Athene Donald

Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the scientist Athene Donald. A Cambridge professor and fellow of the Royal Society, she has dedicated much of her life to studying everyday objects like plastic, food or plants. Her enthusiasm is so strong that, at her daughter's eleventh birthday party, she couldn't resist describing the structure of melting ice-cream - it was a rare case of misjudging her audience.

By her own admission she is a workaholic - but she also champions the cause of women who want to become scientists and have families too. Her great triumph was to marry a supportive husband and after that, she says, the trick is learning how to cut corners: there are no 'dainty dinner parties' at her home, and she makes sure her clothes are machine washable and easy-iron.

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

Choices

1.

Shades

Blue Skies

2.

Ludwig van Beethoven

Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 'Pathétique' - 1st movement

Soloist: John Lill

Others who chose this artist

3.

Castaway's favourite

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Requiem in D minor - Dies Irae

Choir: Members of the Choir & Les Arts Florissants Conductor: William Christie

Others who chose this artist

4.

Paul Hindemith

Symphonic Metamorphoses

Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Claudio Abbado

Others who chose this artist

5.

Joseph Haydn

String Quartet in D major, Op. 64/5 ‘The Lark’

Orchestra: Hagen Quartet

Others who chose this artist

6.

Enrique Granados

Oriental March (from Piezas sobre cantos populares españoles)

Soloist: Alicia de Larrocha

Others who chose this artist

7.

Franz Schubert

String Quartet No. 14 in D minor 'Death and the Maiden' - 2nd movement

Orchestra: The Juilliard String Quartet

Others who chose this artist

8.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Dirge for two veterans (from Dona nobis pacem)

Soloist: Yvonne Kenny & Bryn Terfel Orchestra: the London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra Conductor: Richard Hickox

Others who chose this artist

Book

The Lymond Novels by Dorothy Dunnett

Others who chose this author

Luxury item

A bath

Others who chose a similar luxury