Stella Rimington on Dorothy L Sayers
Dame Stella Rimington, former director of MI5 and a celebrated crime writer herself, nominates for a Great Life that of Dorothy L Sayers. Sayers' first Lord Peter Wimsey novel was published in the 192...
10 Sep 201427min
Labi Siffre on Arthur Ransome
Singer-songwriter Labi Siffre discusses the life and work of Arthur Ransome. Siffre says that the Swallows and Amazons books taught him responsibility for his own actions and also a morality that has ...
9 Sep 201427min
Tom Shakespeare on Gramsci
Dr Tom Shakespeare is a lecturer at the Medical School in the University of East Anglia and prominent campaigner for the rights of the disabled.He explains to Matthew Parris why the life and work of t...
2 Sep 201428min
Ray Mears on Rommel
The life of Erwin Rommel, for a time Hitler's favourite general is nominated by Ray Mears. Matthew Parris hears why this German soldier was a "great life". They are also joined by Dr Niall Barr, Reade...
26 Aug 201427min
Baroness Oona King on Ida B Wells
Matthew Parris leads a discussion on Ida B. Wells the African American civil rights and women's rights activist who was a political trailblazer. She is the great life chosen by Baroness Oona King. T...
19 Aug 201427min
Jazzie B on James Brown
Soul II Soul’s Jazzie B tells Matthew Parris why he nominates James Brown, the “Godfather of Soul”, for this series.Jazzie B, who was awarded a CBE for services to black British music, spent time latt...
12 Aug 201427min
Jonathan Meades on Edward Burra
Writer Jonathan Meades nominates the English artist Edward Burra, who died in 1976, for "great life" status, arguing that he deserves to be better known. Burra painted sailors, drinkers and prostitu...
5 Aug 201427min
Ernest Hemingway
Michael Palin first came across his Great Life when he was studying for school exams, and his love of Ernest Hemingway has never gone away. He, along with expert Naomi Wood, tells Matthew Parris why t...
27 Maj 201427min
