Virginia and Louise do a deep dive into Barbara Kingsolver’s Pullitzer Prize winning and compelling novel Demon Copperhead and talk all things Charles Dickens as well as adding some shameful new entries to the infamous Ick Register.BooksOliver Twist, by Charles Dickens, 1838Hard Times, by Charles Dickens, 1854Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, 2023 More Deep DivesEmma, by Jane AustenTelevisionEmma, mini series, 2009 Slow Horses, series 1-3 Apple TV+One Day, Netflix 2023

Louise and Virginia thought it might be fun to do an episode on books that they feel a bit embarrassed to have never read (until now). There were a lot of books to choose from, but they discuss four in this conversation. During this chat they also create an Ick Register for authors who use words that give the ick, so that readers can be warned in advance (kind of like a trigger warning, but more basic). Books The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro ...

Louise and Virginia have a great conversation about a lovely Western Australian novel. Salt River Road by the very talented debut author Molly Schmidt captures the large Tetley family at the worst time of their lives. Their wife and mother, Elena, has died after a long illness and left them all devastated. Although the book looks at grief through the eyes of several different characters, it has a forward-moving arc, plenty of heart, and a wonderful ending, with an authentic Western Australian...

Louise and Virginia have a conversation about two books with many overlaps, one fiction and one non-fiction, and reflect on the fact that none of this information was taught in the classroom when they were at school.BooksKilling for Country by David MarrEdenglassie by Melissa LukashenkoTV ShowThe Crown – NetflixPodcastsThe Rest is History – Dominic Sandbrook and Tom HollandThe Rest is Entertainment – Richard Osman and Marina Hyde

Virginia and Louise dive into four new releases some of them from our favourite authors! They also encourage everyone to get their hands on Salt River Road by Molly Schmidt for a bookclub deep dive episode coming up. Books The Fraud, Zadie Smyth, 2023, Hamish Hamilton Penguin Normal Rules Don’t Apply, Kate Atkinson, 2023, Penguin Random House Tom Lake, Ann Patchett, 2023, Harper Collins Pearl, Sian Hughes, 2023 UQP L...

Louise and Virginia have finally had a conversation about six literary controversies/hoaxes/scandals and it’s a lot of fun! This is a Topic they both find fascinating so it was great to select three stories each and dive in. Authors Norma Khouri John Hughes Carmen Mola Antonio Mercero Agustin Martinez Jorge Diaz Harold Stewart James McAuley Dawn Dorland Sonya Larson Helen Demidenko/ Darville &nbs...

Virginia and Louise have read a swag of newly released books both well-known authors and others new - and only some with the hype they deserve.BooksYellowface R F Kuang Harper Collins 2023Crook Manifesto Colson Whitehead 2023The Sitter Angela O’ Keefe Queensland University Press 2023Old God’s Time Sebastian Barry 2023PodcastsThe Trial of Lucy Letby UK The Mail Metro MediaInside Design Jane LedgerTheatre‘A Twelfth Night’ - Bell Shakespeare Company

This time it’s Louise’s turn to talk about the massive French classic that she has been reading, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo. Louise tells Virginia about a very impertinent act by the original translator of the novel, and they discuss the aspects that Louise loved and some that she wasn’t so keen on. Hugo and Dumas were both born in 1802 and were literary confrères throughout their lives, so Notre-Dame and Monte Christo make a great pairing. Book The Hun...

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Streaming Au Coeur de Peloton/Tour de France: Unchained Arnold SBS on Demand Rogue Heroes ABC iView Dangerous Remedy Podcast Strict Scrutiny

Virginia and Louise immerse themselves in the meadows, riverbanks, orchards, high tides and deep snow to explore the deep connection and chasms between community, environment and climate change, in the emerging genre and precious language of eco-fiction. BooksThe Offing by Benjamin Myers, 2019Stolen by Ann-Helene Laestadius, 2023Also consider A Month in the Country by JL CarrLimberlost by Robbie Arnott, 2022.Cuddy by Benjamin Myers 2023The Stella Prize 2023 winner Sarah Holland Batt for ...

Virginia and Louise are excited to share some must-read new releases including compelling stories about activist guerilla gardeners, true crime podcasters, writers rooms, surveillance and murder as well as the pitfalls and power dynamics of modern relationships, social media, dating apps and late night sketch TV.BooksI Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkah, 2023, Flint PublishingBirnam Wood by Eleanor Catton, 2023, Granta PublishingSearch History by Amy Taylor, 2023, Allen and UnwinRo...

Louise and Virginia jet off to San Francisco in the episode, where they discuss the origins of the City and County, and why it became the home and haven for people wanting to discard façades and identities they may have held in their home towns. They also discuss the original gold rush and the modern tech gold rush and the impact these have had on the city, as well as the serialisation of novels and they way this can shape the overall architecture of a novel. They also revisit the issue of Na...

Louise and Virginia do a deep dive into the very contentious topic of Cancel Culture and the trend of cancelling books and authors. They also touch on the subject of banning books (and indeed burning books), which always have the opposite effect of that sought. Virginia and Lou both have very strong opinions on the subject and it’s such an interesting conversation. They also discuss a few great non-bookish things they’ve been diving into of late.BooksThe Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boy...

Louise and Virginia have been immersed in some armchair travel to Tokyo, which has made them both very keen to travel there. These four books are great to read if you have a trip to Japan on your horizon or your bucket list. They also discuss some fabulous TV series to get streaming, a podcast, and they’ve both had very different recent experiences meeting Yotam Ottolenghi (although both evenings were great fun). Books Death in Tokyo by Keigo Higashino, translated by Giles Mur...

From soccer teams, eerie forests, dysfunctional families and loyal companions, Louise and Virginia ventured back into the world of books for younger readers. BooksA Walk in the Dark by Jane Godwin – Lothian HachetteFootball Fever by Kristin Darell - PenguinTake Me with You When You Go by David Levithan and Jennifer Niven – Penguin 2022Runt by Craig Silvey – Allen and Unwin 2022, Illustrated by Sara ActonTake a Bow, Noah Mitchell by Tobias Madden – Penguin 2022PodcastsMaintenance Phase – ...

Louise lost her beautiful Lagotto dog Buster, two months ago, and so today Virginia and Louise want to dedicate this episode to him and to celebrate the wonder and loyalty that is a dog. In this conversation they discuss four lovely dog-related books as well as a few other things they’ve been diving into lately. BooksDog Stories – Everyman’s Pocket ClassicsAva’s Apartment by Jonathan LethemThe Emissary by Ray BradburyDog Days by Ericka WallerThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-T...

Louise and Virginia have been reading some books by debut writers as well as a charming re-release from the 1960s. These are all great books which they enjoyed enormously. They also discuss a few other non-bookish things they’ve been diving into. BooksA Helping Hand by Celia DaleDirt Town by Hayley ScrivenorLessons in Chemistry by Bonnie GarmusThe Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn TVMarriage with Nicola Walker and Sean BeanAnnika with Nicola Walker BBC RadioAnnika Stranded ...

After a long break Virginia and Louise are excited to be back in their makeshift cushion studios to discuss some new releases by authors they absolutely love……. as well as some other popular culture they have been diving in to. Email hello@divinginpodcast.com Instagram @diving_in_podcast Virginia’s Instagram @virginia_readsLouise’s Instagram @louise_cooks_and_reads Song ‘Diving In’ – original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linkt.ree/llaur...

Louise and Virginia conclude their dive into Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes in this Book Club episode. They discuss Part 2 of Don Quixote, published over 10 years after Part 1, after an imposter had published a fake sequel. Virginia and Louise discuss several characters, the infamous cave scene and much more .

Louise and Virginia dive into Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes in this Book Club episode. They discuss Part 1 of Don Quixote, first published in Spain in 1605 and regarded as the first modern novel. The conversation covers madness, quests, Shakespeare, naval battles, fools, heroes and the role of the sidekick.