The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the composer John Tavener. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the varied inspirations for his music and about how he regards the work of composition as an act of prayer. His music has won the admiration of both serious musicians and the general public - last year his work for cello and strings, The Protecting Veil, held the number one place in the classical charts for several months. Now nearly 50, his was a precocious talent - one of his earliest works was recorded successfully when he was only 24, thanks to the support of the Beatles. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]  Favourite track: Akathist of Thanksgiving by John Tavener
Book: Apophthegmata Patrum (early writing of Egyptian fathers)
Luxury: Upright piano

John Tavener

Guests are invited to choose the eight records they would take to a desert island

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Sue Lawley's guest on Desert Island Discs today is the writer Martin Amis. He describes his books as comedies, but, like London Fields and Other People, they are frequently dark and disturbing. He says that he has no choice as to the subjects of his books. "They come from nowhere and feel like a little gulp in your digestive system". Although he admits that he's sometimes appalled by the characters he creates, writing itself is something he loves.  [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]  Favourite track: Yesterdays by Buddy Rich
Book: Complete Works by John Milton
Luxury: Cable Television

Martin Amis

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is Absolutely Fabulous! Jennifer Saunders began "doing funny things with props" in the early 1980s. With her stage partner Dawn French, she toured the clubs and comedy venues making people laugh with acts like The Menopause Sisters. As part of the Comic Strip performers, she burst onto our TV screens as one of the famous, if rather manic, five. Now through her characters Edina and Patsy, she has created a comedy classic. But as she tells Sue Lawley, Absolutely Fabulous came about because, having taken a year off from French and Saunders, the phone was ominously silent, and she had absolutely nothing else to do. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]  Favourite track: I Didn't Have The Nerve To Say No by Blondie
Book: Traveller's Prelude by Freya Stark
Luxury: Tribute Heads By Elisabeth Frink

Jennifer Saunders

Today's castaway on Desert Island Discs confused the rock critics in the late 1970s with songs like Sweet Gene Vincent, Reasons to be Cheerful and outraged the BBC with Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll. Ian Dury and the Blockheads were part vaudeville act and part punk rock band. In his songs, he created the characters Clevor Trever and Billericay Dickie and so invented the original Essex Man. He's also a painter and an actor, but as he reveals to Sue Lawley, he's writing songs again and hopes to be back in the charts soon. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]  Favourite track: Ramblin by Ornette Coleman
Book: Macmillan Dictionary of Art
Luxury: Mixing Desk - Solar Powered

Ian Dury

On Desert Island Discs today the castaway is Robert Winston. As Professor of Fertility Studies at Hammersmith Hospital in London, he has been at the forefront of medical developments in his field. He pioneered the screening of embryos for genetic defects and has frequently made the headlines with his views that all women, including widows, lesbians and those who are HIV positive, should be considered for treatment.  [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]  Favourite track: Goldberg Varations - Aria And Reprise From Variation by Johann Sebastian Bach
Book: The Koran (in Arabic and English)
Luxury: Glass And Tools To Make A Telescope

Robert Winston

This week's castaway on Desert Island Discs may be nearing 70, but he knows how to play The Generation Game. Bruce Forsyth is one of the great all-rounders - television host, pianist, dancer and comedian.  He began performing as a child, tap-dancing on the roof of his father's lock-up garages. But, as he tells Sue Lawley, his big night came when he was asked to compere Sunday Night at the Palladium. He has spent more than five decades in showbiz, progressing from Boy Bruce the Mighty Atom, to probably the most successful game show host on television. To quote one of his own famous catchphrases, "Didn't he do well?" [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]  Favourite track: I'll Never Love This Way Again by Dionne Warwick
Book: The collected works by Omar Khayyam
Luxury: Sand iron (golf club)

John Tavener

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