This week there is a huge and sad announcement, Bri makes an uncharacteristic mistake and Bridie and Bri go through the reading cornerstones of their lives at 5, 25 and 35.

Thank you so much to our listeners for all of your support over the journey of Cool Story. It is with heavy hearts that we have to say goodbye, but stay subscribed to the feed as you never know what the future may hold.

Books referenced int his episode:

Babysitters little sister series by Ann M Martin

The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende

Idiot Pride by Matt Zurbo 

Women, Race and Class by Angela Davis

Stet by Diana Athill

Instead of a letter by Diana Athill

Eragon by Christopher Paolini 

The First Stone by Helen Garner

Caoilinn Hughes: Orchid and the Wasp, The Wild Laughter, and The Alternatives

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This week Bridie is in her TV era, with two great shows to discuss, and Bri has a brilliant new history podcast she wants everyone to listen to. Then they discuss the recent piece in The Cut about parents getting obsessed about creating "core memories" for their children. 

Articles/TV show references:

Being Roman with Mary Beard

Why Are Parents Fixated on Core Memories?

Mr and Mrs Smith

Feud: Capote vs The Swans 

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This week Bri and Bridie are back together! While Bri was adventuring around Egypt Bridie had some high highs (three Taylor Swift shows) and low lows (you'll find out). Bridie has an epic family saga in books to rave about, and Bri has a great nonfiction book recommendation from her Egypt reading too.

 

Articles/Books referenced in this episode:

The Sisters by Mary Lovell

Wait For Me by Deborah Devonshire

Sex and the Citadel: Intimate Life in a Changing Arab World by Shereen El Feki

The Pursuit of Love (2021) watch on Prime Video

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This week on Cool Story with Bri and Bridie; Bridie talks about friendship with Gyan Yankovich.

What's the worst thing you've ever heard a friend do to another friend? What's the biggest mistake people make in friendship? Bridie and Gyan discuss all of this and more, as well as Gyan's three books to get you out of a reading rut.

Gyan's book is Just Friends.

Books discussed in this episode:
The Guest by Emma Cline
Department of Speculation by Jenny Offill 
Writers and Lovers by Lily King

 

 

 

 

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This week on Cool Story; Bri and Bridie answer some personal questions left over from the December live show at The Vanguard in Sydney.

There were so many incredible questions from the audience that they couldn't possibly all be answered on the night. Did Bri consider writing her first book under a pseudonym? What's Bridie's most underrated Taylor Swift song? Tune in to hear them all.

Books referenced in this episode:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/bird-by-bird-some-instructions-on-writing-and-life-anne-lamott/book/9781921372476.html

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Bridie is joined by debut author James Colley. They discuss books to get you out of a reading rut, burying your most honest thoughts in fiction and how to figure out how to write a novel.

James is the author of The Next Big Thing.

Books referenced in this episode:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-love-raymond-carver/book/9780679723059.html

https://www.booktopia.com.au/mike-nichols-mark-harris/book/9780399562242.html

Song of Spiderman: The Inside story of the most controversial musical in Broadway history by Glen Berger

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This week Bri has read one of the best books she's picked up in months, while Bridie has a fantastic debut on maternal ambivalence. They discuss the best career advice from people over 30 after a tweet with some extreme responses goes slightly viral. And when it is okay for a politician to lie? Bri and Bridie dissect the question as parliament returns for the first sitting week of the year in which stage three tax cuts will dominate.

Books/Articles/Shows referenced in this episode:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202733783-thanks-for-having-me?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=cQV17P8VXM&rank=1

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693584-if-an-egyptian-cannot-speak-english?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_10

https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/fargo/season-5

 

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This week Bri and Bridie catch up on each others' summer breaks and compare their plans for 2024. They discuss the great books they read, fight about Shane Warne, and finish with a tricky question about climate change deniers. 

Books/Articles referenced in this episode:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/nothing-special-nicole-flattery/book/9781526612137.html

https://www.booktopia.com.au/grand-days-frank-moorhouse/book/9780143790907.html

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65215109-the-upstairs-delicatessen

https://www.booktopia.com.au/on-warne-gideon-haigh/book/9780143569176.html

Ipsos 'Perils of Perception' climate change study:

https://www.ipsos.com/en/ipsos-perils-perception-climate-change 

When my dad and brother died I denied my grief the way we deny the climate crisis. But it didn't make it go away:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/20/when-my-dad-and-brother-died-i-denied-my-grief-the-way-we-deny-the-climate-crisis-but-it-didnt-go-away

How "that Octopus Book" won over a million readers:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/30/books/remarkably-bright-creatures-shelby-van-pelt.html

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In this special episode, Bri and Bridie each share their summer reading guides! A combination of what their favourites from summers gone by, and the books they're taking with them on holidays this summer. Need a book? We got you!

Books referenced in this episode:

Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

https://www.booktopia.com.au/cold-comfort-farm-stella-gibbons/book/9780241418895.html

Too Much Lip - Melissa Lucashenko 

https://www.booktopia.com.au/too-much-lip-melissa-lucashenko/book/9780702263040.html

Song of the Crocodile - Nardi Simpson

https://www.booktopia.com.au/song-of-the-crocodile-nardi-simpson/book/9780733643743.html

Love Match - Clare Fletcher 

https://www.booktopia.com.au/love-match-clare-fletcher/book/9781761046803.html

Matrix - Lauren Groff

https://www.booktopia.com.au/matrix-lauren-groff/book/9781594634505.html

Green Dot - Madeleine Gray

https://www.booktopia.com.au/green-dot-madeleine-gray/book/9781761068614.html

The Golden Enclaves - Naomi Novik

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-golden-enclaves-naomi-novik/book/9781529100938.html

The Shape of Dust - Lamisse Hamouda

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-shape-of-dust-lamisse-hamouda/book/9780648795117.html

 

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In this special episode, Bri and Bridie take a look at the year that has just ended, sharing some of their highs and achievements, but also some of their and lows and challenges.

Then they discuss the two biggest stories that defined the news in 2023. 

Articles/charities referenced in this episode:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/11/06/israel-gaza-war-hamas

MSF Gaza-Israel fund:

https://donations.msf.org.au/donate/e2310isrpalga

Palestine Red Crescent society:

https://www.palestinercs.org/en

Palestine Children's Relief fund:

https://www.pcrf.net/

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