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Louise and Virginia dive into the famous gothic novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, set against the backdrop of Victorian England and the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania. They discuss the fascinating themes of religion, sexuality and gender. Virginia takes us to the history of the principality of Wallachia ruled by the notorious Vlad the Impaler and Louise talks about the fascinating life of Bram Stoker’s wife, Florence.   Books Dracula – by Bram Stoker The Extraordinary Florence Stoker by Karen Brooks   https://the-artifice.com/dracula-victorian-woman/ https://research.library.kutztown.edu/dracula-studies/vol11/iss1/3/   Other things   Television  Treasure & Dirt ABC iView  Ted Lasso – Series 4 Apple TV+   Film CinefestOZ Film Festival https://cinefestoz.com/ Sweet Milk Lake, a movie directed by Harvey Zielenski     Email [email protected] Instagram @diving_in_podcast Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher Graphics by Orla Larkin – [email protected]

Louise and Virginia travel by book to Brazil, Japan, Skiathos and India in this conversation about four very different books translated into English.  How wonderful it is to be absorbed in a book that was originally written in Japanese, Katharevousan Greek, Kannadan or Portuguese, and to absorb the culture and social mores of the people of a foreign country.  All four of these books are excellent. Louise and Virginia also chat about two very different television shows they’ve been watching. Books The Murderess by Alex Papadiamantis, translated by Peter Levi On Earth as it is Beneath by Ana Paula Maia, translated by Padma Viswanathan The Keeper of the Camphor Tree by Keigo Higashimo, translated by Jordan Taylor Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtag, translated by Deepa Bhasthi TV Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Rivals Instagram @diving_in_podcast Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher Graphics by Orla Larkin – [email protected]

Louise and Virginia dive deep into historical witch trials, told through four fictional stories, based on real events from the 17th and 18th centuries. They discuss the fact that much of the ignorance and prejudice against women in particular,  sadly remains in the 21st century. On a lighter note they have also been diving into two great TV shows.   Books   The Witching Tide by Margaret Meyer The Wax Child by Olga Ravn The Names of a Hare by Bernice Barry The Last Witch of Scotland by Philip Paris   TV   The Dry   The Other Bennett Sister   Instagram @diving_in_podcast Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher Graphics by Orla Larkin – [email protected]

Louise and Virginia discuss five very different books. Two very character-driven, interior novels, two set on a dream island, and one classic set during the first French Revolution. They also discuss two great shows currently streaming. Books The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal Island Calling by Francesca Segal The Palm House by Gwendolyn Riley The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy Other things Legends Bergerac Instagram @diving_in_podcast Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher Graphics by Orla Larkin – [email protected]

Louise and Virginia discuss five completely different books this time, some recent releases, and one old. They randomly chose to read books without any planned theme this time, but interestingly all five books feature mothers who impact their children in very different ways. Books Time of the Child by Niall Williams Infidelity and Other Affairs by Kate Legge Rachel Ray by Anthony Trollope Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan Other things O Now by Niall Williams – BBC Sounds app Patience, Series two – ABC iView Film – I Swear Instagram @diving_in_podcast Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher Graphics by Orla Larkin – [email protected]

Louise and Virginia discuss two big novels by Western Australian Living Treasure, Tim Winton, which reflect his, and our, changing concerns over a 35 year period. There’s much to think about here. On a lighter note Virginia has a new member of her family who is causing chaos!  Lou and Virginia also discuss a few TV shows and a podcast they’ve been diving into. Books Cloudstreet Juice TV Runaway How to Get to Heaven from Belfast Scarpetta The House of Dynamite Podcast Not Stupid   Instagram @diving_in_podcast Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher Graphics by Orla Larkin – [email protected]

Louise and Virginia had a lot of fun and laughs discussing the first two novels in William Boyd’s trilogy. Gabriel’s Moon and The Predicament are both great stories about an accidental spy set against the background of actual events in the 1960s, and there was much to discuss. They also talk about a couple of other things they’ve been watching and enjoying. Books Gabriel’s Moon The Predicament   Film The Rivals of Amziah King Streaming Scoop - Netflix A Prince No More - Stan Email [email protected] Instagram @diving_in_podcast Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher Graphics by Orla Larkin – [email protected]

Louise and Virginia loved discussing two authors who are surely two of America's great literary treasures.  Books The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Sula by Toni Morrison Other things Curtis Brown Creative writing courses, London Television Welsh television series The One that Got Away ( 2025) Keeping Faith ( 2017-2021) Hinterland (2013) Email [email protected] Instagram @diving_in_podcast Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher Graphics by Orla Larkin – [email protected]

Louise and Virginia discuss two Jonathon Coe books, both of which reflect life, politics, culture, and society in the United Kingdom, past and present, as Coe always does so brilliantly.   Books Middle England by Jonathon Coe Bourneville by Jonathon Coe   Other things ‘Personal Curriculum Tok’   Television  Human,  ABC iView Under Salt Marsh, Binge   Email [email protected] Instagram @diving_in_podcast Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher Graphics by Orla Larkin – [email protected]

Louise and Virginia dive deep into all thing’s books for Teen Readers, books categorised ‘Young Adult’ but marketed to teenagers.  They discuss the creation of the category, whether publishers should provide some sort of classification system, or content advice as well as four great books and one book that, whilst very gripping,  is surely mis-categorised - to Virginia’s dismay!  As always they finish the conversation with a few other things they’ve been diving into recently.   Books Return to Sender by Lauren Draper Five Survive by Holly Jackson Bear by Kiri Lightfoot What’s Murder Between Friends by Meg Gatland-Veness My Family and Other Suspects by Kate Emery   Other things JournalTok   Television  Three Families – ABC iView   Film Rental Family   Email [email protected] Instagram @diving_in_podcast Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher Graphics by Orla Larkin – [email protected]

Louise and Virginia have finally made it back to the Podcast Studio (Virginia’s dining room) after a gap of more than 18 months, and despite having forgotten how to do a podcast they somehow managed to review two new excellent Australian books that both have a journalist as the central character. They also chat about a few of the non-bookish things they’ve been diving into recently. Books The Worst Thing I’ve Ever Done by Clare Stephens Gravity Let Me Go by Trent Dalton Television Shows Victoria Beckham documentary – Netflix One Shot - Ed Sheeran documentary The Hack – Stan Theatre Bell Shakespeare Company Housekeeping Email [email protected] Instagram @diving_in_podcast Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher Graphics by Orla Larkin – [email protected]

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. Books Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens, 1838 Hard Times, by Charles Dickens, 1854 Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, 2023  More Deep Dives Emma, by Jane Austen Television Emma, 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   Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, translated by Jay Rubin   Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote   Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson       Television Shows   Scrublands - Stan   Boy Swallows Universe – Netflix     Podcasts   The Children of Rutherford County – Serial   The Queen’s Reading Room

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, 1970s feel. Book Salt River Road by Molly Schmidt, 2023, published by Fremantle Press Binge TV Strife Netflix The Crown

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. Books Killing for Country by David Marr Edenglassie by Melissa Lukashenko TV Show The Crown – Netflix Podcasts The Rest is History – Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland The Rest is Entertainment – Richard Osman and Marina Hyde