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Great Lives Episodes

  1.

    Captain James Cook

    Media executive and broadcaster Greg Dyke chooses explorer Captain James Cook.

  2. Arthur Smith on Emil Z谩topek

    Comedian Arthur Smith tells Matthew Parris about the life of Olympic runner Emil Z谩topek.

  3. Richard Crossman

    Politician Tam Dalyell chooses cabinet minister and political diarist Richard Crossman.

  4. James Gillray

    Political cartoonist Steve Bell chooses the 18th-century caricaturist James Gillray.

  5. Benedict Spinoza

    Nobel Prize-winning chemist Sir Harry Kroto chooses the philosopher Benedict Spinoza.

  6. Umm Kulthum

    Novelist Ahdaf Soueif chooses acclaimed Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum as his great life.

  7. MR James

    Muriel Gray chooses the ghost story writer MR James.

  8. Rachel Carson

    Writer Bea Campbell chooses pioneering environmental protection scientist Rachel Carson.

  9. CLR James

    Darcus Howe discusses his uncle, the sportsman, writer and revolutionary CLR James.

  10. Erasmus Darwin

    Paul Nurse discusses scientist, inventor and poet Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles.

  11. Professor Edith Hall on Lucille Ball

    Matthew Parris invites Professor Edith Hall to nominate her idol.

  12. Katherine Graham

    Broadcaster Kirsty Young chooses newspaper publisher Katherine Graham.

  13. Andrew Adonis on Joseph Bazalgette

    Lord Adonis chooses Victorian engineer, aka 'The Sewer King', Sir Joseph Bazalgette

  14. Tom Spring

    Sports journalist Frank Keating talks about 19th-century bare-knuckle boxer Tom Spring.

  15. Stella Rimington on Dorothy L Sayers

    Dame Stella Rimington explains to Matthew Parris why Dorothy L Sayers fascinates her.

  16. Labi Siffre on Arthur Ransome

    Matthew Parris invites singer songwriter Labi Siffre to nominate his choice of life.

  17. Lord Byron

    Sue Limb nominates 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' poet, Lord Byron.

  18. Tom Shakespeare on Gramsci

    Dr Tom Shakespeare tells Matthew Parris why Antonio Gramsci's is a Great Life.

  19. Ray Mears on Rommel

    Ray Mears champions the life of Field-Marshal Erwin Rommel.

  20. Louis Armstrong

    Band leader Chris Barber chooses legendary jazz trumpeter, Louis Armstrong.

  21. Baroness Oona King on Ida B Wells

    Ida B. Wells the African American civil rights activist is chosen by Baroness Oona King

  22. Alexander the Great

    Writer Frederic Raphael chooses part man, part myth Alexander the Great.

  23. Jazzie B on James Brown

    Soul II Soul's Jazzie B chooses the life of musician and singer James Brown.

  24. Viscount Slim

    Lord Carrington and Lord John Slim discuss military leader, Field-Marshal Viscount Slim.

  25. Jonathan Meades on Edward Burra

    Writer Jonathan Meades nominates the English artist Edward Burra.

  26. Franz Schubert

    Cellist Steven Isserlis and musicologist Brian Newbould on the composer Franz Schubert.

  27. George Eliot

    Ex-parliamentary standards commissioner Elizabeth Filkin chooses novelist George Eliot.

  28. Sir Donald Wolfit

    Humphrey Carpenter invites Ned Sherrin to discuss actor Sir Donald Wolfit.

  29. King Hussein

    Jackie Stewart discusses his good friend King Hussein of Jordan with writer Patrick Seale.

  30. Vivekananda

    Rabbi Lionel Blue and Gwilym Beckerlegge discuss Swami Vivekananda.

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