I often wondered what became of some of the guys in my college's a cappella group -- they seemed to be so consumed by the activity, allowing it to dominate & define their entire college experience, oblivious to classes and grades and similar trivialities. How I underestimated the commitment -- for the members of the three groups featured in this book -- the Tufts Beelzebubs, the UVA Hullabahoos, and the University of Oregon Divisi, coursework and academic activities are an afterthought to their core collegiate experience -- a cappella. The groups travel extensively, train, communicate internally with special language, perform, recruit -- it's pretty all- consuming. The other thing that is particularly striking is how the a cappella experience endures -- seems like many of the alum don't want their experience to end and find some way of continuing to keep their finger in the pot -- through arranging music, participating in alumni singing activities, donations -- rather than finding a grown-up job.

This is non-fiction that reads like fiction -- the characters are well developed and the conflict is ongoing. What I liked best about this book: you really get to know the members of the three featured groups -- their goofy antics, their personality conflicts, the stars & the not-so-stellar performers, all the dirty laundry -- and (assuming you're reading this in 2008), you can go to the groups' websites and see bios of many of the individual singers featured in the book. It's like the epilogue to a movie that features "where they are now". Kind of fun. The book also reveals the quirkiness and cleverness of the a cappella crowd -- the group names are priceless.

One of the other reviewers noted that when you get right down to it, the characters really aren't all that interesting -- they're self-absorbed, self-aggrandizing college students. Perhaps that is precisely why it is so interesting. These are just quirky college kids, completely dedicated to this craft (spending hours on end rehearsing, recording, coming up with clever choreography), occasionnally professional and responsible, and, at the same time, incredibly irresponsible and immature (not showing up on time for critical engagements, getting into literal pissing contests) and lacking any business sense (not invoicing for performances). Reading this took me right back to college -- and reminded me of a number of classmates who were consumed by one activity or another.

I would have liked to know a little bit more about more groups, instead of focusing exclusively on these three -- but perhaps that will have to wait for another book. By the way, I googled the one guy I remembered from my college's a cappella group, and sure enough -- his "job" involves staging college musical productions.

A great read about a topic not widely known. The struggles of these college singing groups, the fun, the laughter and the hard work is depicted with an easy to read, and interesting to follow, account. Another picture of college life is shared with the reader in a style that reads like a novel. Well worth reading.

As a former a cappella guy, I totally related to this book and the stories brought back a lot of fun memories. The thing that bothers me is that a cappella has begun to take itself so incredibly seriously, and the author seems content to go along for the ride without ever getting into the reasons that so many people on campus roll their eyes at these guys. For starters, that most of these groups are started by rejects from other groups is a classic Generation Y characteristic - everyone gets a medal. Second, that dedicating this much energy to something that is funded by affluent benefactors (similar to D1 sports, I suppose) and ultimately has no real world value represents the height of privilege that so many students resent. And finally, he never addresses why every a cappella group in the country seems to have a long-haired Indian dude who supplies most of the weed on campus.

This book perfectly combines two of my great loves - a cappella music and gossip. It is a fun, fast read. Not being a teacher or a musician, I did not note any of the inaccuracies in the text, and knowing about them does not diminish my enjoyment or my appreciation one bit. I highly recommend it as a fascinating, if quite subjective, portrait of a subculture.

A musical friend had suggested this book as I directed an a cappella men's singing group for a number of years. Unfortunately, "Pitch Perfect" comes up short....way short.

What could have been a fascinating look at three singing groups who enter competitions became a slog of a read. The author, Mickey Rapkin, ostensibly centers the narrative around "Divisi" (the women's group) and "The Beelzebubs" and "The Hullabahoos", (the two men's groups). If Rapkin had concentrated more on the musical preparation, the tensions of performing, the interactions between the members....and he does to an extent..."Pitch Perfect" would have been terrific. But there are side stories of recording sessions, missed gigs, and, of course, lots of drinking, that don't add to the intrigue. The book lacks cohesion and there are long stretches where, if you're of a certain age, you will have little idea of the songs, the artists and even some of the dialogue offered.

Perhaps the best thing "Pitch Perfect" has going for it is the introduction of the punniness of some of the names of these groups. Who can beat "Habeus Chorus" or "Here Comes Treble"? My favorite, though, is "Fermata Nowhere". Skip this book unless you might be singing in a university group at the moment. Otherwise, I can't recommend it.