I Am, I Am, I Am By Maggie O'farrell

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Neck

20170821

20220704 (BBC7)
20220705 (BBC7)
20260420 (BBC7)
20260421 (BBC7)

A memoir with a difference, subtitled: 'Seventeen Brushes With Death'.

Award-winning novelist Maggie O'Farrell tells her life through a series of vignettes of her near-death experiences -- including a childhood illness she was not expected to survive; a terrifying encounter on a remote mountain path; a mismanaged labour in an understaffed hospital.

'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility?'

Maggie O'Farrell's novels include 'After You'd Gone', 'My Lover's Lover', 'The Distance Between Us', which won a Somerset Maugham Award, 'The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox', 'The Hand That First Held Mine', which won the 2010 Costa Novel Award, 'Instructions for the Heatwave', which was shortlisted for the 2013 Costa Novel Award, and 'This Must Be The Place'.

Abridged and produced by Kirsteen Cameron

Novelist Maggie O'Farrell's memoir, told through a series of near-death experiences.

Read by Hattie Morahan

Maggie O'Farrell's novels include 'Hamnet' 'After You'd Gone', 'My Lover's Lover', 'The Distance Between Us', which won a Somerset Maugham Award, 'The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox', 'The Hand That First Held Mine', 'Instructions for the Heatwave', and 'This Must Be The Place'.

As a young woman, Maggie O'Farrell met a man on a mountain path. Memoir based on near-death moments. Read by Hattie Morahan.

[LISTEN NOW]

Cerebellum

20170822

20220705 (BBC7)
20220706 (BBC7)
20260421 (BBC7)
20260422 (BBC7)

Maggie O'Farrell recalls the moment at which, aged eight, she woke up to find the world 'looked completely different'.

She'd contracted encephalitis, an illness that continues to have an impact upon her life.

Maggie O'Farrell's startling memoir, in which the bestselling author recounts her life through a series of near-death experiences.

'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility?'

Abridged and produced by Kirsteen Cameron

Author Maggie O'Farrell's account of falling seriously ill with encephalitis aged eight.

Novelist Maggie O'Farrell's memoir, told through a series of near-death experiences.

She had contracted encephalitis, an illness that continues to have an impact upon her life.

Read by Hattie Morahan.

Contracting encephalitis aged eight. The life of Maggie O'Farrell told through near-death experiences. Read by Hattie Morahan.

[LISTEN NOW]

Abdomen

20170823

20220706 (BBC7)
20220707 (BBC7)
20260422 (BBC7)
20260423 (BBC7)

Maggie O'Farrell remembers the difficult birth of her first son and the impact that a stranger's compassionate gesture had on her while doctors worked hard to save her life in the operating theatre.

Startling memoir, in which the bestselling author recounts her life through a series of near-death experiences.

'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility?'

Abridged and produced by Kirsteen Cameron

Complications during labour leave O'Farrell close to death in the operating theatre.

Novelist Maggie O'Farrell's memoir, told through a series of near-death experiences.

Read by Hattie Morahan.

Recalling a dangerous labour. The life of Maggie O'Farrell told through near-death experiences. Read by Hattie Morahan.

[LISTEN NOW]

Lungs

20170824

20220707 (BBC7)
20220708 (BBC7)
20260423 (BBC7)
20260424 (BBC7)

Hattie Morahan reads Maggie O'Farrell's startling memoir, in which the bestselling author recounts her life through a series of near-death experiences.

The book started out as a private project, a way for O'Farrell to help her young daughter who suffers from a serious immunology disorder, including severe eczema and allergies that can cause anaphylactic shock: 'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility?

In this episode, O'Farrell and her young son come close to drowning while swimming off the coast of East Africa.

Reader: Hattie Morahan

Writer: Maggie O'Farrell

Abridger: Kirsteen Cameron

O'Farrell and her son get into difficulties while swimming off the coast of East Africa.

Novelist Maggie O'Farrell's memoir, told through a series of near-death experiences.

The book started out as a private project, a way for O'Farrell to help her daughter who suffers from a serious immunology disorder, including severe eczema and allergies that can cause anaphylactic shock: 'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility?

Abridger and producer Kirsteen Cameron

A swim off the East African coast. The life of Maggie O'Farrell told through near-death experiences. Read by Hattie Morahan.

[LISTEN NOW]

Daughter

20170825

20220708 (BBC7)
20220709 (BBC7)
20260424 (BBC7)
20260425 (BBC7)

Maggie O'Farrell's startling memoir, in which the bestselling author recounts her life through a series of near-death experiences.

The book started out as a private project, a way for O'Farrell to help her young daughter who suffers from a serious immunology disorder, including severe eczema and allergies that can cause her anaphylactic shock: 'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility?

In this final episode, O'Farrell describes the challenges she and her family face trying to give her daughter as normal life a life as possible.

Reader: Hattie Morahan

Writer: Maggie O'Farrell

Abridger: Kirsteen Cameron

Maggie O'Farrell's moving account of coping with her daughter's immunology disorder.

Novelist Maggie O'Farrell's memoir, told through a series of near-death experiences.

Producer: Kirsteen Cameron

The challenges facing Maggie O'Farrell's daughter who has a serious immunology disorder. Concluded by Hattie Morahan.

[LISTEN NOW]

OMNI

20170827

20220710 (BBC7)
20260426 (BBC7)
20260427 (BBC7)

A memoir with a difference, subtitled: 'Seventeen Brushes With Death', in which the award-winning novelist Maggie O'Farrell tells her life through a series of vignettes of her near-death experiences -- including a childhood illness she was not expected to survive; a terrifying encounter on a remote mountain path; a mismanaged labour in an understaffed hospital.

Maggie O'Farrell is the author of nine novels - most recently, the prize-winning, best-selling novel Hamnet about Shakespeare's family and, out in 2022, The Marriage Portrait.

Omnibus of five parts read by Hattie Morahan.

Abridged and produced by Kirsteen Cameron

The novelist tells her life story through brushes with death. Reader Hattie Morahan.

This includes a childhood illness she was not expected to survive; a terrifying encounter on a remote mountain path; a mismanaged labour in an understaffed hospital.

Encountering a violently disturbed man leaves deep emotional scars. A memoir of near-death experiences read by Hattie Morahan.

[LISTEN NOW]

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	Neck	20170821	20220704 (BBC7) 20220705 (BBC7) 20260420 (BBC7) 20260421 (BBC7)	A memoir with a difference, subtitled: 'Seventeen Brushes With Death'. Award-winning novelist Maggie O'Farrell tells her life through a series of vignettes of her near-death experiences -- including a childhood illness she was not expected to survive; a terrifying encounter on a remote mountain path; a mismanaged labour in an understaffed hospital. The book started out as a private project, a way for O'Farrell to help her young daughter who suffers from a serious immunology disorder, including severe eczema and allergies that can cause anaphylactic shock: 'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility?' Maggie O'Farrell's novels include 'After You'd Gone', 'My Lover's Lover', 'The Distance Between Us', which won a Somerset Maugham Award, 'The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox', 'The Hand That First Held Mine', which won the 2010 Costa Novel Award, 'Instructions for the Heatwave', which was shortlisted for the 2013 Costa Novel Award, and 'This Must Be The Place'. Abridged and produced by Kirsteen Cameron Novelist Maggie O'Farrell's memoir, told through a series of near-death experiences. Read by Hattie Morahan Maggie O'Farrell's novels include 'Hamnet' 'After You'd Gone', 'My Lover's Lover', 'The Distance Between Us', which won a Somerset Maugham Award, 'The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox', 'The Hand That First Held Mine', 'Instructions for the Heatwave', and 'This Must Be The Place'. As a young woman, Maggie O'Farrell met a man on a mountain path. Memoir based on near-death moments. Read by Hattie Morahan. [LISTEN NOW]
02	Cerebellum	20170822	20220705 (BBC7) 20220706 (BBC7) 20260421 (BBC7) 20260422 (BBC7)	Maggie O'Farrell recalls the moment at which, aged eight, she woke up to find the world 'looked completely different'. She'd contracted encephalitis, an illness that continues to have an impact upon her life. Maggie O'Farrell's startling memoir, in which the bestselling author recounts her life through a series of near-death experiences. The book started out as a private project, a way for O'Farrell to help her young daughter who suffers from a serious immunology disorder, including severe eczema and allergies that can cause anaphylactic shock: 'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility?' Abridged and produced by Kirsteen Cameron Author Maggie O'Farrell's account of falling seriously ill with encephalitis aged eight. Novelist Maggie O'Farrell's memoir, told through a series of near-death experiences. She had contracted encephalitis, an illness that continues to have an impact upon her life. Read by Hattie Morahan. The book started out as a private project, a way for O'Farrell to help her daughter who suffers from a serious immunology disorder, including severe eczema and allergies that can cause anaphylactic shock: Contracting encephalitis aged eight. The life of Maggie O'Farrell told through near-death experiences. Read by Hattie Morahan. [LISTEN NOW]
03	Abdomen	20170823	20220706 (BBC7) 20220707 (BBC7) 20260422 (BBC7) 20260423 (BBC7)	Maggie O'Farrell remembers the difficult birth of her first son and the impact that a stranger's compassionate gesture had on her while doctors worked hard to save her life in the operating theatre. Startling memoir, in which the bestselling author recounts her life through a series of near-death experiences. The book started out as a private project, a way for O'Farrell to help her young daughter who suffers from a serious immunology disorder, including severe eczema and allergies that can cause anaphylactic shock: 'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility?' Abridged and produced by Kirsteen Cameron Complications during labour leave O'Farrell close to death in the operating theatre. Novelist Maggie O'Farrell's memoir, told through a series of near-death experiences. Read by Hattie Morahan. Recalling a dangerous labour. The life of Maggie O'Farrell told through near-death experiences. Read by Hattie Morahan. [LISTEN NOW]
04	Lungs	20170824	20220707 (BBC7) 20220708 (BBC7) 20260423 (BBC7) 20260424 (BBC7)	Hattie Morahan reads Maggie O'Farrell's startling memoir, in which the bestselling author recounts her life through a series of near-death experiences. The book started out as a private project, a way for O'Farrell to help her young daughter who suffers from a serious immunology disorder, including severe eczema and allergies that can cause anaphylactic shock: 'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility? In this episode, O'Farrell and her young son come close to drowning while swimming off the coast of East Africa. Reader: Hattie Morahan Writer: Maggie O'Farrell Abridger: Kirsteen Cameron O'Farrell and her son get into difficulties while swimming off the coast of East Africa. Novelist Maggie O'Farrell's memoir, told through a series of near-death experiences. The book started out as a private project, a way for O'Farrell to help her daughter who suffers from a serious immunology disorder, including severe eczema and allergies that can cause anaphylactic shock: 'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility? Abridger and producer Kirsteen Cameron A swim off the East African coast. The life of Maggie O'Farrell told through near-death experiences. Read by Hattie Morahan. [LISTEN NOW]
05	Daughter	20170825	20220708 (BBC7) 20220709 (BBC7) 20260424 (BBC7) 20260425 (BBC7)	Maggie O'Farrell's startling memoir, in which the bestselling author recounts her life through a series of near-death experiences. The book started out as a private project, a way for O'Farrell to help her young daughter who suffers from a serious immunology disorder, including severe eczema and allergies that can cause her anaphylactic shock: 'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility? In this final episode, O'Farrell describes the challenges she and her family face trying to give her daughter as normal life a life as possible. Reader: Hattie Morahan Writer: Maggie O'Farrell Abridger: Kirsteen Cameron Maggie O'Farrell's moving account of coping with her daughter's immunology disorder. Novelist Maggie O'Farrell's memoir, told through a series of near-death experiences. Producer: Kirsteen Cameron The challenges facing Maggie O'Farrell's daughter who has a serious immunology disorder. Concluded by Hattie Morahan. [LISTEN NOW]
OMNI		20170827	20220710 (BBC7) 20260426 (BBC7) 20260427 (BBC7)	A memoir with a difference, subtitled: 'Seventeen Brushes With Death', in which the award-winning novelist Maggie O'Farrell tells her life through a series of vignettes of her near-death experiences -- including a childhood illness she was not expected to survive; a terrifying encounter on a remote mountain path; a mismanaged labour in an understaffed hospital. The book started out as a private project, a way for O'Farrell to help her young daughter who suffers from a serious immunology disorder, including severe eczema and allergies that can cause anaphylactic shock: 'I've asked myself, when she has been very ill, how do you carry on when death is a daily possibility? Maggie O'Farrell is the author of nine novels - most recently, the prize-winning, best-selling novel Hamnet about Shakespeare's family and, out in 2022, The Marriage Portrait. Omnibus of five parts read by Hattie Morahan. Abridged and produced by Kirsteen Cameron The novelist tells her life story through brushes with death. Reader Hattie Morahan. This includes a childhood illness she was not expected to survive; a terrifying encounter on a remote mountain path; a mismanaged labour in an understaffed hospital. Encountering a violently disturbed man leaves deep emotional scars. A memoir of near-death experiences read by Hattie Morahan. [LISTEN NOW]