Excelsior

Issue date: 11/23/09 Section: Columns

Media Credit: google images Bro Code: Stinson and Kuhn establish a rule of law by which they believe young ment should abide by.

I can't recall when I first heard about "The Bro Code," written by Barney Stinson and Matt Kuhn. I do remember looking the book up on Amazon.com and immediately forwarding the link to my friend, Jacob, who then put it on reserve at the local library for me. Anyone remotely familiar with the CBS television series "How I Met Your Mother" would understand the smile that came to my face when I found out that this book actually existed.

Barney Stinson, played by Neil Patrick Harris, is a character on the popular TV show "How I Met Your Mother." Barney is -- by definition --a womanizer. He has a one-track mind, living solely for one night stands. But Barney's suaveness and finesse isn't spur-of-the-moment. He's a man with a plan and the plan oftentimes draws on the Bro Code, a list of dos and don'ts for all bros. For example, Article #89 states that "A bro shall always say yes in support of a bro." Throughout the seasons, Barney would oftentimes cite articles from the Bro Code whenever he needed to legitimize certain actions. His references to the Bro Code are akin to the reverence and awe with which a religious man might refer to the Bible. And now "The Bro Code" is available for anyone to read. It sort of makes you feel like you're a part of the show.

"The Bro Code," is a compilation of various articles that, essentially, form the code of honor among bros. According to Article 22, a woman can be a bro. The story (as recalled by Barney in Season 3, Episode 17 "The Goat") goes as follows: The year was 1776, the place was Philadelphia, and George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were having a disagreement over a woman. They decided that a code of conduct among bros needed to be written down to settle any future quarrels. As Washington had to pose for the dollar bill, and Franklin had to fly a kite, Barnabus Stinson stepped in and volunteered to write it down for future generations.

The physical characteristics of the book are very much in keeping with this story. The paperback version gives the appearance of an old, leather-bound book, complete with blackened edges. Each page lists one article, ending with a total of 150 articles most of which have some sort of corollary to, exception to, or notes on the article. There are also various charts, cartoons, and fill-in-the-blank forms for readers to use as well.

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