&sr=1-1

[DNTKE]

I had a copy of "From He From Here to Fraternity" back in the late 80's.
It was a great reference book with lots of jokes that various shools had and some neat facts about greek houses etc. I picked it up on e-bay for $20 or so. Below is shows that there is a copy available right now. A bit pricey though.

Here is the e-bay info:
Item Specifics - Nonfiction Books
Author: Robert Egan Category: --
Publisher: Bantam Dell Pub Group
ISBN-10: 0553341936
ISBN-13: 9780553341935 Condition: Used
Format: Softcover
Publication Year: 1985

[DNTKE]

I had a copy of "From Here to Fraternity" back in the late 80's.
It was a great reference book with lots of jokes that various shools had and some neat facts about greek houses etc. I picked it up on e-bay for $20 or so. Below is shows that there is a copy available right now. A bit pricey though.

Here is the e-bay info:
Item Specifics - Nonfiction Books
Author: Robert Egan Category: --
Publisher: Bantam Dell Pub Group
ISBN-10: 0553341936
ISBN-13: 9780553341935 Condition: Used
Format: Softcover
Publication Year: 1985

[banditone]

I ordered Here to Fraternity from amazon for about 12dollars.

REad Goat Brothers many years ago, it was a really good book. I think I'll run to the book store and grab that one soon..