How's the Water?

Gary and Siena tackle James Joyce's final and most convoluted work of fiction, Finnegan's Wake! Are you up to attempting this colossus? And how can you do that without letting it drive you nuts? Featuring an entertaining plot reveal, comparisons to Ulysses, and a talking butt amongst a cast of colourful characters. 

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Gary and Siena return to their favourite Brontë sister with Agnes Grey, the autobiographical debut novel of Anne Brontë. Our hosts draw comparisons between this book and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, as well as the works of Anne's more well-known sisters - also, briefly, Dangerous Minds and Freedom Writers . Featuring stories about their worst ever jobs, and references to Charlotte Brontë's (allegedly) malicious nature.  

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In a very spooky Halloween edition of How's the Water?, Gary and Siena cover one of Siena's favourite books, Dracula by Bram Stoker. Is it as scary as she remembers? How does Van Helsing get back and forth to Amsterdam so quickly? And would being a vampire really be all that bad? 

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Gary and Siena discuss the coolness of Zadie Smith, multicultural Britain and great transitions in her debut and award winning novel, White Teeth. Also included: memories of the Great Storm of October 1987 and Gary feels attacked by the depiction of the middle class Chalfens.

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Gary and Siena relive their postmodern nightmares as they examine Mark Z. Danielewski's bestselling novel House of Leaves. Featuring light trash talk, some spooky music and a shout out to Meow Wolf's House of Eternal Return. 

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Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4590-virtutes-instrumenti
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Gary and Siena get elemental as they round off their European literature series with the brilliant Italian writer Primo Levi and his collection of short stories, which unexpectedly and elegantly combine his love of chemistry with his struggles during the rise and fall of fascism in Italy.

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Gary and Siena piece together Georges Perec's W, or The Memory of Childhood, exploring themes of false memories and the loss of identity stemming from the author's experiences as a young boy in France amid The Holocaust.

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Gary and Siena are back with an overdue deep dive into Italian writer Francesca Duranti's complex and charming novella, which covers the themes of multiple articulations of being, "otherness", and the acceptance of diversity in just 118 pages. And don't hesitate to get in touch with what you think of bidets.

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Gary and Siena take on the Icelandic masterpiece Independent People by Nobel Prize winning writer Halldór Laxness, known as The Tolstoy of the North! Join them as they discuss the nature of independence, innocence and isolation against the backdrop of a rural life during the turmoil of the early 20th century. Bring coffee. 

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Gary and Siena explore the smells and peculiarities of 18th century France through Patrick Süskind's historical fantasy novel, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.  Plus smelly coworker stories and a review of the German series featured on Netflix!

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As Gary and Siena bid adieu to the Brontës, they discuss a (fictional) book that paints Charlotte as a stone-cold murderous control freak and attempt to separate fact from fiction. Plus poems! 

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Gary and Siena continue to unwind the complicated plot of Wuthering Heights and explore a deeper analysis of the characters and themes.

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Music: Secrets of Plants by Lobo Loco
From Free Music Archive
CC BY NC

In Part 1 of the examination of Emily Brontë's only finished novel, Gary and Siena share what they have learned about the reclusive author, explore an alternate Heathcliff origin story, and discuss the famous 1939 film. 

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Gary and Siena discuss Anne Brontë's much underrated (in their esteemed opinion) classic, including typical 19th century women problems and horrible needy jealousy.

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Our hosts look in depth at Charlotte Bronte and her most famous novel. They also examine the under appreciated hard work of Grace Poole before wondering whether Jane’s altruism is her biggest drawback. 

Gary and Siena introduce and discuss their upcoming four-part series, focusing on the lives and works of the Brontë sisters. Featuring snazzy music, US/UK accent problems, and the village of Howarth, Yorkshire.