The Pulitzer Prize winning poet Mary Oliver died in 2019. She was best known for her poetry that reflected her love of the natural world and her famous poem 'Wild Geese' is said to have literally saved people's lives with its message of hope and redemption. An abusive childhood led the young Mary to escape into the woods near her home in Ohio where she discovered a love of nature that was to sustain her throughout her life. She found love with the photographer Molly Malone Cook and they lived happily for many years in Provincetown Massachusetts. Her life and work are greatly admired by many including this week's guest the actor Niamh Cusack and Mary's friend Baroness Helena Kennedy.
Producer: Maggie Ayre
Extracts of Mary Oliver from The Onbeing Project with Krista Tippett and from a conversation with Coleman Barks for the Lannan Foundation
George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood nominated by Lesley Garrett
Romy Gill on poet Amrita Pritam
Rosalind Franklin picked by Kate Bingham, former head of the UK government's vaccine taskforce
Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw, Educationalist
Ravi Shankar, India's famous sitar player
Holly Walsh on BS Johnson
Pat Nevin on Johan Cruyff
Judy Garland
Joan Rhodes, strongest woman in the world
Rob Newman on Franklin D Roosevelt
Mr Manchester Tony Wilson nominated by Terry Christian
Gil Scott-Heron
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Janet Ellis on Puffin editor Kaye Webb
Tom Hopkinson, editor of Picture Post
Brian Cox on Lindsay Anderson
Spike Milligan
Roma Agrawal on Mrinalini Sarabhai
Lady Hale on Lady Rhondda
William Lever, Lord Leverhulme, founder of Unilever
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