Alive, Alive Oh! And Other Things That Matter by Diana Athill (Omnibus)

Stephanie Cole reads from the collection of essays by acclaimed writer Diana Athill.

Written from the vantage point of her late 90s, Athill's essays are wise, cheering and thought-provoking.

They range from gentle (her love of beautiful clothes), heartbreaking (the miscarriage of a much-wanted child) to salutary (her difficult decision to relinquish her independence and move into a care home).

She begins by debunking the myth that Britain in the 1940s and 1950s was a mire of dreariness.

As a young woman when war broke out, peace and its aftermath was a time of joy, freedom and optimism.

Omnibus of five episodes abridged by Kirsteen Cameron.

Read by Stephanie Cole.

Producer: Kirsteen Cameron

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2015.