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Book of the Week

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Serialised book readings, featuring works from various genres

Serialised book readings, featuring works of non-fiction, biography, autobiography, travel, diaries, essays, humour and history

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Book of the Week: Alive, Alive Oh! And Other Things That Matter

Stephanie Cole

Diana Athill

Claire Simpson

Kirsteen Cameron

Book of the Week: Alive, Alive Oh! And Other Things That Matter: Episode 2: Alive, Alive Oh!

Factual: Life Stories

Alive, Alive Oh! And Other Things That Matter

Episode 2

Episode 2: Alive, Alive Oh!

Alive, Alive Oh!

BBC Radio 4 - Book of the Week, Alive, Alive Oh! And Other Things That Matter, Alive, Alive Oh!

Diana describes the miscarriage that almost killed her, aged 43, in the early 1960s.

Stephanie Cole reads Diana Athill's poignant essay about the miscarriage that almost killed her, aged 43, in the early 1960s. From December 2015.

The collection of essays by acclaimed editor and author Diana Athill.
 
Written from the vantage point of her great age, Athill's writing is honest and thought-provoking. In this second essay, "Alive Alive Oh!", she describes with total candour her miscarriage in 1960, aged 43, when she nearly lost her life.
 
Diana Athill's books include Stet: An Editor's Life (2000) and Yesterday Morning (2002). For fifty years she was the editorial director of André Deutsch, where she worked with such authors as Jean Rhys, Gitta Sereny and V. S. Naipaul. Her Costa Award-winning memoir, Somewhere Towards the End, was published in January 2008.
 
Photo credit: Mark Crick
 
Written by Diana Athill
 
Read by Stephanie Cole
 
Abridged by Claire Simpson
 
Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Stephanie Cole reads from Diana Athill's essay collection. Abridged by Kirsteen Cameron

Stephanie Cole reads from Diana Athill's essay collection, published to mark the author's 98th birthday. Abridged by Kirsteen Cameron

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