À la recherche du temps perdu — Book · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Tuning in…

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

Find a castaway
Most requested
Browse the archive
About

Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
Report a fault

Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Book

À la recherche du temps perdu

47 episodes

Chosen over the decades

47

Total castaways

2000s

Peak decade

7

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Abi Morgan
A L Rowse
Amadeus String Quartet
Anne Enright
Anthony Lawrence
Anthony Storr
Arnold Wesker
A S Byatt
Christopher Hampton
Claire Bloom
Claudia Roden
Cyril Connolly
Dame Joan Plowright
David Tennant
Derek Tangye
Dr Hanna Segal
Ewan McGregor
Felix Aprahamian
James Ivory
John Cole
John Simpson
John Updike
Kathleen Hale
Lady Mosley
more

Sally Mann
Castaway · 14 November 2025Lauren Laverne
Norma Percy
Castaway · 22 June 2025Lauren Laverne
Anne Enright

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

Find a castaway
Most requested
Browse the archive
About

Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
Report a fault

Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Castaway · 26 January 2020

·Lauren Laverne

Margaret MacMillan

23°11′S 045°29′W

Margaret MacMillan

Castaway · 24 February 2019Lauren Laverne

12°43′S 047°50′W

Abi Morgan

Castaway · 6 May 2018Kirsty Young

02°11′S 071°35′W

Nicole Farhi

Castaway · 10 July 2016Kirsty Young

05°37′S 129°15′W

Zadie Smith

Castaway · 22 September 2013Kirsty Young

12°37′S 051°11′W

David Tennant

Castaway · 27 December 2009Kirsty Young

Sebastian Faulks

14°22′S 042°54′W

Sebastian Faulks

Castaway · 29 March 2009Kirsty Young

17°20′S 106°09′W

Tariq Ali

Castaway · 16 March 2008Kirsty Young

13°51′S 123°01′W

Arnold Wesker

Castaway · 17 December 2006Kirsty Young

Dame Joan Plowright

10°09′S 068°18′W

Dame Joan Plowright

Castaway · 27 August 2006Sue Lawley

00°37′S 107°14′W

Dr Hanna Segal

Castaway · 23 July 2006Sue Lawley

15°05′S 030°06′W

Philip Pullman

Castaway · 6 October 2002Sue Lawley

04°51′S 036°14′W

Ewan McGregor

Castaway · 30 December 2001Sue Lawley

13°54′S 037°54′W

Claudia Roden

Castaway · 29 July 2001Sue Lawley

Sir Timothy Clifford

12°31′S 144°55′W

Sir Timothy Clifford

Castaway · 20 May 2001Sue Lawley

Rt Hon Michael Portillo MP

11°29′S 013°02′W

Rt Hon Michael Portillo MP

Castaway · 16 July 2000Sue Lawley

05°45′S 149°32′W

Sheila Hancock

Castaway · 27 February 2000Sue Lawley

23°26′S 177°51′W

Neil Jordan

Castaway · 23 January 2000Sue Lawley

22°05′S 082°53′W

Ralph Fiennes

Castaway · 31 October 1999Sue Lawley

Sybille Bedford

17°39′S 017°11′W

Sybille Bedford

Castaway · 5 July 1998Sue Lawley

22°54′S 134°13′W

Michael White

Castaway · 26 May 1996Sue Lawley

Christopher Hampton

18°05′S 157°50′W

Christopher Hampton

Castaway · 7 January 1996Sue Lawley

20°01′S 116°05′W

John Updike

Castaway · 10 September 1995Sue Lawley

Felix Aprahamian

06°18′S 072°41′W

Felix Aprahamian

Castaway · 19 March 1995Sue Lawley

09°55′S 168°40′W

Kathleen Hale

Castaway · 30 October 1994Sue Lawley

00°02′S 150°48′W

John Cole

Castaway · 9 May 1993Sue Lawley

13°04′S 165°09′W

Anthony Storr

Castaway · 31 January 1993Sue Lawley

Vivienne Westwood

19°23′S 027°09′W

Vivienne Westwood

Castaway · 28 June 1992Sue Lawley

13°19′S 091°26′W

A S Byatt

Castaway · 16 June 1991Sue Lawley

17°56′S 056°54′W

John Simpson

Castaway · 19 May 1991Sue Lawley

13°37′S 066°30′W

Lady Mosley

Castaway · 26 November 1989Sue Lawley

Miriam Rothschild

03°39′S 156°06′W

Miriam Rothschild

Castaway · 23 April 1989Sue Lawley

Sir Stephen Spender

14°59′S 164°14′W

Sir Stephen Spender

Castaway · 2 April 1989Sue Lawley

22°29′S 174°23′W

Mary Archer

Castaway · 17 April 1988Michael Parkinson

05°47′S 036°33′W

Stan Barstow

Castaway · 24 August 1986Michael Parkinson

11°55′S 149°20′W

James Ivory

Castaway · 19 February 1983Roy Plomley

00°07′S 157°58′W

Claire Bloom

Castaway · 4 September 1982Roy Plomley

Sir John Gielgud

01°12′S 094°20′W

Sir John Gielgud

Castaway · 16 May 1981Roy Plomley

Sir Frederick Ashton

15°38′S 002°40′W

Sir Frederick Ashton

Castaway · 2 May 1981Roy Plomley

18°09′S 056°57′W

Derek Tangye

Castaway · 1 November 1980Roy Plomley

Amadeus String Quartet

01°21′S 061°49′W

Amadeus String Quartet

Castaway · 11 February 1978Roy Plomley

15°33′S 159°34′W

A L Rowse

Castaway · 13 August 1977Roy Plomley

09°19′S 169°56′W

Penelope Keith

Castaway · 21 August 1976Roy Plomley

Anthony Lawrence

13°33′S 062°33′W

Anthony Lawrence

Castaway · 9 September 1972Roy Plomley

12°49′S 074°42′W

Cyril Connolly

Castaway · 28 February 1966Roy Plomley

À la recherche du temps perdu — Book · desert is.land