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Michael Morpurgo

Sue Lawley's castaway is Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the widely respected children's author and the current Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo. He styles himself as a 'story-teller/writer' and the themes he explores are the relationships between young and old, children and animals and children's experiences of loneliness and self-reliance.
He was initially planning on a career in the military and trained at Sandhurst, but a change of direction led him to study English at university and become a teacher and then, when he was aware his class were bored with a book he was reading to them, started telling them his own stories.

Together with his wife, Clare, he set up the charity Farms for City Children in Devon to give inner-city children the opportunity to experience life on a farm, working with animals and being close to nature. The charity now has three farms and they have been visited by more than 30,000 children. He is the third Children's Laureate and says he is devoted to giving children a love of books and reading. His own works include War Horse, Kensuke's Kingdom, Why the Wales Came and, most recently, Private Peaceful.

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

Favourite track: Spem In Alium by Thomas Tallis
Book: The Rattlebag: An Anthology of Poetry by Ted Hughes
Luxury: Waterslide

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 16 Apr 2004 09:00
±«Óãtv Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No. 6 in F major 'Pastoral' - 5th movement (Shepherds' Song)

    Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Erich Leinsdorf

    • Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 Pastoral.
    • RCA.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Exsultate, jubilate

    Soloist: Margaret Marshall Orchestra: The Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart Conductor: Sir Neville Marriner

    • Philips.

  • Buddy Holly

    Words of Love

    • Buddy Holly & the Crickets: 20 Golden Greats.
    • MCA.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Clarinet Concerto in A major - 2nd movement

    Soloist: Andrew Marriner Orchestra: London Mozart Players

    • Clarinet Concerto.
    • Classics.

  • The Beatles

    Here Comes The Sun

    • The Best of George Harrison.
    • Parlophone.

  • Coope Boyes & Simpson

    The Burning Mill at Messines

    • We're Here Because We're Here.
    • No Masters Co-operative.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Thomas Tallis

      Spem in alium

      Choir: Tallis Scholars Conductor: Peter Philips

      • Thomas Tallis: Spem in Alium.
      • Gimell Records.

  • Bill Whelan

    Dancing at Lughnasa

    • Dancing at Lughnasa - Soundtrack.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Book Choice

    • The Rattle Bag: An Anthology of Poetry - Ted Hughes

  • Luxury Choice

    • Waterslide

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Michael Morpurgo

Broadcasts

  • Sun 11 Apr 2004 11:15
    ±«Óãtv Radio 4
  • Fri 16 Apr 2004 09:00
    ±«Óãtv Radio 4

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