Show Notes
The writer Ved Mehta unfortunately lost his sight at the age of four: "Most blind people in India at that time were beggars, or stayed with their relations like wounded animals." He describes to Roy Plomley how, in spite of tremendous odds, he gained an education at Oxford University and Harvard, and went on to become a staff writer for the New Yorker, and he chooses the eight records he would take to the mythical island. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: String Quartet No 14 in C Sharp Minor (Last Movement) by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: 11th edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica
More from Desert Island Discs: Archive 1981-1985
Sheila Steafel, the actress who was born in South Africa, went to drama school in London and had her first big break in the television series The Frost Report. Since then, as she tells Roy Plomley, her career has been extremely varied, including music hall, opera, theatre, a one-woman show and a long spell on Radio 4's Week Ending programme. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Concerto in D Minor For Violin, Oboe & Strings by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: Dictionary Luxury: Artist's equipment
The Rt Hon David Steel MP has been leader of the Liberal Party since 1976. After leaving university, his first job was with the Scottish Liberal Party as Assistant Secretary. In 1965, he won a seat in the Borders and became the youngest member of that parliament. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his career and chooses the eight records he would take to the mythical island. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Symphony No 9 by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: Do-it-yourself manual Luxury: Cathedral organ
Barbara Taylor Bradford's first novel, A Woman of Substance, which was published in 1980, quickly became a huge international success. In conversation with Roy Plomley, she recalls her childhood in Leeds, her first job as a reporter on the Yorkshire Evening Post at the age of 16, becoming a Fleet Street journalist, and her eventual move to New York. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Jerusalem by Blake/Parry Book: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Luxury: Family photograph album
Robert Burchfield, who has been Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary since 1957, was born in New Zealand. After fighting in Italy during the war, he came to England to complete his education and stayed on to be a lecturer at Oxford University. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his career and discusses the many problems associated with compiling dictionaries. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]
Joseph Allen, the physicist, joined NASA in 1967 as a scientist astronaut. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he describes his lengthy training as an astronaut, the problems of space flight, and he describes his recent trip in the space shuttle to recover two satellites, which necessitated an unfettered walk in space. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Minor Blue by David Darling Book: A number of Sherlock Holmes novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Luxury: Family pocket watch