Your History

Jean-Marie Le Pen, a French far-right politician who built a substantial following but whose antisemitism and xenophobia meant opponents on all sides united against him. And, the American singer Sam Moore, one half of the duo Sam & Dave who were best known for their 1967 hit Soul Man.Photo credit: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Lodge, an academic and author, revitalised campus novels with his witty takes on university life, Catholicism, and sex. And, Swiss-born New York socialite Jocelyn Wildenstein, who sadly was also known as “the poster child for plastic surgery gone wrong.”Image credit: Getty Images.Further reading: What happened to the Bride of Wildenstein and her $2.5 billion? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jimmy Carter was the only US President to win a Nobel Peace Prize for his work done after leaving office. He was by common consent, the “best former president America has ever had”. And Manmohan Singh was India's reluctant Prime Minister who changed the lives of millions.Image credit: Getty Images. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of Your History, presented by Jane Mulkerrins, a chance to reflect on the extraordinary lives of individuals who left their mark on the world, from French pop icon Françoise Hardy to Russian dissident Alexei Navalny. We also hear about the lives of groundbreaking Irish novelist Edna O’Brien, tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, TV doctor Michael Mosley and American music legend Quincy Jones — their stories reminding us of the power of resilience, creativity, and ingenuity found in the obituaries printed in The Times during 2024. Image credit: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.