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: Virginia Ironside

30/03/1997

Virginia Ironside

BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Virginia Ironside

Sue Lawley's castaway is agony aunt Virginia Ironside

Sue Lawley's castaway is agony aunt Virginia Ironside.

This week's castaway on Desert Island Discs has all the qualifications she needs for her job. A journalist, she learnt her craft in the 1960s when she interviewed rock star legends like Mick Jagger, Jimmy Hendrix and Janis Joplin.

She's also a single mum, frequently experiences deep bouts of depression and finds that many of her lasting relationships are with alcoholics. The agony aunt Virginia Ironside describes to Sue Lawley how her life and her work are inseparably entwined.

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

Favourite track: Hot Tomales by Will Grove-White
Book: The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale
Luxury: Big bag of plaster to make heads of friends

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.

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The 1997 United Parcel Service strike

The 1997 United Parcel Service strike

BBC Radio 4 - Letter from America by Alistair Cooke, The 1997 United Parcel Service strike

Do union strikes bring change? UPS and Air Traffic Controllers find out.

The United Parcel Service (UPS) employees strike reminds Alistair Cooke of previous union demonstrations of power, including the disastrous 1981 Air Traffic Controllers strike.

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