麻豆约拍

Sarah Harper is Professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford and Co-Director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing and the newly appointed director of the Royal Institution, a post once held by Michael Faraday.

Here she shares her belief in the way in which science and discovery are integral to the development of written works and wrestles with the challenge of making complicated ideas accessible to the general reader.

In this series of The Essay, recorded in front of an audience at the 2017 Hay Festival, five writers offer a personal guide to 'how to write a book'. Where do their ideas come from? Do they stick to a regular writing plan? Are there times when they just want to give up? Join them as they dispel some of the myths and share some of the secrets of getting to the final page.

The writers in the series include the new director of the Royal Institution and expert on ageing Sarah Harper, the international lawyer Philippe Sands, novelist Scarlett Thomas, translator Daniel Hahn and historian Martin Johnes.

Part of Radio 3's week-long residency at the Hay Festival, with programmes CD Review, Lunchtime Concert, In Tune, Free Thinking, The Verb and World on 3 all broadcasting from the festival.