Rating: 
Summary: Phenomenal book, couldn't put it down
Review: Secrets of the Tomb promises to sort the truth from the rumors about Skull and Bones and it delivers. Anyone familiar with the secret society will find tons of new material, such as Skull and Bones documents, stories, and interviews. Anyone unfamiliar with Skull and Bones will be astounded at how much influence it has had and continues to lord over our country. The atom bomb? Bay of Pigs Invasion? Brown Brothers Harriman? Grave-robbing? All the work of Skull and Bones.Enthralling sections devoted to President George W. Bush illustrate how the President has used the secret society to his benefit, appointed fellow members to important positions in his administration, and yet continues to deny publicly he knows anything about the club. (Funny, he mentions it in his autobio.) But Secrets of the Tomb presents this all of this information not as some conspiracy theorist blather, but as a solid work of investigative reporting, which is something no one has ever done on Skull and Bones. The book takes care to demystify some aspects of the society while confirming other details. At the same time, it's an incredibly fast-paced read, like a detective story. This book is a must-read not only for anyone interested in secret societies, but also for anyone interested in knowing more about President George W. Bush. One of my favorite books I've read in a long, long time.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it.
Review: So I read a lot of the harsh reviews against this book below. Obviously no book is for everyone, but I feel many of these negative reviewers kind of missed the point. Okay, if you're looking for the lost X-Files episode, true, this is not it. Nor is it an apologist tract in defense of Satan's minions here on Earth (To those out there who think it is, there's pills you can take for that now. Ask your doctor if Reality is right for you). I found it to be a very well written book about a very interesting subject from an author who sees it from the most relevant perspetive of all; a realistic one. There is a saying that all disappointment stems from false expectation. I went in without expectations and I found the book highly enjoyable and well worth my money. However, I'm not a conspiracy theorist, nor am I put off by her well researched dissertation on the history of Yale. And like me, she enjoys making fun of those who take themselves too seriously while at the same time recognising their potential relevance on the world stage. The Bottom Line: If you want Mulder and Scully, go with a classic like "The Cosmic Trigger" or "Ride A Pale Horse" (Then ask your doctor...). If history puts you to sleep, perhaps this one is just not for you. But if you want a well written book about a fascinating subject that will take you somewhere you've never been and are unlikey ever to be, check this one out. It's actually really good!
Rating: 
Summary: hugely disappointed
Review: I found this book to be a huge disappointment and a waste of time. I heard a recommendation on Pacifica radio in LA which I highly respect, but the book totally lacked insight. Alexandra Robbins includes tedious details such as, the spending budget of Skull and Bones, meaningless quotes from alumni over the years which I found erroneous. The book lacks focus. The only point I could find the author attempting to make was that the myths of these elitist Yale societies are perpetuated by the societies themselves, and I could have figured that out in about a sentence or two.
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Summary: Stash of Secrets of the Skull & Bones Alexander Robins
Review: I thought Secrets of the Tomb Skull and Bones, The Ivy League, And the Hidden Paths of Power.
was excellent. The president and his father are both members of Skull and Bones and so is Senator John Kerry who will run against George W. Bush in 2004 are all so called "Bonesmen". The author Alexandra Robbins writing style is incredibly smooth and the fact that she mentions that she is a member of "one of Skull and Bones kindred Yale secret societies" only makes it more fascinating. This is an enjoyable mystery within a mystery of a mysterious book.That is part of what makes it even more interesting The book it self is mysterious looking with a wild picture of "The Tomb" and the creepy but aesthetic skull and Bones symbol with the 322 draws the reader in. There are a lot of photos I've never seen before in this book. The reader will get a vivid picture of how the Society system works. This is a part of American culture that needed to be discussed not just through rumor. You also get a tour of the "Tomb" and the private island owned by Bones all as bizarre as the recent movie Skulls. In an interesting chapter on the initiation ritual the author takes inside this ritual but makes it interesting and yet manages clear up some of the rumors that surround it's secrecy. You get I think a real taste for what these initiates went through. It's funny to think of the president and his son and fellows Bill Buckley going through this ritual. The Networking of the Order is the who's who of the elite's and a must read for those who like to study how power structure works. In fact if you read The Wise Men Six friends and the world they made by Isaacon and Thomas you'll remember they mention Skull & Bones briefly but prominently in this mammoth work about the diplomats men of Wall street true insiders several of them were indeed Skull and Bones directly influenced the post WWII world. Secrets of the Tomb revels that connections still exist today. I charters of this are a who's who of the powerful. If you liked that movie the Skulls or even Harry Potter or even Rushmore or your an avid listener of Cost to Cost radio you'll love Secrets of the Tomb. I think even the most paranoid reader or conspiracy theorist will find the wealth of fasinating information within. It a wilderness of mirrors this Skull in Bones. Read about Skull and Bones the most infamous of all the Secret Societies.
Rating:
Summary: Read another book on S&B
Review: If I were you, I'd read Antony Suttons "America's Secret Esatblishment - An Introduction to the order of Skull & Bones," or Fleshing Out Skull & Bones by Sutton and 5 other authors. Search for Antony Sutton in Amazon, and for Fleshing out Skull & Bones go here: http://www.fleshingoutskullandbones.com/
Rating: 
Summary: HISTORY OF YALE ?
Review: Alexandra Robbins is a gifted writer but as a whole, this book was a bit of a disappointment. As other reviewers have noted, too much time was spent on the History of Yale University that you have to ask if this book was really aptly titled. Robbins manages to dispel a few of the myths and penetrates some of the mystique but, I certainly didn't walk away from this book feeling like I'd really learned any "secrets" about the Skull and Bones society. I'm not deeply familiar with S & B as a whole but, something tells me that "Secrets of the Tomb" is hardly the final say on the S & B.
Rating:
Summary: Misses the mark greatly
Review: If you have always been fascinated by secret societies, then this book is a cheap thrill, as long as you skip through some of the tedious chapters on Yale. Rather than offering substantial insights on Skull and Bones, the author goes on and on about the greatest of Yale itself for "context." The author presents a thesis that secret societies are a natural outgrowth of Yale's own tradition in producing great leaders. While I agree that Yale has produced many political leaders (just look at the current Presidential candidates), it has never crossed my mind in my wildest imagination, that somehow Yale was a hotbed for leadership. (Once again, just look at the Presidential candidates.....yes they have been in leadership positions....but can anyone honestly say that they have been "great" leaders?) Clearly the thesis of the book is a product of a naive, young writer, herself a Yale graduate and Secret Society member, who is too enamored with Yale to provide an objective view.
Rating: 
Summary: disinfo at its finest
Review: Disinformation at its finest. Skull & Bones realized the media dam was breaking and that they could no longer keep the existance of their influential little Satanic private club hidden from the greater public, and so lo and behold! - a naive young writer - herself a member of a Yale secret society - is asked to write a book for a mainstream publisher in hopes to "soften the blow" to Joe Schmoe. There is enough valid information in here so as to not insult the reader's intelligence, but it never really cuts to the heart of the matter, preferring to linger on irrelevant details and on the experiences of inactive members of the group who never really got to know what it was all about in the first place (and who, for all the author knows, might've been feeding *her* disinformation). The idea is that anyone who has enough interest in Skull & Bones to read a book about them, will pick this up at their local bookstore, will have their curiousity assuaged, and, being satisfied that Skull & Bones isn't as lurid as some have made it out to be, will investigate the matter no more. Simply put, this book was released as a form of damage control. Anyone seriously researching Skull & Bones should pick up a copy of Antony Sutton's book, "America's Secret Establishment", in addition to this one, and if you're only planning to read one book on the subject, I recommend Sutton's book over this one (FYI, Sutton was the first researcher to really blow the lid off Skull & Bones, back in the 1980's, when few people had ever even heard of it).
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Summary: The Mystery is Over
Review: Alaxandra Robbins uncovers the mystery of the hush-hush world of the world's most elite secret society, Skull and Bones of Yale. What other researchers and reporters were unable to uncover, Robbins has. Robbins is a Yale graduate, former member of a secret society (although she does not mention which), and she uncovers the history, rituals, networks, and current events that are taking place due to Skull and Bones. The rituals of Skull and Bones are an essential ritual that keeps the society going. After all, it is the mystery that keeps non-members intrigued, and it serves as a perk to those who are "inside" the society. Although many of the rituals may appear silly, the purpose is to create a distinctive "inside" and "outside" dimension to the club. If you consider that the alternative of Skull and Bones was to be an open club which allowed members to reveal all that happened--including silly rituals--people would obviously not find much interset in Skulls. That's why, while I do find Robbins book quite enjoyable, I wonder if it may have a negative impact on the secret society, especially because anytime sunlight shines onto this society it diminishes its mysterious angle, eliminating most of the conspiracy theories that are quite fascinating to ponder. There are parts in this book which I did not appreciate too much. Robbins gives the impression that President Bush became president exclusively because of his connection to Skull and Bones. While this may or may not be true, I feel as though she continously focused on the issue of one's grades in college and questioned, continously, why someone with low grades in college can become president. But the truth is: grades, in general, say little about what one's potential is in other areas of life. Grades are just one measure of ability, intelligence, personality, etcetera. The society does not appear all that glamorous on the inside. Again, the picture points to a society that tries to gain attention by reserving certain quarters exclusively for its members, thus raising expectations as to what goes on inside the tomb. Yet very little of anything goes on in there that is worth noting. It is not that surprising. Those who tend to have secrets for the sake of holding secrets tend to have very little indeed behind their backs. Michael
Rating:
Summary: A remarkable achievement
Review: A fascinating read. No one else in history has interviewed more than 100 Bonesmen, and no one else has penetrated so deeply into this infamous inner ring. Skull and Bones sees itself as breeding new knights to rule society. But Robbins demystifies. She unmasks the Skull and finds a face that is often all too human and not always noble. In fact, Robbins overcame the strict code of silence, perhaps too well for her own good. One Bonesman, livid that she dug up their "secrets," hissed at her: "There are a lot of us at newspapers and at political journalism institutions. Good luck with your career." She must have struck a nerve. In the chapter entitled "The Network," Robbins provides vivid details of the political power plays they use to protect their power, particularly the Bush family. There she shows how the "greatest allegiance in the world" works. She connects the dots. The network is certainly impressive, yes, but nothing magical: Connections, connections, connections. The elite protect themselves. Said one patriarch, "Skull and Bones becomes the most important thing that ever happened to them, and they tend to stay involved." Several other features make this book exceptional. The eight pages of pictures and maps are something that I haven't found elsewhere. Later in the book, Robbins describes the quasi-pagan rituals in the Inner Temple. I chuckled during the section on the "new names." George W. Bush's new name was "Temporary" because he couldn't think of anything else. He never changed it. Also, I especially enjoyed reading the actual wording of authentic Skull and Bones documents. These guys have a knack for generating mystery with understated simplicity. I appreciated too seeing figures of the financial assets and revenues-surprisingly paltry given all the pomp. Known as the elite of all elites, Skull and Bones furtively claims to house the controllers and shapers of society. Yet, as Robbins shows, they themselves are sometimes shaped by powerful cultural norms. For example, after a bitter inner battle, they now allow women and reserve slots for minorities. Readers will find noteworthy how these seemingly benign changes in the early 1990s have influenced the morale of the brotherhood at large (some 800 living members), especially the old guard. Robbins tells us in their own words. Her writing is wonderful. It's silk-smooth and rather captivating. Sprinkled with rich detail, the words have a light touch and glide so well that I (not a fast reader) finished the book in a single evening. I think other folks will appreciate a book that is so well organized and so lucid. The reward is an insider's view about a "remarkable society of secrets."
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