Book Review: Rho Upsilon fraternity book promises unauthorized tales, delivers snoozes
Rachel McCarty
Issue date: 11/28/06 Section: Entertainment
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11/28/06 - "Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta…" These are the words I hear chanted over and over again, as fast as possible, as part of my roommate's efforts to learn the Greek alphabet for her sorority. Greek organizations - fraternities and sororities - are a major part of campus life at any university. My experience with Greek life has been minimal at best, but if 46 Union Street: The Untold Story of Rho Upsilon is the tell-all it makes itself out to be, there isn't much reason to join a fraternity.
The essential history of the Rutgers' chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi, written by former brothers (which should give you an indication of the scholarly merit of the tome), is compiled into 79 chapters whose topics range from the names of the rooms in the fraternity house to the whereabouts of alumni.
This is all fascinating, of course, if you happen to be an alumni or current brother. I am neither. The disclaimers on outside and title page of the book are the only things to spur interest.
"Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, The Alpha Epsilon Pi Foundation and Rutgers University do NOT approve or endorse any of the events or activities described in this book." The capital letters provide emphasis where emphasis is not even needed. There are no activities described in this book that could provoke reaction from the university, unless the statute of limitations for practical jokes and pranks is longer than I assume.
Animal House with a harder edge is not is what is presented here. The most scandalous event described involves a particularly large woman walking into the house and exposing herself to several of the brothers.
Other possible reasons for the disclaimer include the fraternity's upkeep of a tap in its basement when the university banned all Greek organizations from having bars, the house's horrible living conditions and the collapse of the roof several times. Entertaining, but not enough to make the other 398 pages of the 400-page tome interesting in the least.
46 Union Street is a poorly put together scrapbook, hindered by the advent of computer clipart. That Bruce Kesselman quit his job to put together the book speaks more to his mid-life crisis and chance to relive his fraternity days (the best he ever had perhaps?) than any possible choice to "set out to write a history of the university that provided him with the leadership skills he has applied to his life beyond," as one press release said.
It is Kesselman's goal to counteract the reports of hazing and misconduct that normally appear in accounts of fraternity life. Without them, there isn't much that can be said about a fraternity. The feeling of brotherhood and camaraderie, which for the uninitiated will never be understood, is all that is different.
The essential history of the Rutgers' chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi, written by former brothers (which should give you an indication of the scholarly merit of the tome), is compiled into 79 chapters whose topics range from the names of the rooms in the fraternity house to the whereabouts of alumni.
This is all fascinating, of course, if you happen to be an alumni or current brother. I am neither. The disclaimers on outside and title page of the book are the only things to spur interest.
"Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, The Alpha Epsilon Pi Foundation and Rutgers University do NOT approve or endorse any of the events or activities described in this book." The capital letters provide emphasis where emphasis is not even needed. There are no activities described in this book that could provoke reaction from the university, unless the statute of limitations for practical jokes and pranks is longer than I assume.
Animal House with a harder edge is not is what is presented here. The most scandalous event described involves a particularly large woman walking into the house and exposing herself to several of the brothers.
Other possible reasons for the disclaimer include the fraternity's upkeep of a tap in its basement when the university banned all Greek organizations from having bars, the house's horrible living conditions and the collapse of the roof several times. Entertaining, but not enough to make the other 398 pages of the 400-page tome interesting in the least.
46 Union Street is a poorly put together scrapbook, hindered by the advent of computer clipart. That Bruce Kesselman quit his job to put together the book speaks more to his mid-life crisis and chance to relive his fraternity days (the best he ever had perhaps?) than any possible choice to "set out to write a history of the university that provided him with the leadership skills he has applied to his life beyond," as one press release said.
It is Kesselman's goal to counteract the reports of hazing and misconduct that normally appear in accounts of fraternity life. Without them, there isn't much that can be said about a fraternity. The feeling of brotherhood and camaraderie, which for the uninitiated will never be understood, is all that is different.
