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Ann Leslie

Sue Lawley's castaway is foreign correspondent Ann Leslie.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the distinguished foreign correspondent Ann Leslie. She has witnessed and reported on some of the most significant events of the past 30 years including the fall of the Berlin wall; the failed coup against Michael Gorbachev and Nelson Mandela's final walk to freedom. She has reported on uprisings, massacres and wars, collecting numerous awards as she has done so.

She grew up in India and Pakistan and loved India and its culture. When she was around 10 years old she was sent to a boarding school in England. From school she went to Oxford and from there she joined the Daily Express. She was brought to London and was given her own column at the age of twenty-two. But she resigned, saying she wanted to do proper reporting, and it was David English's support for her that saw her start writing foreign news stories and set the course for her distinguished career.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Improvisation - The Theme Music Pather Panchali by Ravi Shankar
Book: Completed Works by P G Wodehouse
Luxury: An enormous amount of garlic with a garlic press

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 12 Nov 2004 09:00

Music Played

  • Gregorio Allegri

    Miserere

    Performer: Timothy Beasley-Murray. Conductor: Stephen Cleobury.
    • Allegri: Miserere.
    • EMI.
  • Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

    Allah Mohammed, Char, Yaar

    • Shahen Sha.
    • Real World.
  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Ravi Shankar

      Improvisation On The Theme Music From Patherpanchi

      • Improvisations.
      • BGO.
  • Edward Elgar

    Cello Concerto in E minor

    • A Lasting Inspiration: Jacqueline du Pre.
    • EMI.
  • Billie Holiday

    Strange Fruit

    • Lady Sings the Blues Vol. 4.
    • Verve.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor

    • Piano Concerto No. 1.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
  • Paul Simon

    Graceland

    • Graceland.
    • Warner Bros.
  • Ofra Haza

    Eshal

    • Shadya.
    • Teldec.
  • Book Choice

    • Completed Works - P G Wodehouse

  • Luxury Choice

    • An enormous amount of garlic with a garlic press

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Ann Leslie

Broadcasts

  • Sun 7 Nov 2004 11:15
  • Fri 12 Nov 2004 09:00

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