Secrets of the Tomb: Skull and Bones, the Ivy League, and the Hidden Paths of Power | 
 enlarge | Author: Alexandra Robbins
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Category: Book
List Price: $13.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  80 reviews
Sales Rank: 100920
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.7
ISBN: 0316735612
Dewey Decimal Number: 301
EAN: 9780316735612
ASIN: 0316735612
Publication Date: September 4, 2002
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Product Description
The Ivy League is full of societies and clubs, some public and some very private, but none is as secret as Yale's Skull and Bones, a tiny, mysterious society that has spawned three presidents, including George W. Bush and his father. Skull and Bones' cloak-and-dagger secrecy has prompted people worldwide to attribute to it some of the most staggering conspiracies in modern history - as well as events including the drop of the atom bomb, the rise of Hitler and the Bay of Pigs invasion. From their nearly windowless crypt in the middle of the campus the Bonesmen, it is said, plot world domination! Journalist Alexandra Robbins slips through the veil of secrecy to investigate, through society documents and interviews with dozens of members, the truth about Skull and Bones' influence and operations. She also explains why the old-boy, 19th century throwback, a product of another time, still thrives in 21st century America.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 75 more reviews...
 Who Knew A Legendary Secret Society Could Be So Dull? October 15, 2008
For being a book about The Skull and Bones secret society, this book was frighteningly dull. It was as if she was committed to writing a book about this society, initially thinking that it would be engaging, but then she researched (and OH BOY did she research) and wrote it, only to discover that it was actually a pretty boring subject, but hey, she might as well get paid.
If you're looking for a (very dry) history of the Skull and Bones written by someone who won't ever let you forget that they also went to Yale (Which is where the Skull and Bones is. At Yale. Where the write went to school. Yale. Where the Skull and Bones is. Did I mention Yale yet?), this book will suffice.
 Secrets of the Tomb. . . . August 14, 2008
This was our third book. . .wore the others out from use as so few people had ever paid much attention to this "Secret Society".
The Author made reading very enjoyable. Don't see how they can equate Skull and Bones Society with the Christian Principles of Yale though.
Guess it is like everything else that came over from Europe. . .
 takes all the fun out of secret societies and conspiracy theories June 17, 2008
I definitely enjoyed Alexandra Robbins' other books, however "Secrets of the Tomb" is not a fun read. Robbins is long winded and lacks the narrative that is so entertaining in "Pledged" and "The Overachievers." The book takes a historical perspective that is too detailed and not very direct, creating a lot of build-up for describing a boring society and ritual. Since Robbins was herself a member of a secret society the book is written with an undercurrent of reverance that seems to bar the author from revealing too much.
 Secret Powers of Presidents May 28, 2008
I thought the book was a little slow in the beginning, as it deeply covers the rise of the secret societies within Yale's deep past. However, the author transitioned very smoothly from subject to subject and captured my interest with every page. The author dives deep into the basis of the Skull and Bones society, including the historical and tremendously ironic history of the Bush family. Very interesting read, with deeply historical and accurate documentation of the society's beginnings, an inside look into the initaition rituals, debunking of myths, and exasperating covering of historical (and ultimately important) American families.
An Agonizing Read -- Fake reviews abound May 26, 2008
The book has an intriguing cover and title. The introduction was captivating. Sadly, it's all downhill from there -- it reads like the minutes of a long and unproductive meeting.
Apparently, the author has succeeded in recruiting her friends to leave contrived reviews. Of the 28 which rated this book at 5-stars, 15 were anonymous and 9 had this book as their only reviewed work. That leaves 4 people who unquestionably enjoyed it -- the editor, her parents, and boyfriend. The others are suspect.
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