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Sue Lawley's castaway is mathematician Ian Stewart.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week believes he has the answer to "life, the universe and everything". According to mathematician Ian Stewart, it's 137-and-a-half degrees.

He calls it "the golden angle", and says it can be found everywhere in nature - whether in the pattern of seeds on a sunflower head or in the spiral of a snail's shell. Mathematics, he says, has nothing to do with arithmetic and everything to do with being able to pack the luggage into the boot of the car. But for a broken collarbone which meant he stayed at home working out puzzles with his mum, he would have remained bottom of the class and never discovered how much fun maths could be.

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

Favourite track: Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel
Book: Godel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter
Luxury: Mrs Thatcher pickled in a Damien Hurst sculpture

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40 minutes

Last on

Fri 20 Mar 199809:05
BBC Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Starship

    We Built This City

    • Knee Deep in the Hoopla.
    • RCA.

  • The Savage

  • The Beatles

    You Can't Do That

    • A Hard Day’s Night.
    • Parlophon.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Simon & Garfunkel

      Scarborough Fair

      • Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme.
      • CBS.

  • Erik Satie

    Trois Gymnopédies - No. 1

    Performer: Sky.
    • Sky.
    • Ariola.

  • Richard Burton

    War of the Worlds

    • The War of the Worlds.
    • CBS.

  • Led Zeppelin

    Kashmir

    • Remasters.
    • Atlantic.

  • Nirvana

    In Bloom

    • Nevermind.
    • Geffen.

  • Book Choice

    • Godel, Escher, Bach - Douglas Hofstadter

  • Luxury Choice

    • Mrs Thatcher pickled in a Damien Hurst sculpture

Credits

PresenterSue Lawley
Interviewed GuestIan Stewart

Broadcasts

  • Sun 15 Mar 199812:15
    BBC Radio 4
  • Fri 20 Mar 199809:05
    BBC Radio 4

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