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Maggie O'Farrell, writer

Maggie O'Farrell, writer, shares the soundtrack of her life with Lauren Laverne.

Maggie O鈥橣arrell has written eight novels, a memoir and a children鈥檚 book. In 2020 her novel Hamnet won the Women鈥檚 Prize for Fiction, and was also named Waterstones Book of the Year.

Maggie was born in Northern Ireland. Her parents moved around during her childhood, and she grew up in Wales and Scotland. As a young girl, she was very ill and almost died from encephalitis. She says her lifelong love of reading comes from her long stay in hospital followed by an extended convalescence, when she missed a year of school. Her illness also left her with a stammer, which she believes has profoundly affected her relationship with language.

She studied English at Cambridge University, and then looked for work as a journalist, writing poetry in her spare time. When she chanced upon a discarded computer, she decided to write a novel. She attended a creative writing course, where her tutors encouraged her to get her first manuscript published.

She lives in Scotland with her husband, the writer William Sutcliffe, and their three children.

DISC ONE: Elephant Gun by Beirut
DISC TWO: Sit Down By The Fire by The Pogues
DISC THREE: Lovesong by The Cure
DISC FOUR: Chopin: Scherzo No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 31, composed by Fr茅d茅ric Chopin, performed by Martha Argerich (piano)
DISC FIVE: The Bends by Radiohead
DISC SIX: Little Star by Stina Nordenstam
DISC SEVEN: Feeling Good by Nina Simone
DISC EIGHT: Prophet (Better Watch It) by Rizzle Kicks

BOOK CHOICE: Selected Stories by Alice Munro
LUXURY ITEM: National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Elephant Gun by Beirut

Presenter: Lauren Laverne
Producer: Sarah Taylor

Available now

36 minutes

Last on

Fri 26 Mar 2021 09:00

Music Played

  • Beirut

    Elephant Gun

    • Gulag Orkestar.
    • 4 A.D.Limited.
    • 1.
  • The Pogues

    Sit Down By The Fire

    • If I Should Fall From Grace With God.
    • Warner Music UK Limited.
    • 11.
  • The Cure

    Lovesong

    • The Cure: Greatest Hits.
    • Fiction.
    • 11.
  • Fr茅d茅ric Chopin

    Scherzo no.2 in B flat minor Op.31

    Performer: Martha Argerich.
    • Chopin: 26 Preludes.
    • DG.
    • 29.
  • Radiohead

    The Bends

    • The Bends.
    • EMI Records Limited.
    • 2.
  • Stina Nordenstam

    Little Star

    • And She Closed Her Eyes.
    • Atlantic UK.
    • 6.
  • Nina Simone

    Feeling Good

    • I Put A Spell On You.
    • Silva Screen Records Limited.
    • 7.
  • Rizzle Kicks

    Prophet (Better Watch It)

    • Stereo Typical.
    • Island Records Ltd.
    • 6.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 21 Mar 2021 11:00
  • Fri 26 Mar 2021 09:00

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