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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Desert Island Discs
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(BBC) Britain's longest running record programme, first broadcast on 29 January 1942. Until his death the programme was presented by the man who devised it, Roy Plomley (1914–85). His first guest was the comedian Vic Oliver, and the extremely successful formula has never varied. The week's castaway chooses eight favourite pieces of recorded music or sound to provide solace on the desert island; in between the musical extracts the life of the subject, and the reason for the choice of music, is brought out in an interview.
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Two details were added some years later; the castaway is asked to choose a book other than the Bible and Shakespeare (both already on the island) and one luxury item (the latter providing wild opportunities for self-revealing fantasies). Michael Parkinson presented the programme for a while (1986–8) and was followed in 1988 by Sue Lawley. The theme music has been the same from the start – Eric *Coates's By the Sleepy Lagoon, with accompanying seagulls.
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