By complete coincidence Louise and Virginia read five books which all feature women who are either locked away or are prisoners of their minds. In spite of the serious-sounding themes of the books they spent most of this conversation in puddles of laughter, providing plenty of bloopers material.
BooksThe Mad Women’s Ball by Victoria Mas and translated by Frank Wynne, 2021, DoubledayHistory of the Rain by Niall Williams, 2014, BloomsburyMrs March by Virginia Feito, 2021, Harper CollinsTangerine by Christine Mangan, 2019, Little BrownThe Night Village by Zoe Deleuil, 2021, Fremantle Press
TelevisionAnnikaGrantchester

Louise and Virginia have been devouring more new releases which have revealed several small coincidences. They also chat about a few non bookish things they’ve been diving into recently.

BooksThe Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak, 2021, Penguin.Love and Virtue by Diana Reid, 2021 Ultimo PressAnything But Fine by Tobias Madden, 2021, PenguinCrossroads by Jonathon Franzen, 2021, 4th Estate.Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty, 2021 MacMillan
PodcastsA Slight Change of Plans with Maya ShankarBecause of Anita
TelevisionTed Lasso, Apple TV+Nine Perfect Strangers, Netflix

Louise and Virginia have been reading several new releases and loving all of them. They chat about seven very different books in the conversation and there are plenty of laughs.
Books
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller, 2021, Penguin RandomHouseBeautiful World, Where Are You? by Sally Rooney, 2021, FaberThe Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki, 2021, Text PublishingTreasure and Dirt by Chris Hammer, 2021, Allen and UnwinWild Abandon by Emily Bitto, 2021, Allen and UnwinGreat Circle by Maggie Shipstead, 2021, RandomHouseThe Art of Patience by Sylvain Tesson, 2021, Bloomsbury

Louise and Virginia have been reading some small but gripping books that have been translated into English; perhaps the ultimate type of ‘own voices’ reading. By complete coincidence they ended up in the same parts of the world.

Books:
Tomorrow They Won’t Dare to Murder Us by Joseph Andras and translated by Simon Lesser. 2021, Verso.People Like Them: A Novel by Samira Sedira and translated by Lara Vergnaud. 2020, Raven BooksMadonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali and translated by Maureen Freely and Alexander Dawe. 1943, Other Press.At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop and translated by Anna Moschovakis. 2018, Pushkin Press.

Podcasts:
ABC Nature TrackThe DropoutIn Writing with Hattie Crisell

Cinefest Oz Films:
The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly JohnsonNitram

Virginia and Louise loved reading Hamnet for Episode 21 ‘Twin Tales’, so decided to do a deep dive into Maggie O’Farrell’s back catalogue. They discuss four of her earlier novels, all fantastic, as well as a few other things they’ve been diving into.
Books
After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell, 2000, Tinder PressThe Distance Between Us by Maggie O’Farrell, 2004, Tinder PressThe Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell, 2006, Tinder PressInstructions For a Heatwave by Maggie O’ Farrell, 2013, PenguinThe Kindness Revolution, Hugh Mackay, Allen & Unwin 2021
Podcasts
How to Fail, with Maggie O’FarrellDesert Island Discs, with Maggie O’FarrellThe House that Vanished, BBC Sounds
TV series
Hacks, on Stan

Today’s books are all crime books set in the legal world. Some are brand new, one is an oldie, but all are great.

Email [email protected] @diving_in_podcastVirginia’s Instagram @virginia_readsLouise’s Instagram @louise_cooks_and_reads
Song ‘Diving In’ – original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linkt.ree/llauraadelinePodcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher.Graphics by Orla Larkin - [email protected]

Books
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, 2016, Little, BrownWhile Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams, 2021, HarperCollinsTragedy at Law by Cyril Hare, 1942, Faber and FaberThe Last Trial by Scott Turow, 2021, Pan Macmillan

Podcasts
99% Invisible – The ClinchThe Party Room with Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly

Louise and Virginia thought it might be fun if they each chose a book for the other, and in this episode they reveal what they thought of the books they were given. They also discuss some great podcast episodes, a couple of books they’ve each finished recently, and an excellent period costume drama series.

Email [email protected] @diving_in_podcastVirginia’s Instagram @virginia_readsLouise’s Instagram @louise_cooks_and_reads
Song ‘Diving In’ – original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linkt.ree/llauraadelinePodcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher.Graphics by Orla Larkin - [email protected]

Books
Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie, 1981, VintageLove and Treasure by Ayelet Waldman, 2013, Penguin Random HouseA Children’s Bible by Lydia Millet, 2020, W. W Norton & Co.Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri, 2021, Bloomsbury

Podcasts
This American Life, Episodes dated 739 Sisters and 741 The Power of WordsNovel Pairings episodes on Pride and Prejudice

TV seriesNetflix: Sophie: A Murder in West CorkBelgravia - Julian Fellowes

Louise and Virginia dive into ‘pleasurable terror’ and explore Wuthering Heights for Book Club. They have some controversial views about Heathcliff and Cathy, take a deep dive into why we love all things gothic, and also discuss some new-release Gothic fiction.
Email [email protected]Instagram @diving_in_podcastVirginia’s Instagram @virginia_readsLouise’s Instagram @louise_cooks_and_reads
Song ‘Diving In’ – original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linkt.ree/llauraadelinePodcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher.Graphics by Orla Larkin - [email protected]
Books
Wuthering Heights by Emily BrontëThe Bass Rock by Evie Wyld, 2020, Penguin Random HouseThe Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell, 2021, Bloomsbury

Louise takes a Swandive with Polly Phillips, author of award winning novel ‘My Best Friend’s Murder’ published by Simon & Schuster.
Email [email protected]Instagram @diving_in_podcastVirginia’s Instagram @virginia_readsLouise’s Instagram @louise_cooks_and_reads
Song ‘Diving In’ – original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linkt.ree/llauraadelinePodcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher.Graphics by Orla Larkin - [email protected]

Louise and Virginia decided to have another episode where they read whatever they wanted and they chose some great books. They also discussed a couple of good podcasts, a life hack that is wine-related, and some book news.
Email [email protected] @diving_in_podcastVirginia’s Instagram @virginia_readsLouise’s Instagram @louise_cooks_and_reads
Song ‘Diving In’ – original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linkt.ree/llauraadelinePodcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher.Graphics by Orla Larkin - [email protected] Books
My Policeman by Bethan Roberts, 2012, VintageSorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason, 2020, HarperCollinsThe Motion of the Body Through Space by Lionel Shriver, 2020 HarperCollinsDreamland by Rosa Rankin-Gee, 2021, Simon & Schuster

Podcasts
In Writing with Hattie Crisell – George SaundersAll In the Mind ABC – Super Voice RecognisersAbsolutely Mental with Ricky Gervais and Sam Harris