BBC Radio 4 LW

Desert Island Discs

Castaway guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Desert Island Discs: Kingsley Amis

09/11/1986

Kingsley Amis

BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Kingsley Amis

Michael Parkinson's castaway is writer Kingsley Amis.

Kingsley Amis won the 1986 Booker Prize for his novel The Old Devils. In conversation with Michael Parkinson, he talks about his childhood in South London, the success of his first published novel Lucky Jim, which he wrote when a lecturer at Swansea University, and his subsequent career as a don at Cambridge and then as a full-time novelist.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Runnin' Wild by Wild Bill Davison
Book: Oxford English Dictionary
Luxury: Scotch whiskey

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.

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics from 1946 – 2004.

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics, as broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 1946 – 2004.

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics. Over 900 programmes, as broadcast from 1946 – 2004.

Alistair Cooke - Letter from America

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: Teflon President on sticky ground

07/06/2014

Teflon President on sticky ground

BBC Radio 4 - Letter from America by Alistair Cooke, Teflon President on sticky ground

Reagan admits to Iran arms deal as hostage is freed.

Sharp criticism from both sides as president comes clean about arms deal to Iran amid hostage negotiations.

Sharp criticism from both sides as president comes clean about arms deal to Iran amid hostage negotiations.

This archive edition of Letter from America was recorded by one of two listeners, who between them taped and labelled over 650 Letter From America programmes from 1973 to 1989. It was restored by the BBC in 2014.

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