Wit Beyond Measure

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Welcome to Season 3 of Wit Beyond Measure!

We are diving into Northanger Abbey! But first, Elle is going to tell you what to expect from this eerie gothic novel. 

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This week Elle and Catrina take a look at two modern interpretations of Emma. Elle discusses an LGBTQ retelling of this Austen Classic. Catrina shares her reading of a modern version of Harriet's story.

Dear Emma, by Katie Heaney features college student Harriet who was recently ghosted by a guy she was seeing. Now she has to spend time with his new girlfriend as they work together in the library. Luckily, Harriet great at giving advice through her column, Dear Emma. Sadly, she isn't very good at taking it. But is this really an Emma interpretation?

If I Loved You Less, by Tamsen Parker is as if Emma were cut out of the Regency and placed in modern Hawaii. Theo is a young woman who has fallen in love with matchmaking. After having her own emotions toyed with, she comes to realize that her perfect match has always been right in front of her: long-time friend Kini. But does this interpretation really feel like a romance novel?

We are finally done with Emma and ready to move on to our next Austen novel. 

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This week Catrina and Elle discuss Emma adaptations by authors of color. One follows Ania Khurana as she mingles with Dehli high society. The other is about Aisha Ali, a young Muslim woman working at a matchmaking agency. 

Polite Society, by Mahesh Rao, truly is the perfect blend of Emma and Crazy Rich Asians. While the story follows the plot points of Austen's work, the world-building and storytelling aspects are taken right from Kevin Kwan's novels. 

Aisha, by Ikhlas Hussain, takes Emma, throws in a bit of Pride and Prejudice, and blends it into a wonderful love story. Set in a Muslim community in Canada, this story is all about finding love, accepting others, and loving yourself. 

Most importantly - Elle and Catrina recorded this episode in the SAME ROOM!

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This week Elle and Catrina read some epistolary novels. One features the diary of our very own romantic hero, Mr. George Knightley. The other is a modern novel written through letters written to a mysterious Mr. Knightley. The first is a new look at Emma, while the second takes inspiration from Austen.

Elle shares her thoughts on Mr. Knightley's Diary by Amanda Grange. Through Mr. Knightley's point of view, we get to see the world of Emma expand even more.

Catrina talks about Dear Mr. Knightley, by Katherine Reay. This modern novel follows a young college student who looks to literature, especially Austen's heroines, for inspiration in her everyday life. 

Also, Elle suffers the vocal repercussions of bronchitis.

This episode is brought to you by Kensington’s newest title from Kate Pearce, SWEET TALKING RANCHER. Find out more at Kensingtonbooks.com

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This week Elle and Catrina discuss two Emma book adaptations. The first is a YA novel following a young celebrity and the other follows Emma in modern Highbury. 

Elle reads "Off-Script" by Kate Watson. This modern adaptation follows Emma Crawford, a young celebrity who is excited to start filming her new film. While her life has never been simple, what with a demanding father, a fellow celebrity brother, and a plethora of adoring fans, things start to get a little crazy as Emma starts to play career-matchmaker. 

Catrina reads "Emma" by Alexander McCall Smith. What would Emma look like if it were set in the early 2010s? Turns out, it's pretty similar. This adaptation takes place in modern Highbury and follows Emma's story pretty closely. However, what makes this book different is we get to see insight into Mr. Woodhouse's childhood. Also, he eats and ENJOYS cake.

 #NotMyMrWoodhouse. 

Join us as we review these modern adaptations, explain what we liked, what we didn't like, and who we would recommend these books to.

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Somehow Elle and Catrina didn't know that this BBC miniseries existed!  Starring Ramola Garai, Michael Gambon, and Johnny Lee Miller, this adaptation more closely follows the book, while still adding its own unique twist. 

This week we talk about what makes this adaptation unique and how it affects the overall story. Did this version give us the big sweeping romance Austen novels have become known for? Or did it stick closer to the text? How does it compare to the film adaptations?

But most importantly, how much do we love Johnny Lee Miller's version of Mr. Knightley?

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This week Wit Beyond Measure welcomes Barley Bookish to the podcast to talk everything Clueless!

We dive deep into the nostalgia of the 90's and revisit this awesome teen romcom. Does it hold up in 2021? Is it still a relevant film? Do we still love it? Has Paul Rudd actually aged?

Most importantly, how does Clueless compare to Emma? Do we still get a realistic look at life at the time? Do we get a bit of romance? Does the film hold true to the book, or does modernizing it lose what makes it Emma?

Be sure to check out Barley Bookish (@barleybookish on all platforms). Barley Bookish is a classic literature & modern classics podcast with an unavoidable modern-day POV. Join Rachel & a guest every week as they discuss something new.   

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Have you seen the cover of the Gwyneth Paltrow Emma adaptation and wonder why she is drawing a bow? Yeah, well, turns out there isn't much explanation in the film either. This week, Catrina and Elle discuss all things 1996 Emma adaptation starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Toni Collette, and Ewan McGregor.

How does this version hold up against the book? Is it as funny as the 2020 version?  Did we get the romance? The drama? Did we finally believe that Frank Churchill actually had a thing for Jane Fairfax?

Most importantly, what the heck is up with Ewan McGregor's hair? 

 Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at
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This week Catrina and Elle discuss, gush, and awe over the 2020 Emma adaptation starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, and Bill Nighy.

How did this adaptation hold up against the book? Was it more entertaining, or just as boring as some of the novel's chapters? Did the actors get the characters right, or did they miss the mark? Most importantly, did we finally get romance?

From two hosts who weren't big fans of the novel, it might surprise you to hear what they thought of this adaptation.

This episode is brought to you by Kensington’s newest title from Sabrina Jeffries, UNDERCOVER DUKE. Check out Kensington books at Kensingtonbooks.com.

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In this episode, Catrina and Elle reflect on Jane Austen's Emma as a whole novel. Do they like Emma, the book? Do they like Emma, the character? Do they think that this is a romance novel? Who is the villain of this story?

Of course, this wouldn't be a novel finale episode without a few superlatives. See who Catrina and Elle rank as the "cutest couple," "the most opinionated," "most likely to be a serial killer," and more.  

 Wit Beyond Measure is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at
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