ISBN:  0786888598
Format:  Paperback
Pub. Date:  7/6/2005
Publisher(s): Hyperion Books

From the Publisher:
This New York Times bestseller is a fast-paced, behind-the-scenes book that blows the lid off the intriguing world of mainstream sorority life.

Alexandra Robbins wanted to find out if the stereotypes about sorority girls were actually true, so she spent a year with a group of girls in a typical sorority. The sordid behavior of sorority girls exceeded her worst expectations -- drugs, psychological abuse, extreme promiscuity, racism, violence, and rampant eating disorders are just a few of the problems. But even more surprising was the fact that these abuses were inflicted and endured by intelligent, successful, and attractive women.

Why is the desire to belong to a sorority so powerful that women are willing to engage in this type of behavior -- especially when the women involved are supposed to be considered "sisters"? What definition of sisterhood do many women embrace? Pledged combines a sharp-eyed narrative with extensive reporting and the fly-on-the-wall voyeurism of reality shows to provide the answer.

Annotation:
Author Alexandra Robbins pretended to be an undergrad for a year so that she could get the inside scoop on what it's truly like to be in an "historically white" sorority. Her goal was to seek the truth behind the stereotype, and try to understand why an intelligent, well-adjusted woman would join one and subject herself to the hazing, the drinking and the drugs, the superficial friendships, the backbiting, and the random sex. The result is part juicy potboiler, part painful revelation.

Don't take anyone else's word for it, Pledged is a book that you have to check out for yourself. Some Greeks are mad about the subject matter and the contents of the books. Others are upset merely at the thought of someone penetrating the secret world of sororities. Just reading the inside flap of the book is enough to send sorority members into a rage, Robbins references behavior oh so naughty that no sorority girl would want to be linked with. Non-Greeks are clamoring to get their hands on a copy of the book that everyone is talking about.

Pledged The Secret Life Of Sororities was written by New York Times Best Selling Author Alexandra Robbins. The book is a hefty read at 340 pages (pages 341-372 include a glossary, end notes, and acknowledgment). The book is so exciting to someone who is interested in Greek life. The book covers Robbins one-year under cover as a college graduate. Robbins herself is 27 years old, but she is strikingly beautiful for an investigative writer and it is no surprise that she was able to pull off being an undergrad.

The book itself is broken down into months. Within the month chapters are subchapters related to dates of the month for example August 17-Vicki's Instant Messenger Away Message. This is a book that you can break into reading over several days or weeks or months for that matter, but it is often so exciting you will want to know what happens next. For the book Alexandra details the experiences of Vicki, Sabrina, Caitlen and Amy who are sorority members.

Not just a tell all, Robbins research is quite impressive. She did her homework in writing about the Greek system. It is not everyday that someone has the courage to write a nonfiction book about sororities. Sororities and fraternities are still considered secret societies despite popular television shows such as MTV's Sorority and Fraternity life. It took a strong willed and motivated writer to go behind the scenes and to honestly report her findings.

If you read the reviews on AMAZON, there is a lot of hatred being shown toward the author. Did she embellish her story? Is she mad because she was never in a sorority? Personally, we don't think so, we just think that she is a writer who had a story she wanted to tell and she didn't really care about who was offended by her story.

Review ***** 5 Stars
Reviewer Shemya Taylor

Author quote-"I learned that many rumors (as well as fantasies) about sororities are indeeed staggeringly true, including mind games, prostitution, racism, forced binge drinking, nudity, verbal abuse, cheating, eating disorders, rituals, 'mean girls,' and secrecy." Alexandra Robbins taken from the Introduction to Pledged.

About the author
Alexandra Robbins is a former staff member of the New York Times. In addition to being the author of Pledged The Secret Life of Sororities she is also the author of Secrets of the Tomb.