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Stephanie Cole reads Diana Athill's poignant essay about the miscarriage that almost killed her, aged 43, in the early 1960s.

The collection of essays by acclaimed editor and author Diana Athill.

Written from the vantage point of her great age, Athill's writing is honest and thought-provoking.

In her next essay, she describes with total candour her miscarriage in 1960, aged 43, when she nearly lost her life.

Diana Athill's books include Stet: An Editor's Life (2000) and Yesterday Morning (2002).

For 50 years she was the editorial director of André Deutsch, where she worked with such authors as Jean Rhys, Gitta Sereny and VS Naipaul.

Her Costa Award-winning memoir, Somewhere Towards the End, was published in 2008.

Read by Stephanie Cole

Abridged by Claire Simpson

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2015.

Photo credit: Mark Crick

15 minutes

On radio

Tuesday 08:30
BBC Radio 4 Extra

More episodes

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Post War

Next

The Decision

See all episodes from Alive, Alive Oh! And Other Things That Matter by Diana Athill

Credits

Reader Stephanie Cole
Author Diana Athill
Abridger Claire Simpson
Producer Kirsteen Cameron

Broadcasts

  • Tue 8 Dec 2015 09:45
    BBC Radio 4 FM
  • Wed 9 Dec 2015 00:30
    BBC Radio 4
  • Tue 19 Dec 2017 14:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Wed 20 Dec 2017 02:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Tuesday 08:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Tuesday 13:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Tuesday 19:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Wednesday 03:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra