Louise and Virginia dive into the famous gothic novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, set against the backdrop of Victorian England and the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania. They discuss the fascinating themes of religion, sexuality and gender. Virginia takes us to the history of the principality of Wallachia ruled by the notorious Vlad the Impaler and Louise talks about the fascinating life of Bram Stoker’s wife, Florence.

Books

Dracula – by Bram Stoker

The Extraordinary Florence Stoker by Karen Brooks

https://the-artifice.com/dracula-victorian-woman/

https://research.library.kutztown.edu/dracula-studies/vol11/iss1/3/

Other things

Television

Treasure & Dirt ABC iView

Ted Lasso – Series 4 Apple TV+

Film

CinefestOZ Film Festival https://cinefestoz.com/

Sweet Milk Lake, a movie directed by Harvey Zielenski

Email hello@divinginpodcast.com

Instagram @diving_in_podcast

Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline

Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher

Graphics by Orla Larkin – create@werkshop.com.au

Louise and Virginia travel by book to Brazil, Japan, Skiathos and India in this conversation about four very different books translated into English. How wonderful it is to be absorbed in a book that was originally written in Japanese, Katharevousan Greek, Kannadan or Portuguese, and to absorb the culture and social mores of the people of a foreign country. All four of these books are excellent. Louise and Virginia also chat about two very different television shows they’ve been watching.

Books

The Murderess by Alex Papadiamantis, translated by Peter Levi

On Earth as it is Beneath by Ana Paula Maia, translated by Padma Viswanathan

The Keeper of the Camphor Tree by Keigo Higashimo, translated by Jordan Taylor

Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtag, translated by Deepa Bhasthi

TV

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

Rivals

Instagram @diving_in_podcast

Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline

Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher

Graphics by Orla Larkin – create@werkshop.com.au

Louise and Virginia dive deep into historical witch trials, told through four fictional stories, based on real events from the 17th and 18th centuries. They discuss the fact that much of the ignorance and prejudice against women in particular, sadly remains in the 21st century. On a lighter note they have also been diving into two great TV shows.

Books

The Witching Tide by Margaret Meyer

The Wax Child by Olga Ravn

The Names of a Hare by Bernice Barry

The Last Witch of Scotland by Philip Paris

TV

The Dry

The Other Bennett Sister

Instagram @diving_in_podcast

Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline

Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher

Graphics by Orla Larkin – create@werkshop.com.au

Louise and Virginia discuss five very different books. Two very character-driven, interior novels, two set on a dream island, and one classic set during the first French Revolution. They also discuss two great shows currently streaming.

Books

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal

Island Calling by Francesca Segal

The Palm House by Gwendolyn Riley

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy

Other things

Legends

Bergerac

Instagram @diving_in_podcast

Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline

Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher

Graphics by Orla Larkin – create@werkshop.com.au

Louise and Virginia discuss five completely different books this time, some recent releases, and one old. They randomly chose to read books without any planned theme this time, but interestingly all five books feature mothers who impact their children in very different ways.

Books
Time of the Child by Niall Williams
Infidelity and Other Affairs by Kate Legge
Rachel Ray by Anthony Trollope
Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy
Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan

Other things
O Now by Niall Williams – BBC Sounds app
Patience, Series two – ABC iView

Film – I Swear

Instagram @diving_in_podcast
Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and
performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline
Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher
Graphics by Orla Larkin – create@werkshop.com.au

Louise and Virginia discuss two big novels by Western Australian Living Treasure, Tim Winton, which reflect his, and our, changing concerns over a 35 year period. There’s much to think about here.

On a lighter note Virginia has a new member of her family who is causing chaos! Lou and Virginia also discuss a few TV shows and a podcast they’ve been diving into.

Books

Cloudstreet

Juice

TV

Runaway

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast

Scarpetta

The House of Dynamite

Podcast

Not Stupid

Instagram @diving_in_podcast

Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline

Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher

Graphics by Orla Larkin – create@werkshop.com.au

Louise and Virginia had a lot of fun and laughs discussing the first two novels in William Boyd’s trilogy. Gabriel’s Moon and The Predicament are both great stories about an accidental spy set against the background of actual events in the 1960s, and there was much to discuss. They also talk about a couple of other things they’ve been watching and enjoying.

Books

Gabriel’s Moon

The Predicament

Film

The Rivals of Amziah King

Streaming

Scoop - Netflix

A Prince No More - Stan

Email hello@divinginpodcast.com

Instagram @diving_in_podcast

Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline

Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher

Graphics by Orla Larkin – create@werkshop.com.au

Louise and Virginia loved discussing two authors who are surely two of America's great literary treasures.

Books

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Sula by Toni Morrison

Other things

Curtis Brown Creative writing courses, London

Television

Welsh television series

The One that Got Away ( 2025)

Keeping Faith ( 2017-2021)

Hinterland (2013)

Email hello@divinginpodcast.com

Instagram @diving_in_podcast

Song ‘Diving In’ – Original music and lyrics written and performed by Laura Adeline – https://linktr.ee/llauraadeline

Podcast sound production and editing by Andy Maher

Graphics by Orla Larkin – create@werkshop.com.au