Main content

Doris Lessing

Sue Lawley's castaway is writer Doris Lessing.

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week has been described by some critics as Britain's greatest living writer. Doris Lessing will be talking to Sue Lawley about her early life in Southern Rhodesia, from where she was eventually exiled because of what the authorities called her 'subversive activities'.

She'll also be describing the bleak London where she arrived in 1950, clutching her small son, with 40 pounds in her pocket and the manuscript of her first novel, The Grass is Singing.

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

Favourite track: Tea For Two by Louis Armstrong & The All Stars
Book: A Thousand and One Nights
Luxury: Magic carpet

Available now

40 minutes

Last on

Fri 2 Sep 1994 09:05
大象传媒 Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Shirley Anne Field

Next

Taki

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Music Played

  • Cleo Laine

    Lookin' For Another Pure Love

    • Cleo Close Up.
    • RCA.

  • Three Drummers led by Saini Madera

    Drum Rythms For The Ngororombe Dance

    • Music Of Africa Series No 26 - Rhodesia 1.
    • Gallotone.

  • Bing Crosby

    I've Got You Under My Skin

    Artist: John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra

    • Bing Crosby Sings Cole Porter Songs.
    • Brunswick.

  • Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars

    Tea For Two

    Artist: Barney Bigarde

    • Satchmo At Symphony Hall.
    • Ace Of Hearts.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Concerto For Three Violins in D major

    Orchestra: The Academy Of Ancient Music

    • Bach: Triple And Quadruple Concertos.
    • Oiseau Lyre.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    S'altro che lagrime (from La Clemenza di Tito)

    Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    • La Clemenza Di Tito.
    • Archiv.

  • Philip Glass

    Akhnaten Hymn To The Aten

    Soloist: Paul Esswood Orchestra: Stuttgart State Opera Orchestra Conductor: Dennis Russell Davies

    • Akhnaten.
    • CBS.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Richard Levitt

      Chanterai Pour Mon Coraige

      Soloist: Thomas Binkley Orchestra: Early Music Quartet

      • Chansons Des Trouveres.
      • Teldec.

  • Book Choice

    • The Arabian Nights (1001 Nights)

  • Luxury Choice

    • Magic carpet

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Doris Lessing

Broadcasts

  • Sun 21 Nov 1993 12:15
    大象传媒 Radio 4
  • Fri 26 Nov 1993 09:05
    大象传媒 Radio 4
  • Fri 2 Sep 1994 09:05
    大象传媒 Radio 4

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast