Poetry anthology — 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

Poetry anthology

21 episodes

Chosen over the decades

21

Total castaways

1960s

Peak decade

8

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Andor Foldes
Antal Dorati
Dame Anne Owers
Geraint Evans
Harold Pinter
James Gunn RA
James Lovelock
Kenneth Horne
Len Goodman
Leslie A. Hutchinson
Linda Esther Gray
Marianne Elliott
Mitch Miller
Paul Theroux
Penelope Wilton
Professor Jean Golding
Rt Hon David Blunkett MP
Rt Hon John Smith
Thea Musgrave
Tyrone Guthrie
William Rushton

Professor Jean Golding
Jean Golding on delivering a letter to the Vice Chancellor in his pinny
Castaway · 18 November 2022Lauren Laverne
Thea Musgrave
How cutting up frogs led Thea Musgrave to music school
Castaway · 7 October 2018Lauren Laverne

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

Marianne Elliott

Marianne Elliott on hiding under the table as a child

Castaway · 29 July 2018Kirsty Young

01°18′S 034°16′W

Len Goodman

Len Goodman on his childhood Saturday night sing-songs by the fireplace

Castaway · 19 June 2011Kirsty Young

Dame Anne Owers

20°17′S 177°49′W

Dame Anne Owers

Anne Owers on the panic attack at university that traced back to her father's death

Castaway · 27 February 2011Kirsty Young

Penelope Wilton

07°46′S 014°29′W

Penelope Wilton

Penelope Wilton on the warm air from a pantomime stage that made her want to act

Castaway · 30 March 2008Kirsty Young

07°39′S 152°27′W

James Lovelock

James Lovelock on accidentally inventing the microwave oven

Castaway · 17 November 1991Sue Lawley

Rt Hon John Smith

08°55′S 029°30′W

Rt Hon John Smith

John Smith on being told he was fine before collapsing with a heart attack

Castaway · 26 May 1991Sue Lawley

Rt Hon David Blunkett MP

11°01′S 101°58′W

Rt Hon David Blunkett MP

David Blunkett on not seeing his three boys smile

Castaway · 27 May 1990Sue Lawley

William Rushton

11°36′S 009°48′W

William Rushton

Castaway · 18 August 1984Roy Plomley

Linda Esther Gray

11°05′S 135°55′W

Linda Esther Gray

Linda Esther Gray on being told she had no voice at Sunday school

Castaway · 22 October 1983Roy Plomley

04°53′S 130°58′W

Paul Theroux

How Paul Theroux tried being Robinson Crusoe on Lamu island

Castaway · 27 March 1976Roy Plomley

06°19′S 083°15′W

Mitch Miller

Castaway · 31 October 1966Roy Plomley

05°31′S 054°04′W

Harold Pinter

Castaway · 14 June 1965Roy Plomley

11°40′S 085°57′W

Geraint Evans

Castaway · 15 July 1963Roy Plomley

16°48′S 018°32′W

James Gunn RA

James Gunn on being the last guest in Downing Street

Castaway · 1 January 1962Roy Plomley

04°48′S 074°10′W

Kenneth Horne

Castaway · 9 January 1961Roy Plomley

01°06′S 026°44′W

Antal Dorati

Antal Dorati on shooting watermelons with a bow and arrow

Castaway · 25 July 1960Roy Plomley

20°29′S 028°40′W

Andor Foldes

Castaway · 14 December 1959Roy Plomley

00°54′S 059°27′W

Tyrone Guthrie

Castaway · 20 April 1959Roy Plomley

Leslie A. Hutchinson

05°06′S 030°02′W

Leslie A. Hutchinson

Castaway · 28 August 1953Roy Plomley