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69 of 74 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The book ... the legend ... the way of life, August 18, 2004
This review is from: The Official Preppy Handbook (Paperback)
This book was a spot-on parody when it came out in 1980, but also a quite accurate and even useful "field guide" to the North American prepster. Almost 25 years later, it still holds up as humor, and also as a great guide to the prep look and lifestyle. And best of all, it may even be timely once again: An article in the New York Times a few days ago suggested that teen fashion trends are turning away from overexposure and punk and back toward plaid, chinos, polo shirts (with turned up collars, natch), even repp ties! Everything comes around a second time, so Lisa Birnbach call your office. It may be time for an updated edition for today's rising BMOCs.
All I know is that my copy is well-thumbed from two-plus decades of hard work, and it's showing no signs of irrelevance yet!
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50 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A guidebook for the relocated, June 9, 2004
This review is from: The Official Preppy Handbook (Paperback)
When I first moved to new York City to work in the corporate world I came across Lisa Birnbach's Preppy Handbook. Suddenly everything made sense. I could understand why the blonde vice president in the elevator had the "executive look" and I didn't. I understood the vague references. Coming from somewhere where no one ever had tailgates, much less parties on them, it introduced me to a whole other way of life. I needed to understand preppies if I were to achieve success in the East and Lisa let me know the code. The book is a wonderful piece of cultural anthropology. I routinely recommend this book to talented kids from other classes and other places who are trying to make it in the Northeast. Along with John Molloy's Dress for Success, this book made it possible for me to adapt to corporate life.
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34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Witty , Elegant , CLASSIC!!, January 18, 2002
This review is from: The Official Preppy Handbook (Paperback)
I am hard pressed to recall a humor book that was so very well done, that academics routinely cite examples from its pages. The Official Preppy Handbook has achieved that. Lisa Birnbach and company, successfully documented the lives of the Prep School set, from youth to retirement. Along the way they explore in a brilliant and witty way, the mindset and lifestyle of this group. You learn immediately that being a Preppy is well beyond going to a private school. Preps exude Noblesse Oblige, while wearing Lacoste polos and drinking Bloody Mary's. You learn about their cars, colleges, clothes, food, jobs, music, pets, what they read and how they decorate their houses. You learn what "To Summer," REALLY means. You even learn their speech patterns, and prep vocabulary. Along the way you have a lot of laughs, while getting an education about what makes these people tick. Years later, I still pull out my pristine copy not only for laughs, but for reference as well. In recent years others have tried to follow this groundbreaking formula only to have missed the mark. You will find many books with: "In the traditon of The Preppy Handbook" in their titles. They do not even come close. Sadly, this artifact is out of print. Perhaps someone will start a letter writing campaign to Workman Publishers, begging them to reprint it. It is REALLY that good!
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