Woman's Hour - Weekend Woman's Hour

Jane Garvey visits the home of Marguerite Patten, the doyenne of British cookery for more than 60 years. She shares some old and contemporary cooking tips. The number of MPs standing down at the next election appears to grow by the day - but who will take their place? To discuss what characteristics are needed to embrace and survive a term or more in Parliament, Jane is joined by Clare Short, Amanda Platell and Lynn Faulds Wood. Biographer Claire Tomalin had always known her mother, Muriel Herbert, had been a published composer in the 1920s. But it was only after Muriel died that Claire discovered just what a formidable talent she had possessed, and how prolific she had been. Her 'art songs' were highly regarded in her day - James Joyce and WB Yeats let her set their work to music. Now Claire has put together a new recording of her mother's work. Roma Tearne was only ten when she fled Sri Lanka with her parents. Open war had broken out on the island, and her Sinhalese mother had been outcast by her family for marrying a Tamil man. The family came to England in search of safety. But her parents never managed to integrate successfully into British society. In her new novel, Roma explores the themes which have marked the lives of her own family: identity, homeland and loss. For many pregnancies, couples 'go public' at around 12 weeks. But if a woman has kept quiet about her pregnancy and miscarries, how do you deal with the loss without friends, family and colleagues' support? Woman's Hour explores why women tend to keep quiet about early pregnancy and what impact this has if they miscarry. Plus another chance to hear a live performance by Little Boots.