Pledged-Secret Sorority Lives-The book

[collme83]

Have any of you read the book "Pledged-The Secret Life of Sororities" by Alexandra Robins?? I read a review of it in PEOPLE magazine and i wasn't to happy/thrilled about the content. It's basically about this girl who secretly goes undercover and joins a sorority and talks about pledging, hazing, eating disorders, partying and fraternities. Just wondering if anyone had read it? and what you think about it.

Pi Phi Love
...colleen*

[dakareng]

I skimmed it while sitting in B&N. I was not about to give this author any more $$$. Entering recruitment under false pretenses is more than annoying and the fact that she's revealing private ritual facts from several groups (including Pi Phi) shows me that she has no respect for the organizations. It reads like a cheap romance novel interspersed with academic-type prose although most of her source materials are outdated.

[Lady Pi Phi]

I admit I did buy the book (the libraries in Toronto haven't put it on their shelves yet) and I did read.

I have no idea what she was trying to "prove" with this book.
I don't like "creative non-fiction" and I don't think she made her point (whatever it was supposed to be) by using this method.

I had to stop reading the ritual chapter part because she made me so angry that I wanted to chuck the book at someone.
She has no respect for the organizations she followed and she clearly showed us that she was not trying to write a "fair and balanced" account of sorority life.

[Speechpath]

Same thing, I looked through it at the bookstore and was far from impressed with any of it. I'm not sure there was a point to any of it, but I'm sure she feels that she accomplished something from revealing ritual secrets (although most of it is not true). I would never buy it and hope not many others will. As my mother (a very wise KKG) pointed out, there is not a large segment of the population that is really interested in knowing that information anyway.

[erniegurl00]

Hmm...now I feel like I need to look at this silly book. I've tried to stay out of its hype, but curiosity is finally killing this cat!


....definitely NOT buying it though.....

[Speechpath]

I admit I was very curious to see what she wrote about Pi Phi, just to see if it was accurate most of all. Of course I have no way to know about the other groups but my mom said all of the KKG info wasn't right but some was.

I think shame on her for writing such a thing, and shame on those who did tell real secrets to her!

[dakareng]

There was one thing, that is revealed during initiation mentioned that is accurate, otherwise there isn't anything that someone couldn't find out by following all of the links on the webpage (or reading an outdated pledge manual-- which was the source she referenced). .

I found it interesting that the B&N, I read it in, had it displayed in the same section with "Sex and the City". Little social comentary there?

[Speechpath]

Karen,

Funny you should say that about B&N, b/c I had to ask where to find the book and the girl behind the counter looked at me like I was nuts and said, "I'm not sure where we would keep something like that." Turns out it was in the women's studies section!

[angelove]

There was one thing, that is revealed during initiation mentioned that is accurate

It wasn't technically accurate though, although I wouldn't dream of explaining why on a public site or to any non-PiPhis. It does bother me that she knew something about it.

Karen, is there any way to keep disgruntled initiates from revealing things like this? I'm sure it happens all the time - there is a thread on Greek Chat about depinned initiates and even drunk actives revealing information of all GLOs - but can it be stopped through some kind of court order or something? I find it very frustrating.

I really, really, really hated that book, on a number of levels that I've discussed on other threads. It's been a month since I read it (for a book club) and I still get angry when I think about it.

[KellyB369]

Originally posted by angelove
Karen, is there any way to keep disgruntled initiates from revealing things like this? I'm sure it happens all the time - there is a thread on Greek Chat about depinned initiates and even drunk actives revealing information of all GLOs - but can it be stopped through some kind of court order or something? I find it very frustrating.

Trust me, this does happen and there is nothing you can do to keep a disgruntled exmember or drunk sister from spilling the beans.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Unfortunately I doubt there is anything one can do to prevent ex-members or disgruntled members from revealing secrets.
One can only hope that they have enough respect for the organization/members not to reveal that kind of information.

[Speechpath]

I agree, there is not way to keep that information from coming out if someone wants it to. As a matter of fact, it happened more than once while I was in school. I had one girl that pledged with me who left after her freshmen year and later proceeded to describe in detail her initation at a party. I never had much respect for her and after that I knew she was not a person of character and I was glad she turned in her pin.

[piphiarrow234]

Originally posted by angelove
It wasn't technically accurate though, although I wouldn't dream of explaining why on a public site or to any non-PiPhis. It does bother me that she knew something about it.\

Yeah i noticed that too....

[angelic1]

OK.. I admit to skimming it as well in the bookstore.. I went by the other day to just sit around and read and then remembered about the book...

the one thing that is nice about the book.. is that it is so obviously one sided and creative nonfiction that when you read the ritual section you cant really take it to heart bc you dont know whats true and whats not made up by that point.

(I still dont understand how she felt that she could honestly say that she was trying to get a honest accurate portrayal of greek life.. she had to seek out girls obviously not happy with their chapters to get information so she of course wouldnt get good info..)

Knowing that the only completely accurate information was taken from the pledge manual, which is not ritual, I wasnt too worried.