If you are a geriatric or middle-aged millennial woman who loved Scholastic book fairs, you probably have core memories of “Catherine Called Birdy.” The 1994 historical fiction Y.A. novel by Karen Cushman was certainly formative for both of us.

The book follows spirited 14-year-old Birdy, the daughter of a country knight in 1290 England. Her father has decided that it is time to marry her off to the highest bidder, and the novel takes us into Birdy’s diary as she quietly and overtly rages against the gender-based strictures of her time. It is a story that feels both incredibly of the moment that it was published, and simultaneously a timeless tale of transition from girlhood into young adulthood.

On Oct. 7, Lena Dunham’s adaptation of the beloved novel, which stars Bella Ramsey, Billie Piper, Andrew Scott and Joe Alwyn (aka Mr. Taylor Swift), hit Amazon Prime. On this week’s subscribers pod, we dive into the film and the ways in which it stays true to the book and has been updated, with mixed results, as well as why the magic of the story endures, even for readers like us, who are now the age of Birdy’s mother rather than the protagonist herself.

Hope you enjoy! xo

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We’ve been reading…

Sloane Crosley’s latest novel, “Cult Classic.” This book is like Emma catnip: a woman in her late 30s, satire about dating culture, and New York City. I love it so much. -Emma

This strangely lovely New Yorker story by Ted Geltner about the real, terrifying car crash that inspired a classic short story. Every turn of the article is unexpected. -Claire

We’ve been listening to…

More “Heavyweights.” This week’s episode is a beautiful story about estranged family relationships, the beauty of strangers, and healing generational trauma. -Emma

I finally got into “Missing Pages,” the literary scandal pod Emma recommended a few weeks ago, and it’s already inspired me to buy at least one book. That’s the kind of podcast I can get behind: a podcast that reminds me to shop support my local independent bookstore. -Claire

We’ve been watching…

“Love Is Blind” screeners, which is great because I love having more men I don’t know as low-grade nemeses. Get ready for some wild Friends to Enemies ratings in the weeks to come. -Emma

Netflix’s “Partner Track,” which is pretty terrible, and screeners of “Love Is Blind” season 3, which are exactly what they ought to be. Stay tuned for pods! The season starts dropping soon. -Claire

We’ve been buying…

A classic black belt with a bit of embellishment. I have been trying to buy more neutral pieces lately that can be worn with each other for years to come. In that vein, I purchased this & Other Stories black belt with a gold heart buckle — a much more affordable version of this Saint Laurent one. I’ve already worn it cinched at the waist over dresses and with trousers, and it’s perfect. -Emma

A long quilted liner jacket from Everlane for the cold, wet fall park days we’ve been having. Somehow I never bothered to get myself a really warm, capacious, practical transition jacket, so for the last few springs and falls I’ve resorted to piling on layers of sweaters and light jackets for cold, damp playground days. I read that this jacket runs big, so I sized down one size, and it’s still perfectly oversized and cozy. Also, the weather is now suddenly warm again. But I have no regrets. -Claire

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