The Official Preppy Handbook
Our Price: $69.99
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $9.95 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Editor: Lisa BirnbachEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1980-10
ISBN: 0894801406
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Workman Publishing
Book Reviews of The Official Preppy Handbook
Book Review: Meticulous Look at Preppy Life
Summary: 5 Stars
This book written in 1980 says that the Preppy outlook is timeless. As a non-prep, I can't vouch for all the features, but as for clothes and jobs it still holds true. Putting aside all the details in this book (which are many) is a certain "je n'est ce what the f*ck" unique to the preppy worldview that this author has revealed.
As for clothes, J.Crew 25 years later still features the same Fair Isle sweaters, the hot pink and lime green striped grosgrain belts, the loud print skirts (small prints are considered "ditsy"), and the embroidered repeating motifs on pants. All of these things that I just thought were... ugly, actually are quintessential preppy style.
As for jobs, the 2004 movie Born Rich by the Johnson & Johnson heir was made by interviewed his 20 something peers and their careers match up with those in the book: stockbroker, investment banker, art dealer, rare-book dealer (a career suggested by the filmmaker's father) and ne'er-do-well. The book covers additional career ideas such as account executive at an ad agency, editor, tennis pro, philanthropist and carpenter (PhD in philosophy preferable for the latter).
The information in this book covers every stage of preppy life from childhood to the country club years. Attention to lifestyle is paramount and this book lives up to the task by including the well bred preppy home complete with duck prints, french windows, liquor in large sized bottles and a silver cigarette box (prize for 1965 Labor Day regatta).
Prep schools themselves are covered (including the importance of getting kicked out) as are colleges. Harvard, alas, is not as prep as the ivy would imply because they often select students on academic achievement which provides for a less exclusive environment.
Middle class people often see college as a place to build a career and partying is considered recreation, but for the prep (who already has established inroads into a career due to family connections) the partying is social networking of the highest order. The social life is important and "beeritory confinement" is a bonding experience that lasts a lifetime through the later corridors of power.
Both George W. Bush and John Kerry were in Yale's secret Skull & Bones society which is covered briefly in the book along with other good college clubs. *note to self, join the A's*
All kidding aside, this is a great little book jam packed with information.
Summary of The Official Preppy Handbook
The Official Preppy Handbook is a tongue-in-cheek humor reference guide written by Jonathan Roberts, Carol McD. Wallace, Mason Wiley, and Lisa Birnbach. It discusses an aspect of North American culture described as prepdom. In addition to insights on prep school and university life at socially acceptable schools it illuminates many aspects of upper-class, old money WASP society. Topics range from appropriate clothing for social events to choosing the correct college and major.The book's reflections on young urban professional culture inspired the founder of the J. Crew clothing line, Arthur Cinader. Cinader hoped to capitalize on the book's success. The book also represented a resurgence of interest in 'preppy' culture that aided the growth of retailer L.L. Bean. The book's exposé of university life and the drug and sex culture at various schools had a significant impact on public thought about those schools.
Humor Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Humor Books
Snuffby Chuck Palahniuk
Anchor; Published: 2009-04-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.99
Price in other shops:
Don't Eat This Bookby Morgan Spurlock
Penguin Audio; Published: 2005-05-19; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $5.47
Price in other shops:
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hellby Tucker Max
Penguin; Published: 2006; Paperback; Book
The Saber-Tooth Curriculumby J.Abner Peddiwell
Mcgraw-Hill; Published: 1959-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.00
Miss Americaby Howard Stern
It Books; Published: 2010-08-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.71
Price in other shops:
101 Places Not to See Before You Dieby Catherine Price
Harper Perennial; Published: 2010-06-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.59
Price in other shops:
My Life and Hard Times (Perennial Classics)by James Thurber
Harper Perennial Modern Classics; Published: 1999-10-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.69
Price in other shops:
Equal Rites: A Discworld Novel (Discworld Novels)by Terry Pratchett
Harper Perennial; Published: 2005-09-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.98
Price in other shops:
Mirth of a Nation: Audio Companion, Fellow Traveler and Friend for Life--Laff Tracks From America's Most Trusted Humor Anthologyby Michael J. Rosen
HarperAudio; Published: 2002-11-12; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $4.51
Price in other shops:
Red, White & Liberalby Alan Colmes
HarperAudio; Published: 2003-10-28; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
A Privileged Life: Celebrating Wasp Styleby Susanna Salk
Taschen; Assouline; Published: 2007-04-02; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $28.15
Price in other shops:
How to Marry Moneyby Kevin Doyle
Plume; Published: 2004-04-27; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.96
Price in other shops:
Taste: Acquiring What Money Can't Buyby Letitia Baldrige
Truman Talley Books; Published: 2007-05-29; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.07
Price in other shops:
The Ivy Look: Classic American Clothing - An Illustrated Pocket Guideby Graham Marsh, J. P. Gaul
Frances Lincoln; Published: 2010-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.50
Price in other shops:
Preppy: Cultivating Ivy Styleby Jeffrey Banks, Doria de La Chapelle
Rizzoli; Published: 2011-10-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $26.77
Price in other shops:
True Prep: It's a Whole New Old Worldby Lisa Birnbach, Chip Kidd
Knopf; Published: 2011-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.30
Price in other shops:
Take Ivyby Shosuke Ishizu, Toshiyuki Kurosu, Hajime Hasegawa
powerHouse Books; Published: 2010-08-31; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.25
Price in other shops:
Class: A Guide Through the American Status Systemby Paul Fussell
Touchstone; Published: 1992-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.50
Price in other shops:
The Official Filthy Rich Handbookby Christopher Tennant
Workman Publishing Company; Published: 2008-06-19; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.62
Price in other shops:
True Prep: It's a Whole New Old Worldby Lisa Birnbach, Chip Kidd
Knopf; Published: 2010-09-07; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.84
Price in other shops: