Mandy: The other night we made a pilgrimage to our own personal Mecca: Barnes & Noble.

Angie: Who are Barnes and Noble?

Mandy: I don’t know, but they’re richer now. We bought a lot of books.

Angie: Out of necessity, not excess. We are columnists now. We have responsibilities. Do you think that’s a tax deduction? What about mileage? We should consult with a CPA.

Mandy: I’ll check Wikipedia, and I know we stimulated the economy. You’re welcome, President Obama. That feels so good to say.

Angie: I sort of feel like Indiana Jones when I go to Barnes & Noble.

Mandy: You’re not comparing it to the Temple of Doom, are you?

Angie: Blasphemy! I was just saying that I pride myself on finding a few diamonds in the rough. Book hunting is like archeology. You have to sift through a lot of muck to find a treasure. Although, I admit to succumbing to Thuggee brainwashing while inside its mighty walls. I usually have some precautions in place before I go in, like telling multiple people where I’ll be and having them call to remind me of the outside world. Or I employ the buddy system. Safety first.

Mandy: I probably wasn’t the best choice if you were employing the buddy system scenario since I claim the same weakness as you toward books. We did make an interesting discovery; there are 7,829 books related to “Pride and Prejudice” in the Barnes & Noble archives.

Angie: Did you actually count them all?

Mandy: No, it’s an estimate.

Angie: I’m glad we’re partners cause I’m terrible at math.

Mandy: “Pride and Prejudice” is still relevant today, which is why so many authors use it as inspiration. It is a literary muse.

Angie: We were able to find seven versions of the movie, two adaptations featuring zombies (We’re not kidding. “Pride and Predator” and “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” are both due out this summer. Really.), and that doesn’t include films like “Bridget Jones’ Diary” or “You’ve Got Mail” that retell the story in the modern world. As a side note, Colin Firth played Darcy twice. Both times he nailed it.

Mandy: I keep all my Colin Firth movies hidden in the back of my closet.

Angie: Mine are under the mattress.

Mandy: Jane Austen finished “Pride and Prejudice” in 1797. It was her first manuscript but her second published book. It was originally entitled “First Impressions.” Not an inappropriate choice since our heroine, Elizabeth Bennet‘s, first impressions of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham create the story’s conflict.

Angie: The opening sentence of this book, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife,” pretty much sums up the plot.

Mandy: This is a love story. The timeless themes of love, marriage and courtship are to be expected. Because of the historical era when this book was written, the secondary themes of class and reputation become more prominent when read by modern audiences.

Angie: Elizabeth’s first encounter with Mr. Darcy leaves her pride wounded when he insults her, creating a prejudice against him. Darcy’s lineage and wealth have given him an immense sense of justified pride that his social ranking encourages. He is drawn to Elizabeth but is prejudiced against her inferior birth.

Mandy: When our characters overcome these personal obstacles, Austen throws a few more at them. Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Darcy’s aunt, hears of their entendre for one another and arrives to convince Elizabeth to refuse Darcy’s suit through threats and demands.

Angie: Elizabeth’s middle class family is outlandish. They’re ill-mannered behavior is looked down upon by the upper echelon and even some of their contemporaries. Once Darcy is able to forgive Elizabeth’s social standing, her family continues to get in the way.

Mandy: Lydia Bennet’s elopement to Mr. Wickham poses the largest threat to Elizabeth’s happiness. At the time a woman living with a man before marriage was enough to destroy, not only her reputation, but her whole family’s.

Angie: I think we should point out that Austen may rebel against the class system of her time but accepts the morality. She never questions Elizabeth’s ruination at her sister’s misstep. It’s just a fact.

Mandy: Here’s another fact: This book is funny. I know we haven’t really made it sound like a comedy, but it made me laugh out loud.

Angie: Did you LOL all over yourself?

Mandy: Yes, numerous times.

Angie: The fast-paced dialogue lends itself to humor. Just another reason to love this book. Heavy, relevant themes mixed with jovial discourse and over-the-top characters; a recipe for an enjoyable read.

Mandy: It also gave us the opportunity to revisit the classic mini-series starring Colin Firth. That alone was five hours of late nights.

Angie: Seeing Colin, as Darcy, emerge from his pond at Pemberley, bare-chested and dripping wet late at night was work?

Mandy: We all have to make sacrifices.

Angie: Just like the Thuggees.

Angie and Mandy take up residence in Albert Lea. Angie resides at Fountainhead Estate. Mandy dwells in her home on Grace Manor. You can e-mail us at bookendscolumn@gmail.com.