Virginia and Louise journey to Russia minus the vodka and discuss a new best-seller set in the Cold War and a stolen manuscript, some Russian novels and the fate of dissidents who speak out against Mother Russia.The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott, 2019Dr Zhivago by Boris PasternakOne Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr SolzhenitsynPodcast:Putin, Prisoner of Power, Mischa Glenny, 2019, AudibleDisgraceland, Jake Brennan, true crime and musiciansNewspapers:New York Times, ‘Oleg Sen...

06: Manuscripts, Spies and Mother Russia - Pasternak, Solzhenitsyn and Lara Prescott

Diving In is a conversation you will want to be part of - Louise and Virginia have been best friends since university - they share a passion for story telling and read loads of good books.  Make yourself a cup of tea and listen in as they share the books they’ve been loving, and also the films, TV series, podcasts and articles they’ve enjoyed.

Arts

Literature

Performing Arts

Design

Food

Fashion & Beauty

Visual Arts

Books

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

73: The Ghost of Charles Dickens sitting on Barbara Kingsolver’s Shoulder

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  ...

72: This Is A Bit Embarrassing… (books we’ve never read)

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...

71: The Next Diving In Book Club – Salt River Road by Molly Schmidt

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

70: A Spotlight on Early Australia

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...

06: Manuscripts, Spies and Mother Russia - Pasternak, Solzhenitsyn and Lara Prescott

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