Louise Minchin, BBC Presenter, Author & Endurance Athlete on her New Book "Fearless: Adventures With Extraordinary Women"

Louise Minchin has a wonderful story to tell and she tells it very well. Born in a typhoon in Hong Kong some 55 years ago, one of her earliest memories as a young child is of the water in her bath moving as her tower block shook in gale-force winds! To this day, Louise finds storms exciting…

You can also watch/Listen to Louise here: https://vimeo.com/chrisgrimes/louiseminchin

Her grandparents had a house at the foot of a mountain in Spain, which she fondly remembers visiting year after year. Louise loved the country, the water to swim in and the language itself. Small wonder she chose to study Spanish at St Andrew’s University, where coincidentally Louise also won a scholarship early ‘gap year’ in Argentina. Here her Spanish became fluent, if not strictly Castilian. Here Louise also read the iconic novel ‘100 years of Solitude’ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - in its original Spanish! This fortuitous year’s experience helped Louise gain a better Degree than her tutors originally expected! 

Armed with her academic qualifications, Louise joined the BBC as a Production Assistant. Practically speaking, this involved providing early morning alarm-calls for the presenters on the Today Programme on Radio 4 and making tea or coffee for them on their arrival in the Studio. 

Louise then decided to do a Diploma Course in Journalism. She became a professional writer under the expert guidance of a great mentor by the name of Neil Dunwoody. This, she says, was “life-changing”. 

Louise’s career took off in style: for 20 years she was reading news and then presenting BBC TV’s flagship Breakfast Show. She did her last ‘Breakfast’ two years ago - but the adventures never stopped. She married successfully and now has two daughters, the first of whom arrived by emergency Caesarean section, followed in dangerously quick succession by acute appendicitis. Louise’s real ‘near death’ experience means that she no longer ‘sweats the small stuff’. She now describes herself as an ‘Endurance Athlete’ and has represented her country in that capacity. 

Louise is also an accomplished author. Her first book is based on her own personal experience and is entitled ‘Dare To Try.’ 

Her latest book is called ‘Fearless Adventures with Extraordinary Women.’ It does what it says on the cover, recording the diverse real life adventures of 18 extraordinary women. 

Louise invites you to hear her speak about it and buy copies of it for yourself, your family and your friends. She did not work with the one and only John Humphrys without learning to speak your mind. But always with a smile!

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

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