Rush by Lisa Patton #rush #lisapatton #stmartinspress #college #sorrorities #olemiss @absltmom

“Sisterhood is the essence of all the wisdom of the ages, distilled into a single word. You cannot see sisterhood, neither can you hear it nor taste it. But you can feel it a hundred times a day. It is a pat on the back, a smile of encouragement. It’s someone to share with, to celebrate your achievements.” 

Finding sisterhood is fully explored in this commendable book called

College days who can forget them? The thrill of being on one’s own, the fun of decorating your dorm room, the anticipation of becoming an adult with a sense of belonging and meaning. Oh, I so remember…..

In this book, we meet young women ready to embark on this new adventure, looking so forward to the fun, the independence, the joy of growing up. The girls decide to pledge a sorority since most of their mothers were a part of a prestigious sorority, that is the one they all want. They are a mixed crew of girls, some of them are the haves with their share of overly pretentious parents, and others are the have nots having to struggle with the costs of college and rushing a sorority. As fate would have it, one of the have nots is destined to room with one of the have nots. Their dorm room is decorated to the tune of then thousand dollars a piece and then the story starts to take on the aura of intrigue and scheming.

Also present in this tale is a lovely housekeeper of the sorority house. She is a warm compassionate lady who comes to love all the girls and becomes over time their confidant. She is a black woman and although most of the girls and their mothers have moved beyond looking at color, some still stick to the old disguising tradition of race.

This was not a delicate read, one of the frivolity and pure fun. This book had lots to say about the problems faced by some who are not considered to be equal to others. The story has the intense marking of what was formerly a Southern tradition, as wrong as it was, but gratefully the author shows how we are moving away from the prejudice and bias that has come to us through hundreds of years.

Recommended for those who like a well composed story that presents us with views that show us the system is changing and equality is not just a word anymore but a lifestyle.

Lisa Patton, author of Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter, Yankee Doodle Dixie, Southern as a Second Language, and Rush, is a Memphis, Tennessee native who spent time as a Vermont innkeeper until three sub-zero winters sent her speeding back down South. She has over 20 years experience working in the music and entertainment business, and is a graduate of the University of Alabama. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and Rosie the perfect Havanese.