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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: Lady Soames

22/03/1992

Lady Soames

BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Lady Soames

Sue Lawley's castaway is the writer Mary Soames

Sue Lawley's castaway is the writer Mary Soames.

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Lady Soames, historian and only surviving child of Winston Churchill. A distinguished author and now Chairman of the Board of the National Theatre, she'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her extraordinary life - recalling her blissful childhood spent at Chartwell, the family's country home. She'll also be talking about the many state visits she made with her father and her husband - and remembering a conversation she had with General de Gaulle, who gave her lots of good advice on the best places to walk dogs in Paris.

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

Favourite track: Symphony No 6 In F Major Op 68 Pastoral by Ludwig van Beethoven
Book: Memories From Beyond The Grave by Chateaubriand
Luxury: Supply of fine Havana cigars

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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.

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: Labor Day and school closures

Labor Day and school closures

BBC Radio 4 - Letter from America by Alistair Cooke, Labor Day and school closures

The causes of the public school closures of summer 1993.

The history of Labor Day and why hundreds of thousands of pupils in Chicago and New York won't go back to school after their summer holiday.

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