Yesterday was a hefty news day, with the US midterms dominating the Today programme (Radio 4). But it also included a couple of highly individual voices with smaller stories to tell of personal journeys.

First was Jay-Z, interviewed by Evan Davis, who sensed rap might be unfamiliar territory for the audience and so asked for a couple of introductory track recommendations (Jay-Z obliged with 2Pac's Dear Mama and Lauryn Hill's To Zion).

Jay-Z spoke about emerging from an area in which one in three black people end up in prison, and learning business integrity from illegal dealings. "You're playing with your life," he explained. "If you're not a guy of your word, then certain things happen." A little later, Davis mentioned that Twitter comments from listeners were all very positive. Sarah Montague mooted that things might be very different from "the letter writers".

Diana Athill, born in 1917 and recently moved into a retirement home, is keeping a diary of her progress for the programme, and what heartwarming radio it makes. She spoke about how the home she lives in allows for residents to garden a little, and last week she planted six dozen spring bulbs and some oriental poppies. "It does make such a difference," she said, "having plants of one's own to watch out for next spring."