

#1527
Mentioned in 16 episodes
Emma
Book • 2005
The novel follows Emma Woodhouse, a beautiful, clever, and rich young woman who has lived nearly twenty-one years with very little distress.
Emma decides to take up matchmaking, despite the advice of her friend Mr. Knightley.
Her attempts to match her new friend Harriet Smith with various men lead to complications and ultimately test her own detachment from the world of romance.
The novel explores themes of education, courtship, and social class in Georgian-Regency England, highlighting Emma's journey of self-discovery and learning from her mistakes.
Emma decides to take up matchmaking, despite the advice of her friend Mr. Knightley.
Her attempts to match her new friend Harriet Smith with various men lead to complications and ultimately test her own detachment from the world of romance.
The novel explores themes of education, courtship, and social class in Georgian-Regency England, highlighting Emma's journey of self-discovery and learning from her mistakes.
Mentioned by




























Mentioned in 16 episodes
Mentioned by 

as a funny and psychologically astute novel, despite an initially unappealing protagonist.


David Plotz

58 snips
The Democrats Had A Good Day
Mentioned by 

as some listeners consider it as a better Jane Austen novel compared to Pride and Prejudice.


Sean Carroll

42 snips
AMA | August 2025
Mentioned by 

, who was press-ganged into reading her, but eventually enjoyed it.


Will Lloyd

41 snips
Is English literature dying - and does it matter?
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as her current favorite Austin novel, highlighting its complexity and mystery.

Alexandra Schwartz

31 snips
Our Romance with Jane Austen
Mentioned by 

when discussing Jane Austen adaptations.


Cariad Lloyd

30 snips
Georgian Courtship (Radio Edit)
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

when discussing the character Emma's transformation.

Eric Kahn

25 snips
White Knights and Reviling Wives: An Interview with David Edgington
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as an example of how gossip can be both amusing and embarrassing, highlighting Emma's misinterpretations and the consequences of her actions.

Alexandra Schwartz

20 snips
Gossip, Then and Now
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

to help people to understand the flaw in this argument.

Brian Sauve

20 snips
Rejecting Feminist Halfway Houses
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as a book he initially planned to discuss but decided against due to Graham also covering it.

A.J. Hanenberg

12 snips
275: Herman Melville's "Bartleby the Scrivener"
Mentioned by 

when discussing the movie Clueless, which is adapted from it.


Paul Eastwick

11 snips
Clueless (1995)
Mentioned by 

as the author of Emma, which inspired Amy Heckerling’s film Clueless.


David Sims

11 snips
Clueless with Heidi Gardner
Mentioned by 

as a writer whose works he has been reading.


Matthew Yglesias

11 snips
Matt Yglesias: reading books makes me feel calmer.
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

and ![undefined]()

as the topic of the next podcast episode.

Father Wesley Walker

Dr. Junius Johnson

The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe
Mentioned by 

as one of Jane Austen's notable novels.


Kate Lister

What Did Jane Austen Know About Sex?
Mentioned by 

as books he enjoyed after initially dismissing Jane Austen's work.


Brett McKay

Jane Austen for Dudes
Mentioned by 

as the basis for the movie 'Clueless'.


David Sims

Loser with Chandler Levack
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as an example of a novel where the protagonist undergoes a humbling experience.

Andrew Limbong

There is such a thing as too much quality time in Weike Wang's 'Rental House'
Mentioned by Amy O'Dell when talking about when Gwyneth Paltrow learned archery for her first leading part.

Why Everyone Hates Gwyneth Paltrow
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as the basis for the movie “Clueless”.

Marcia Young

The billionaire vying for Hudson's Bay real estate, Syria ceasefire, fish fossils, and more
Mentioned by 

when discussing her own book about Jane Austen's works.


Janine Barchas

Janine Barchas on the Lost Books of Jane Austen