List of Desert Island Discs episodes (1981–1990)

The BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs invites castaways to choose eight pieces of music, a book (in addition to the Bible – or a religious text appropriate to that person's beliefs – and the Complete Works of Shakespeare) and a luxury item that they would take to an imaginary desert island, where they will be marooned indefinitely. The rules state that the chosen luxury item must not be anything animate or indeed anything that enables the castaway to escape from the island, for instance a radio set, sailing yacht or aeroplane. The choices of book and luxury can sometimes give insight into the guest's life, and the choices of guests between 1981 and 1990 are listed here.

1981 DateCastawayBookLuxuryMoreinfoShōgun by James ClavellMarzipanmoreDictionary of National BiographyField glassesmoreWar and Peace by Leo TolstoyPianomoreThree novels by Aldous HuxleyPianomorePlasticine model of Roy Plomley and a pinmore by J. R. R. TolkienTennis practice equipmentmoreCollected Speeches by Winston ChurchillWinemoreBilingual edition of poetry by Giorgos SeferisPainting materialsmoreDictionary of quotationsFrench ShampoomoreWinemoreCollected essays by George OrwellVibraphonemoreFlagpole and Union Jackmore by J. R. R. TolkienSunglassesmoreTimes Concise AtlasElastoplastmoreWar and Peace by Leo TolstoyWriting materialsmorePlays by George KellyPillowmoreCollected works by Ernest HemingwayGold statuette of Winston ChurchillmoreIn Search of Lost Time by Marcel ProustCardsmore by Pauline RéageFerrarimoreIn Search of Lost Time by Marcel ProustmoreWinnie-the-Pooh by A. A. MilneMusic manuscript papermoreCollin's Albatross Book of Verse by Louis UntermeyerAstronomical telescopemoreBath with a hot water systemmoreTouch the Earth by T. C. McLuhanPillowmoreRoulette tablemoreMeditations Upon Our Human Condition by John DonnePencils and papermore by Kahlil GibranTelephonemoreFrench language courseEyelash curlermoreBoy Scout handbookReflecting telescopemoreNoble House by James ClavellVideo player and films of familymoreHistory of Leyton Orient F.C.CellomoreDictionaryCellomoreBedmoreExperiences of an Irish R.M. by Martin RossBoathouse at Dawn by Ivon HitchensmoreComplete works by Emily DickinsonClean sheetsmoreEagle in the Sky by Wilbur SmithAustralian lagermorePerrier watermoreWritings by Samuel JohnsonBeehivemoreAda by Vladimir NabokovGuitarmoreBeaux Arts TrioBooks about gardening, painting and boat handlingViolin and strings and pianomoreRecord boxmoreNovels by P. G. WodehouseCamera and filmmoreGardening manualBoat building bookmoreBook with blank cork pagesAstronomical telescopemoreBrewer's Dictionary of Phrase and FableWinemoreKoranmoreHer autobiographyChocolatesmoreComplete works by Alfred, Lord TennysonSand iron and golf ballsmorePiano manualPianomoreFour Quartets by T. S. EliotWriting materialsmoreMemoirs by Louis de RouvroyScrabblemoreAnthology of poetryTypewritermore

1982 DateCastawayBookLuxuryMoreinfoTrevor BrookingGolf clubs and balls moreMartin GilbertThe document volumes of the Churchill biography by Martin GilbertDrawings of his two children moreAngela RipponPride and Prejudice by Jane AustenWatercolours. brushes and paper moreFrankie HowerdDavid Copperfield by Charles DickensCross given to him by his mother morePaul McCartneyLinda's Pictures by Linda McCartneyGuitar moreTypewriter and paper moreGrove's Dictionary of Music and MusiciansWine cellar morePetula ClarkPiano moreJohn OsborneHoly Living and Holy Dying by Jeremy TaylorPiano and an instruction book moreDame Eva TurnerInferno by Dante AlighieriCastanets moreGeorge ChisholmThe novels of P. G. WodehouseEngraved glass and supply of bitter lemon moreThe Odyssey by HomerBox of notebooks, pencils and sharpeners moreSir William WaltonThe Education of a Gardener by Russell PageFunicular for hills moreRichard ArmstrongPiano Sonatas by BeethovenPiano moreJulia McKenzieAct One by Moss HartPainting materials moreBrian AldissRasselas by Dr Samuel JohnsonTime machine moreDorothy DunnettThe History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward GibbonGuitar moreJenny AgutterThe Oxford Book of English VerseOriental rug moreLucia PoppThe Magic Mountain by Thomas MannTeddy bear moreJulian SymonsBleak House by Charles DickensCouch moreMarti WebbIllustrated dictionaryPiano moreDesmond HawkinsField guide to the birds of the islandBinoculars moreDelia SmithThe autobiography of Saint Therese of LisieuxWriting materials moreSir Anton DolinFriends and Memories by Sir Anton DolinElectric razor moreEric NewbyDictionary of National BiographyWhisky moreJoss AcklandDictionaryVideo player with cassettes of old movies moreJohn MortimerThe Oxford Book of English VerseBath moreEssays by Michel de MontaigneStone from the stomach of a fossilised dinosaur morePamela StephensonBuddhist scripture by Dama PadaTelevision set with satellite link-up moreLyall WatsonPears Cyclopaedia moreGeorge MartinManual on practical engineeringClavichord moreDame Janet BakerPersuasion by Jane AustenPencils and paper moreDonald SindenA History of Architecture on the Comparative Method by Sir Banister FletcherHis favourite picture in the Walker Art Gallery moreCarl DavisThe short stories of Anton ChekhovShampoo moreThe books of Beatrix Potter and Chambers' Biographical DictionaryNew potatoes and aftershave moreClaire BloomÀ la recherche du temps perdu by Marcel ProustCoffee and espresso machine moreJames LoughranComprehensive world airways timetableDrawing and painting equipment moreCarlo CurleyCookery book by Julia ChildPipe organ moreThe Oxford English DictionaryBrass bedstead and feather mattress moreDavid Lloyd Jones— moreN.Busch, J.Kuchmy, M.Parry, M.Wilson Books by Hector Berlioz, Charles Dickens, Hugh Johnson and a cookery book Razor and shaving soap, a video player with a tape of Laurel & Hardy, wine and a violin moreGeoffrey GrigsonThe Oxford English DictionaryPate de foie gras moreMike HardingThe New Oxford Book of English VerseOrdnance Survey maps and set of books about the Fells moreThe Methodist hymn bookWriting materials moreThomas AllenJane Eyre by Charlotte BrontëGolf clubs and balls moreRosamond LehmannWriting materials moreP D JamesMiddlemarch by George EliotClaret moreHelen MirrenThe Bhagavad GitaSilk underwear moreAlan PriceThe Wind in the Willows by Kenneth GrahamePiano moreGyörgy LigetiAlice in Wonderland by Lewis CarrollThe Garden Of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch moreMary EllisEncyclopaediaWriting materials more

1983 DateCastawayBookLuxuryMoreinfoRachel BillingtonAnna Karenina by Leo TolstoyWriting materials moreSteve DavisThe Throwback and Wilt by Tom SharpeSnooker table moreBaroness Maria von TrappTrue funny stories in GermanStatue of Madonna and Child, 17th Century moreGwyneth JonesThe Prophet by Kahlil GibranPiano with bath salts moreTim SeverinPax Britannica by Jan MorrisHerb garden moreBeryl ReidForever Amber by Kathleen WinsorSilk garment moreZandra RhodesMrs Beeton's Household Management moreJames IvoryÀ la recherche du temps perdu by Marcel ProustShower with hot water moreTom KeatingLives of the Artists by Giorgio VasariMattock moreKenneth MacmillanThe Rack by A E EllisGodiva chocolates from Belgium moreDouglas ReemanThe Admiralty Seamanship Manual moreOther Men's Flowers by Lord WavellPair of field glasses moreJan MorrisHer own book on VeniceAstronomical telescope with 'Catalogue of Nebulae' moreJames FoxColour reproduction of Renaissance artistsWatercolour equipment moreRuggiero RicciThe letters of BeethovenThe Plowden Guarneri violin moreGeoffrey MoorhouseThe Dictionary of National BiographyRecording of curlews and Indian spices moreMax BoyceI Can't Stay Long by Laurie LeeOil-painting equipment moreA N WilsonBed and blankets moreArthur EnglishBritain's Heritage by John Julius NorwichWeekend in Paris moreBarclay's World of Cricket by Jim SwantonTelevision set moreTerry WoganHis favourite books by P G WodehouseVodka moreThe novels of John le CarréWriting materials moreRaymond BriggsThe Complete Works of BeachcomberBilliard table with snooker balls and cue moreSir Peter PearsA book by E M ForsterPainting from his collection moreFleur CowlesBlank paperPainting materials morePeter Maxwell DaviesUlysses by James JoyceMusic manuscript paper and pens moreTerry JonesThe Complete Works of Geoffrey ChaucerPencil and paper moreJulian Bream—— moreSir John PritchardLucia novels by E. F. BensonItalian wine moreJohn GunterThe Complete Works of Flann O'BrienMore William Walton records moreKeith WaterhouseA year's supply of the Exchange & MartSolar-powered television, video and eight films moreSir Frederick GibberdScrapbook of poetryBottle of sleeping tablets morePeter BullBrideshead Revisited (in Greek) by Evelyn WaughCrystal ball moreMalcolm BradburyIf on a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo CalvinoWord processor moreCindy Buxton and Annie PriceA book on explorers and Johnny Livingstone's Seagull by Richard BachCow and a box of soap morePaul JonesPolitical works and music criticism by George Bernard ShawHarmonica moreCharlotte LambPride and Prejudice by Jane AustenTypewriter and paper moreLionel HamptonScience and Health by Mary Baker EddyTape recorder moreIan RichardsonBook of quotationsLarge supply of paper and pencils moreRosemary SutcliffKim by Rudyard KiplingFlowers delivered daily by bottle moreMollie HarrisThe five-volume works by Anthony WoodUnion Jack moreGreat Treasury of Western Thought by Mortimer J AdlerArtist's kit moreLinda Esther GrayAnthology of poetryGarlic, chocolate and wine moreSir Ranulph FiennesThe Oxford Dictionary of QuotationsTube of Antisan cream moreShirley MacLaineDictionary and hexalingual thesaurusBlank paper moreThe New Grove Dictionary of Music and MusiciansPhotograph of his children moreSir Hugh GreeneThe Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan DoylePortable typewriter and much paper moreThomas KeneallyOxford Book of 20th Century English Verse by Philip LarkinCollection of The Times crosswords moreMarvin HamlischPhone bookPicture of his mother when she was 17 moreJohn PiperThe Complete Works of William BlakePianola moreJames StewartRobinson Crusoe by Daniel DefoeFamily photo album moreM M KayeIndian Tales by Rudyard KiplingWriter's kitmore

1984