70 episodes

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.

Diving In Virginia Seymour and Louise Jones

    • Arts
    • 4.8 • 124 Ratings

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.

    Capturing the Zeitgeist with some Fantastic New Releases

    Capturing the Zeitgeist with some Fantastic New Releases

    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

    • 47 min
    62. If You’re Going to San Francisco...

    62. If You’re Going to San Francisco...

    Louise and Virginia jet off to San Francisco in the episode, where they discuss the origins of the City and County, and why it became the home and haven for people wanting to discard façades and identities they may have held in their home towns. They also discuss the original gold rush and the modern tech gold rush and the impact these have had on the city, as well as the serialisation of novels and they way this can shape the overall architecture of a novel. They also revisit the issue of Nazism and the presence of monsters living in plain sight among us. 


    Books
     
    The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, 1941
    Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin, 1978
    Daughter of Fortune by Isabelle Allende, 1998
    Mr Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, 2012
    Days Without End by Sebastian Barry, 2016


    Television
     
    Clarkson’s Farm – Prime
    My Mother and Other Strangers, BBC, ABC iView


    Blog


    Literary Hub by Megan Abbott
    https://lithub.com/megan-abbott-on-the-difference-between-hardboiled-and-noir/ 

    • 51 min
    61. This Book is Cancelled!

    61. This Book is Cancelled!

    Louise and Virginia do a deep dive into the very contentious topic of Cancel Culture and the trend of cancelling books and authors. They also touch on the subject of banning books (and indeed burning books), which always have the opposite effect of that sought. Virginia and Lou both have very strong opinions on the subject and it’s such an interesting conversation. They also discuss a few great non-bookish things they’ve been diving into of late.


    Books

    The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne, 2006, Doubleday
    All the Bright Places by John Boyne, 2022, Doubleday
    Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, 1969
    Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D H Lawrence, 1928.
    The Trial of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Edited by CH Rolphe


    TV Shows


    Vardy v Rooney-Binge
    Murder on the Homefront – Netflix
    Significant Others – ABC iView
    Nolly – Foxtel


    Podcast

    The Banned Books Podcast

    • 1 hr 10 min
    60. Walking the Streets of Tokyo with the characters from great fiction set in that city

    60. Walking the Streets of Tokyo with the characters from great fiction set in that city

    Louise and Virginia have been immersed in some armchair travel to Tokyo, which has made them both very keen to travel there. These four books are great to read if you have a trip to Japan on your horizon or your bucket list. They also discuss some fabulous TV series to get streaming, a podcast, and they’ve both had very different recent experiences meeting Yotam Ottolenghi (although both evenings were great fun).
      
    Books
     
    Death in Tokyo by Keigo Higashino, translated by Giles Murray. Published by St Martin’s Publishing Group
    The Book of Tokyo – A City in Short Fiction, edited by Michael Emmerich, Jim Hinks and Masashi Matsuie. 
    Tokyo Redux by David Peace. Faber 2021
    Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata and translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori


    Streaming TV series
     
    Vardy v Rooney – Foxtel
    Happy Valley – Binge
    Bump – ABC


    Podcast
     
    The Mel Robbins Podcast
     
    Yotam Ottolenghi – Test Kitchen

    • 1 hr 6 min
    59. Books for Younger Readers

    59. Books for Younger Readers

    From soccer teams, eerie forests, dysfunctional families and loyal companions, Louise and Virginia ventured back into the world of books for younger readers.
     
    Books
    A Walk in the Dark by Jane Godwin – Lothian Hachette
    Football Fever by Kristin Darell - Penguin
    Take Me with You When You Go by David Levithan and Jennifer Niven – Penguin 2022
    Runt by Craig Silvey – Allen and Unwin 2022, Illustrated by Sara Acton
    Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell by Tobias Madden – Penguin 2022

    Podcasts
    Maintenance Phase – Debunking junk science behind health fads
    The Daily – George Santos

    Streaming Shows 
    Emily in Paris
    Yellowstone
    Colin from Accounts
    Slow Horses

    • 52 min
    58: Buster - The Best Boy

    58: Buster - The Best Boy

    Louise lost her beautiful Lagotto dog Buster, two months ago, and so today Virginia and Louise want to dedicate this episode to him and to celebrate the wonder and loyalty that is a dog. In this conversation they discuss four lovely dog-related books as well as a few other things they’ve been diving into lately.
     
    Books
    Dog Stories – Everyman’s Pocket Classics
    Ava’s Apartment by Jonathan Lethem
    The Emissary by Ray Bradbury
    Dog Days by Ericka Waller
    The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
    Murder Most Royal by SJ Bennett


    Podcast
    The Crown : The Official Podcast with Edith Bowman


    TV Series 
    The Sandhamn Murders  (SBS Australia)

    Instagram accounts
    @jennybloomfield
    @catherine.rayner
     
    Streaming
    Shetland Series 6 and 7
    Julia - with Sarah Lancashire
     

    • 54 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
124 Ratings

124 Ratings

Jetjob ,

A favourite

I look forward to listening as each new podcast becomes available. Love your humour chat and analysis, and always follow up with your recommendations.

BourkieThe CricketNutter ,

PC gone mad.

Why the acknowledgement of country at the beginning ? Ridiculous . Unsubscribing as we are sick of this fake nonsense being shoved down our throats .

Lilburneremy ,

SO THERAPEUTIC! better than a cappuccino…

Can’t tell you what a delight it is to listen to Virginia and Louise…feel like I am at a friend’s house with great company,cosy cuppa and engaging repertoire.
I’ve just had a knee replacement and the hours spent with you two have been lovely. I struggle with many podcasts, but your gentle tones, self effacing humour and intellect are a delight. I love your beautiful use of the English language, varied and eclectic suggestions and the wonderful life hacks.
Hope you are proud of your work… you are doing a fabulous job. Many thanks from the rehab couch!

Top Podcasts In Arts

Roman Mars
Mamamia Podcasts
Justice for Dumb Women
The Moth
Jessie Ware
ABC listen

You Might Also Like

Sarah Dickinson | Sarah's Bookshelves
The Bookshelf Thomasville
Tina, Renee
Literally Reading
Novel Pairings
Meredith Monday Schwartz and Kaytee Cobb