Main content

Paul Johnson

Historian and writer Paul Johnson is interviewed by Kirsty Young for Desert Island Discs.

Kirsty Young's castaway is the writer and historian Paul Johnson.

He writes, he says, out of a desire to 'put things right' and more than fifty books and thousands of articles have flowed from his pen. His opinions have provoked, offended and enraged plenty of people over the years and sweeping works about modernity, morality, art and philosophy, sit alongside fiercely opinionated biographies and essays. He says: "I like to be, in general, in agreement with what most people think, but I also like to be a little bit independent and individual and, thank God, I've been allowed to do that all my writing life."

Producer: Leanne Buckle.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 20 Jan 2012 09:00

Music Played

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Ave, Verum Corpus

    Artist: Vienna Boys Choir, Vienna Symphony orch cond. Helmuth Froschauer

    • Mozart: Requiem鈥.
    • RCA.
  • Lesley Garrett

    None but the lonely heart

    Composer: Tchaikovsky

    • Simple Gifts.
    • Silva Classics.
  • Leslie 鈥淗utch鈥 Hutchinson

    These Foolish Things

    Composer: Marvell//Strachey

    • More Sophistication.
    • Past Perfect.
  • Shirley Temple

    Animal Crackers in my Soup

    Composer: Henderson/Caesar/Koehler

    • On the Good Ship Lollipop.
    • President.
  • Ron Grainer

    Maigret

    Composer: Ron Grainer

    • The A To Z Of British TV Themes - The Ron Grainer Years.
    • Play It Again.
  • George Formby

    The Window Cleaner (When I鈥檓 Cleaning Windows)

    Composer: Fornby/Gifford/Cliffe

    • George Formby:His greatest favourites.
    • FLAPPER.
  • Patsy Cline

    Crazy

    Composer: Willie Nelson

    • The Definitive Patsy Cline.
    • Arcade.
  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Margaret Whiting

      Look for the Silver Lining

      Composer: J Kern- B DeSyla

      • The Song is You.
      • Capitol.
  • Book Choice

    • A big atlas

  • Luxury Choice

    • Watercolour paints and paper

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Paul Johnson

Broadcasts

  • Sun 15 Jan 2012 11:15
  • Fri 20 Jan 2012 09:00

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast