Nina Garthwaite presents a showcase for delightful and adventurous short documentaries. A selection of brief encounters, true stories, radio adventures and found sound.

In 'Tracing the Line', we hear tales of lifelines, unfamiliar paths and lines broken and crossed. In one short the economics editor for Newsnight, Paul Mason, offers us an unusual take on the UK's economic lines. We dive deep into Britain's underwater labyrinth of tunnels and caves in order to discover the tale of the 'Dead Man's Handshake' - only attached to the surface, and safety, by one thin lifeline. Whilst across the pond, we hear the story of an American who secretly wore a wire to record his life for five years.

Produced by Eleanor McDowall
A Falling Tree Production for BBC Radio 4

The items featured in this programme were:
Lifelines - Part One
Produced by Kate Bland

Kyrie Osbornum
Featuring Paul Mason

Posterity
Produced by David Weinberg

LUAS Lines
Written and read by Joseph O'Connor

Dead Man's Handshake
Produced by Leo Hornak

Lifelines - Part Two
Produced by Kate Bland

Donald Semenza - The Line
Produced by Pejk Malinovski. Show less