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  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.BookSalt River Road by Molly Schmidt, 2023, published by Fremantle PressBinge TVStrifeNetflixThe 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.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  London’s Number One Dog-Walking Agency: A Memoir, Kate MacDougall, 2021 William Morrow  Salt River Road, Molly Schmidt, 2023 Fremantle Press  Streaming  Welcome to Wrexham, Disney  Podcasts  The Whistleblowers, ABC Background Briefing

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    BooksThe Dogs by John HughesForbidden Love by Norma KhouriThe Hand that Signed the Paper by Helen Demidenko/Helen Darville    Article  Who is the Bad Art Friend? by Robert Kolker – The New York Times Magazine 2021

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    BooksThe Dogs by John HughesForbidden Love by Norma KhouriThe Hand that Signed the Paper by Helen Demidenko/Helen Darville    Article  Who is the Bad Art Friend? by Robert Kolker – The New York Times Magazine 2021

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 Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo    Related Blog:The Gothic Wanderer Wordpress

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 Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo    Related Blog:The Gothic Wanderer Wordpress

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 The Jaguar. PodcastThe Rest is History podcasts on the CoronationsWiser than Me with Julia Louis Dreyfuss StreamingUnstable The Diplomat Queen Charlotte

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 UnwinRomantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld, 2023, Penguin Random HouseStreamingSuccession HBO NetflixThe DiplomatLine of DutyPodcastsMel’s Electric AdventuresKicPod, Keep It Cleaner Podcast

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 Nazism and the presence of monsters living in plain sight among us. Books The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, 1941Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin, 1978Daughter of Fortune by Isabelle Allende, 1998Mr Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, 2012Days Without End by Sebastian Barry, 2016Television Clarkson’s Farm – PrimeMy Mother and Other Strangers, BBC, ABC iViewBlogLiterary Hub by Megan Abbotthttps://lithub.com/megan-abbott-on-the-difference-between-hardboiled-and-noir/ 

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 Nazism and the presence of monsters living in plain sight among us. Books The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, 1941Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin, 1978Daughter of Fortune by Isabelle Allende, 1998Mr Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, 2012Days Without End by Sebastian Barry, 2016Television Clarkson’s Farm – PrimeMy Mother and Other Strangers, BBC, ABC iViewBlogLiterary Hub by Megan Abbotthttps://lithub.com/megan-abbott-on-the-difference-between-hardboiled-and-noir/ 

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 Nazism and the presence of monsters living in plain sight among us. Books The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, 1941Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin, 1978Daughter of Fortune by Isabelle Allende, 1998Mr Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, 2012Days Without End by Sebastian Barry, 2016Television Clarkson’s Farm – PrimeMy Mother and Other Strangers, BBC, ABC iViewBlogLiterary Hub by Megan Abbotthttps://lithub.com/megan-abbott-on-the-difference-between-hardboiled-and-noir/ 

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 Boyne, 2006, DoubledayAll the Bright Places by John Boyne, 2022, DoubledaySlaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, 1969Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D H Lawrence, 1928.The Trial of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Edited by CH RolpheTV ShowsVardy v Rooney-BingeMurder on the Homefront – NetflixSignificant Others – ABC iViewNolly – FoxtelPodcastThe Banned Books Podcast

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 Murray. Published by St Martin’s Publishing GroupThe Book of Tokyo – A City in Short Fiction, edited by Michael Emmerich, Jim Hinks and Masashi Matsuie. Tokyo Redux by David Peace. Faber 2021Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata and translated by Ginny Tapley TakemoriStreaming TV series Vardy v Rooney – FoxtelHappy Valley – BingeBump – ABCPodcast The Mel Robbins Podcast Yotam Ottolenghi – Test Kitchen

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 – Debunking junk science behind health fadsThe Daily – George SantosStreaming Shows Emily in ParisYellowstoneColin from AccountsSlow Horses

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-Time by Mark HaddonMurder Most Royal by SJ BennettPodcastThe Crown : The Official Podcast with Edith BowmanTV Series The Sandhamn Murders  (SBS Australia)Instagram accounts@jennybloomfield@catherine.rayner StreamingShetland Series 6 and 7Julia - with Sarah Lancashire