The Lost Boys of Zeta Psi

The Lost Boys of Zeta Psitakes us inside the secret, amusing, and sometimes mundane world of a California fraternity around 1900. Gleaning history from recent archaeological excavations and from such intriguing sources such as oral histories, architecture, and photographs, Laurie A. Wilkie uncovers details of everyday life in the first fraternity at the University of California, Berkeley, and sets this story into the rich social and historical context of West Coast America at the turn of the last century. In particular, Wilkie examines men's coming of age experiences in a period when gender roles and relations were undergoing dramatic changes. Challenging many stereotypes, she finds that Peter Pan's Never Land, a place where young men temporarily suspend their journey to adulthood in order to pursue brotherly adventures, may provide a better metaphor for understanding fraternity life thanAnimal House. This innovative, highly engaging study illuminates shifting notions of masculinity and at the same time reveals new insights about the inner workings of fraternal orders and their role in American society.