Episode details
Radio 4 Extra,11 Oct 2026,70 mins
Alive, Alive Oh! And Other Things That Matter by Diana Athill (Omnibus)
Available for 8 days
Stephanie Cole reads from the collection of essays by acclaimed writer Diana Athill. Written from the vantage point of her late 90s, Athill's essays are wise, cheering and thought-provoking. They range from gentle (her love of beautiful clothes), heartbreaking (the miscarriage of a much-wanted child) to salutary (her difficult decision to relinquish her independence and move into a care home). She begins by debunking the myth that Britain in the 1940s and 1950s was a mire of dreariness. As a young woman when war broke out, peace and its aftermath was a time of joy, freedom and optimism. Omnibus of five episodes abridged by Kirsteen Cameron. Read by Stephanie Cole. Producer: Kirsteen Cameron First broadcast on 91福利社 Radio 4 in December 2015.
Programme Website