MARIAN KEYES, SHINING light and national treasure, mad her highly anticipated appearance on BBC Radio 4′s Desert Island Discs this morning.

The author spoke candidly with presenter Kirsty Young about her career, her struggles with depression and alcoholism, achieving sobriety, and  how writing became her “rope across the abyss”.

It was that primal urge in all of us to stay alive, saying ‘I can give you this, will you live for this?’ It didn’t get me sober but gave me something to hope for.

She also spoke about what she makes of her books being dismissed as “not terribly clever”.

Anything that empowers women or anything that makes them feel like, “Hello there, can I have some equal pay?” or “Hello there, how about access to the management jobs?” Anything that makes us uppity has to be slapped down. If we like something, by telling us it’s rubbish, it makes us feel a bit silly for having liked it in the first place.

She also selected a number of top-notch bangers.

• Solange – Cranes in the Sky
• Petula Clark – Downtown
• The Police – Message in a Bottle
• Christy Moore – Ordinary Man
• Sister Sledge – We Are Family
• Amy Winehouse – Tears Dry On Their Own
• George Michael – You Have Been Loved
• Earth Wind and Fire – September

All in all, she was her usual wise, funny and charming self, and listeners had nothing but complimentary things to say.

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When she was asked what luxury item she’d bring with her to a desert island, she had a rather lovely response.

I know this is pathetic. Could I have a photograph of my husband? Because I’m really quite fond of him and I’d miss him if I was there on me own.

You can listen to the episode in full here. You won’t regret it.