Rating: 
Summary: Right on the mark
Review: Last summer I shopping at a store in Bar Harbor and a group of kids came in: maybe in their early teens. Each was skinny, wore a polo shirt and shorts, had shortish hair, and a deep tan. I could not for the life of me tell if any of them were boys or girls. All I could think about was the Preppy Handbook, and how they describe EXACTLY that phenomenon in the childhood section.Why is this book out of print? It was brilliant, is brilliant, and will always be brilliant! Anyone who lives in New England should own this book.
Rating:
Summary: Right on the mark
Review: Last summer I shopping at a store in Bar Harbor and a group of kids came in: maybe in their early teens. Each was skinny, wore a polo shirt and shorts, had shortish hair, and a deep tan. I could not for the life of me tell if any of them were boys or girls. All I could think about was the Preppy Handbook, and how they describe EXACTLY that phenomenon in the childhood section. Why is this book out of print? It was brilliant, is brilliant, and will always be brilliant! Anyone who lives in New England should own this book.
Rating:
Summary: Dated? Nonsense!
Review: Lisa Birnbach's The Official Preppy Handbook is a bible for every Brooks Brother and Lacoste Polo Shirt wearing man and woman in the country. Birnbach's sarcastic approach to the preppy world makes you stop to consider how ridiculous some of the things we do are, or at the very least provides for a little dinning hall humor! When I was in prep school in Massachusetts, my roommate and I were invited to an afternoon lawn party with several of the deans. Not knowing what to wear to such an occasion, we consulted "The Handbook" then headed off to J. Press. Although we were two of the only people wearing seersucker suits, we were confident in our attire and received many compliments throughout the afternoon. Although the true prep will have a hardbound first edition in the top drawer of his or her desk, everyone who has ever thrown on some topsiders to wear to class will love and cherish this book.
Rating:
Summary: So fuuny, so close to home
Review: Mummy, Daddy, Trip and Buffy eat your hearts out! This is the funniest book I've ever read, and I have to admit I've gleaned more than a couple of fashion hints from its sacred pages. While it is primarily a tongue-in-cheek spoof on old-line preppies, it is also a definitive, flawless, and well-written authority on The Tradition. Owning the out-of-print book is a coveted honor. And know to refer to it by its abbrevaition: The OPH. Find it in paperback, discuss it only with your preppiest friends, and tuck it away in a descreet bedroom drawer. And it is important to keep the rare item safe for passing it on to the future generations, as preppy style never ages.
Rating:
Summary: Oh Bull! Tell Me No!
Review: So was the ultra-preppy exclamation of my time! I LIVED my high-school career based on this book, and let me say - I regret very little. Sure, my current high-school aged students laugh when I describe my fave outfit with its matching hot pink Polo shirt, kelly green a-line skirt and ribbon belt - I had the enviable glory of knowing that my actual Highland Park High School ranked in this,THE Official Preppy Handbook. Honestly, just today I chuckled a bit when I noticed that the ex-sorority-prep-chick assistant to the recording-studio-exec. where I work was wearing (no lie) a whale belt with her capri khakis and navy polo shirt. Long live Lisa Birnbach!!
Rating:
Summary: A true guidebook
Review: The official preppy handbook is an hillarious tongue in cheek look at preppy life. It includes all the details of preppy life: birth, parties, school, parties, dating, work, parties, death, and parties. A great gift for a friend or yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Quite uncanny
Review: The Preppy Handbook is absolutely hilarious. Recommended by a friend, it describes my world with stunning accuracy. It describes everyone in my neighbourhood to a tee. I finally understand why people in my college still wear (and have always worn) their collars up. I was in Bergdorf Goodman the other day, and I saw someone who was like me when I was younger, a child carrying his Brooks Brothers shopping bag (they have a new store four blocks away), wearing khakis, and of course a shirt with the collar up. Whenever I look at a lot of my friends/acquaintances, I can't help but laugh at the stunning accuracy of this beloved satire, with preppies still out there (though more hidden) decades after the first edition of TPH. I guarantee many laughs. It's not only a fashion book. It's basically a survey of everything about "preppies" there is including: the cars that are driven; the old boys networks; the schools; the loyalty to your alma mater; speech patterns; sports to play (erg everyday!); preppy jobs; and the importance of partying hard. The bulk of it is still pertinent, although they need to update things such as Abercrombie & Fitch; the preppy hangouts in various cities; the more diverse demographics and tougher requirements in the preppiest colleges and secondary schools (though most are still dominated by preps).
Rating:
Summary: Accurate
Review: This book is not all that funny, really, but boy is it accurate. I knew a lot of people from St. Albans, Deerfield, Groton, and so on in college, and later on in law school (I went to a public high school myself, so I don't qualify) and the amazing thing about TCPH is how accurate it is in all the details. A few of them have dated a little -- for instance, none of the bars or restaurants listed as Philadelphia preppy hangouts are still in business -- but as far as what to say, eat, wear, and so on, it's so accurate it's scary.
Rating:
Summary: Izods, Penny-Loafers, and Plaid Pants!!!
Review: This book is the definitive guide on how to be an ideal preppy. It covers the clothes, where to live (Nantuckett), what to drive, what schools are acceptable (both prep school and of course, Ivy League), and social etiquette. A very amusing read, esp. for anyone who grew up in the eighties and experienced or lived (acted out) many of the described actions. A must for all who turned their collars u
Rating:
Summary: Ultimate Prep Guide!
Review: This book is without a doubt an unknown treasure... whether you are a prep or not, this book will guarantee many chuckles from you and your friends. And whats scary is that the book is true! Growing up in the prep lifestyle is everything this book portrays it as- and its quite funny, actually. To all of us who adore lacoste, and even to those who would love to bring IZOD down, this book is great!
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