Casualties of Privilege: Essays on Prep Schools' Hidden Culture (Paperback)

by Louis M. Crosier (Editor)

Product Details

• Paperback: 153 pages
• Publisher: Avocus Publishing (March 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0962767107
• ISBN-13: 978-0962767104
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #764,716 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A candid look at boarding school life..., March 31, 2000

By	W. Paine "NOLA Dad" (New Orleans, LA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Casualties of Privilege offers an inside look into some of the dark realities of our nations elite boarding schools. The essays, written by those who have witnessed or participated in the rituals they describe, offer a candid look at a side of the world that few of us ever get to see.

I read this book when I was considering the possibility of attending boarding school. At the time, I thought the essays in the book made boarding school look very intriguing. Had my parents seen the book, there is no way they would have even let me apply.

Overall a very good book, if an honest portrayal of boarding schools is what you're looking for. For those who may think the subject matter is controversial, open up your eyes and realize that these schools are no different than the rest of society.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What Boarding School Admissions Officers Don't Tell You, June 24, 2005

By	TN Reader - See all my reviews

This book is a must-read for parents outside the boarding-school tradition who are considering boarding school for their children. The "hidden culture" which Crosier poignantly discusses refers primarily to life after the school day ends and before the next one begins. I read this book before my child began boarding school; and although it did not change our plans, it definitely prepared me for some of the problems that arose during my son's first year. Crosier discusses at some length the demands placed upon boarding school faculty, demands which result in an emphasis on the classroom and athletic fields and which shortchange the mentoring that students need when the school day ends. He recommends a separate evening faculty who are not too exhausted to serve as surrogate parents. While the cost of two sets of faculty would probably result in boarding school only for the most wealthy (and would necessarily exclude families like ours), students would have more of a home-away-from-home rather than being forced too often into situations they are not yet prepared to handle alone.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THE CATCHER IN THE RYE Revisited, May 24, 2006

By	Peter Kenney (Birmingham, Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

CASUALTIES OF PRIVILEGE is a collection of essays by boarding school graduates about their experiences living at school. Most emphasize the dark side of adolescence but also show in many instances how teenage resilience can lead to opportunities for growth. The teachers/dorm parents are portrayed as often overworked and consequently unable to perform many of the parenting functions children need when living away from home. School administators and trustees may view this book as threatening but I recommend it to any parents or students wishing to learn more about the possible perils of boarding school life. The events described in this book are written by young adults who attended school before 1991.