In honor of my recent 50th birthday—and Jane Austen’s 250th (!!!)—my book club discussed Pride & Prejudice during a You’ve Got Mail-themed evening. You know Regency-era lit meets ’90s rom-com.

Basically a dream evening in my world.

While I haven’t read P&P 200 times like Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan), I wholeheartedly agree it’s easy to get lost in the language with words like thither, mischance, and felicity.

From the first page, I’m instantly transported to a world I wouldn’t have experienced otherwise.

I still remember the first time I read P&P. I was 12 and strongly believed my summer reading required ambiance. Cue one of those plastic summer loungers, a tall glass of sugar-free Nestea, knock-off Ray Bans, a bottle of some coconut-y suntan lotion, and my library copy wrapped in handy tear-proof plastic.

While the story was set far, far away from my northwest Wisconsin hometown, I remember marveling at how the Bennet sisters’ experiences weren’t all that different from my own. I, too, lived in a place where not a lot happened. Where a trip “to town” might yield a gossip-y revelation about someone you knew.

I also related to Elizabeth’s fondness for walking long distances because it gave you time to daydream and reflect. And I must confess it would’ve been fun to spar with Darcy, even if it required attending a ball where I would’ve, no doubt, been the worst dancer.

When I began to learn more about Jane Austen herself, I became even more dazzled by P&P and her other novels. Given Austen’s own quiet life. modest upbringing, and limited relationship experience, her imagination, her insight, the spot-on social commentary, remains quite extraordinary.

Which is one of many reasons why our book club discussion was incredibly special. A couple of women in our group read P&P for the first time (lucky!!), while others hadn’t picked it up since high school. As you can probably imagine the varied insights and perceptions of various characters (Mr. Collins, anyone?) were so fascinating.

One thing we definitely agreed on? P&P is a timeless story that still resonates 213 years (!!!) after it first released. Let’s just say some classic novels haven’t aged nearly as well.

How about you, dear reader? What do you love/loathe about Pride & Prejudice?