A conversation between friends about the books, movies, television and podcasts we’re diving in to.
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
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
Books
The Dogs by John Hughes
Forbidden Love by Norma Khouri
The 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.
Books
Yellowface R F Kuang Harper Collins 2023
Crook Manifesto Colson Whitehead 2023
The Sitter Angela O’ Keefe Queensland University Press 2023
Old God’s Time Sebastian Barry 2023
Podcasts
The Trial of Lucy Letby UK The Mail Metro Media
Inside Design Jane Ledger
Theatre
‘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
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.
Books
The Offing by Benjamin Myers, 2019
Stolen by Ann-Helene Laestadius, 2023
Also consider A Month in the Country by JL Carr
Limberlost by Robbie Arnott, 2022.
Cuddy by Benjamin Myers 2023
The Stella Prize 2023 winner Sarah Holland Batt for The Jaguar.
Podcast
The Rest is History podcasts on the Coronations
Wiser than Me with Julia Louis Dreyfuss
Streaming
Unstable
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.
Books
I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkah, 2023, Flint Publishing
Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton, 2023, Granta Publishing
Search History by Amy Taylor, 2023, Allen and Unwin
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld, 2023, Penguin Random House
Streaming
Succession HBO
Netflix
The Diplomat
Line of Duty
Podcasts
Mel’s Electric Adventures
KicPod, Keep It Cleaner Podcast
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