The Real Animal House: The Awesomely Depraved Saga of the Fraternity That Inspired the Movie [Hardcover]

Chris Miller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2006

The creator of "Animal House" at last tells the real story of the fraternity that inspired the iconic film--a story far more outrageous and funny than any movie could ever capture.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The screenplay for National Lampoon's Animal House was the brainchild of National Lampoon editor Harold Ramis, Doug Kenny and Miller, who turned Dartmouth frat life into the 1978 hit movie. Often, their stories were considered too sordid for Universal's producers to air. Ironically, what seemed too gross to put on screen in the '70s is now too boring to put in print. Yet without actors to give dimension to the zany characters, the tall tales feel like an awkward, horny sophomore faking bravado. What readers learn is Miller's obsession with puerile details and his insane desire to degrade himself. Pinto, the name he gave himself at Dartmouth, finds acceptance at a fraternity because of his "booting prowess" (vomiting skills); he witnesses the sexual victories of his pals, drinks himself sick and survives car accidents. Like the outtakes in DVDs, this book proves that Miller's frat-boy shenanigans deserved to stay on the cutting-room floor, not because of any sense of prudery, but to save the reader from testosterone-fueled overkill. Die-hard fans may be amused by the tales of "Bags" and "Seal," the two real-life inspirations for Animal House's Bluto, the role John Belushi nailed. But none of the recorded pranks have the life-spirit contained in Belushi's clarion call: "Toga!" (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Billed as a "wildly exaggerated memoir," this book by the writer whose autobiographical stories for National Lampoon were the basis of the movie Animal House is exactly what you would expect it to be: loud, raucous, infantile, racy, and very funny. It's hard to tell where Miller draws the line between reporting and making it up, but does it really matter? Like the movie, this Animal House isn't about real fraternity life; it's about the life that the stereotypical frat brother from the 1950s and early 1960s wishes he had lived. The book is full of likable eccentrics, sexual shenanigans, and--if you know where to look for them--valuable life lessons. Put on a CD of '50s and '60s rock 'n' roll, sit back, and let Miller transport you to a place and time that never actually existed--but wouldn't it be something if it had? David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1ST edition (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316057010
• ISBN-13: 978-0316057011
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #579,044 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in Brooklyn, grew up in Roslyn, Long Island. High school there, then Dartmouth College. Got an MBA at the Amos Tuck School but didn't use it much. Wrote copy and produced commercials at Dancer-Fitzgerald- Sample advertising during the second half of the sixties--used to do the Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs spots, among many others. In 1970, dropped out of the straight world and began writing short stories. Served my apprenticeship in a number of cheap magazines, then graduated to National Lampoon. A couple of my Lampoon stories were the genesis of the movie, Animal House, the script of which I co-wrote. During the seventies I toured a couple of hundred colleges, reading my stories and generally behaving disreputably. Moved to Los Angeles in 1981. Lived in Laurel Canyon, pursued movie projects. Married Mary Hale in '85, fathered son, Jack, the following year. Lived in the boring San Fernando Valley while doing the parent thing. Jack's currently a junior at Oberlin, and doing well. I now live in Venice, CA, two blocks from the beach, with my cats, Miles and Squeak. The movie business is mostly behind me and books are what's happening. Currently working on a second memoir that picks up ten years after the first one ends. Set in 1970, it chronicles the days of long hair, drugs and rock 'n' roll in New York City. Stay tuned.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much better than I expected, October 30, 2006

By 

Koogan (Athens, GA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Real Animal House: The Awesomely Depraved Saga of the Fraternity That Inspired the Movie (Hardcover)

When I considered buying this book, I thought, "How many times can Animal House be re-told, or revisited?" Thankfully, at least one more time. This is a great, quick book to read, but it's not for squeamish or easily offended readers. But how many of those folks are reading books about Animal House?

The first thing I can recall reading by Chris Miller was a story in the National Lampoon back in the mid-70s titled "A Thanksgiving Memory", which I will forever remember as one of the most perverted, sick, and hilarious things ever printed. Miller still has the ability to write about almost every type of perversion imaginable and make it extremely funny.

The book has its slow parts, and some of the stories seem revised or toned-down from earlier versions I've read here and there. However, there are so many surprises and outrageous moments in this, it's hard to be bothered by a few boring parts.

My only suggestion for potential readers is don't leave this laying around where any overly-sensitive people might pick it up and glance through it. They will be extremely disappointed in you.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars When the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor, November 14, 2006

By 

Bytesman (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Real Animal House: The Awesomely Depraved Saga of the Fraternity That Inspired the Movie (Hardcover)

As Flounder once said in a similar context: "Oh, boy, is this great!" Chris Miller has managed to offer up a story of such depravity and degradation that it's hard to believe he and his fellow ADs at Dartmouth College in the early 1960s were actually bright and talented students as well - but they were. Miller himself graduated with an AB in English and an MBA from the Tuck School while taking advantage of what was then referred to as the 3-2 program, with the senior year doubling as the first year of business school. Miller is/was no dummy, and it comes across in his storytelling. In many ways, it is an outrageous book, but, if you can believe it, an honest one, as most of these things actually did happen. I know because I was there. Of course, not all of the ADs were drunken and depraved all of the time; nor were the Betas and SAEs always the saints he portrays them to be. But AD certainly had "gear" and everyone wanted to be a part of their parties with wonderful, black, r'n'r bands that they typically shared with their neighboring Chi Phi, a slightly more (but not that much more) buttoned up version of AD. This is not high literature, but if you have a long flight somewhere, take this book along and you'll find yourself at your destination before you know it. The emmets and pinheads, Balch Hill, Tanzi's, the Green Lantern (aka the Green Latrine), Lou's--it's all there and those of us who were privileged to be a part of Dartmouth during this time had some great fun.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Just what I expected!, November 18, 2006

By 

J. Barksdale "JB" (Coral Springs, Fl United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Real Animal House: The Awesomely Depraved Saga of the Fraternity That Inspired the Movie (Hardcover)

When I saw this book on the shelf, I thought "Cool, maybe some more insight other then the movie!" As I have seen the movie, like many, hundreds of times...The great thing about this book is that it "stands alone," meaning that you will not find the antics too repetitive if you have seen the movie over and over. Sure, there are many plot lines from the movie that are OBVIOUSLY drawn from this book...However, many new hijinks! Not for the squeamish as there are many descriptive sexual shenanigans, etc...Loved it! Can't understand how anyone who loves the movie would not love this book! Many times I had to put the book down as I was LMAO! My only complaint, and a minor one at that, is that there are too many fraternity brothers names to keep up with...