Survival manual — 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
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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

Survival manual — Book · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Book

Survival manual

8 episodes

Chosen over the decades

8

Total castaways

1970s

Peak decade

5

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Alan Minter
Cathy Berberian
Dame Ellen MacArthur
David Niven
Douglas Reeman
J K Rowling
Margaret Atwood
Professor Hugh Montgomery

Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood on wanting to point to the source of her ideas
Castaway · 7 December 2025Lauren Laverne
Professor Hugh Montgomery
Hugh Montgomery on smuggling a patient to a Rolling Stones gig
Castaway · 23 February 2014Kirsty Young

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

Dame Ellen MacArthur

Ellen MacArthur on sitting on a toilet seat after sailing solo round the world

Castaway · 4 October 2009Kirsty Young

14°34′S 092°14′W

J K Rowling

J K Rowling on conceiving Harry Potter on a delayed train

Castaway · 5 November 2000Sue Lawley

03°49′S 033°41′W

Douglas Reeman

Douglas Reeman on getting his best friend to swim for him in a full duck uniform

Castaway · 12 March 1983Roy Plomley

22°47′S 021°25′W

Alan Minter

Alan Minter on holding the school record for canings

Castaway · 29 November 1980Roy Plomley

Cathy Berberian

07°39′S 054°29′W

Cathy Berberian

Cathy Berberian on singing baritone, bass and coloratura as a child because nobody told her she couldn't

Castaway · 16 September 1978Roy Plomley

02°18′S 166°26′W

David Niven

How being rude to a general helped David Niven leave the army

Castaway · 30 April 1977Roy Plomley