Just the Best Literature

Host Dennis Leap discusses the significance of Chapter 5, “Send Her Victorious,” in Candice Millard’s book Hero of the Empire. Winston Churchill does not go to the Boer War in South Africa as a solider but as a well-paid journalist to keep Britons informed of events in the Transvaal. He shared this experience with other famous authors such as Daily Mail writer Edgar Wallace, Rudyard Kipling and Arthur Conan Doyle.

In this special hourlong episode, Dennis Leap discusses the significance of Chapter 4 in Candice Millard’s Hero of the Empire. After licking his wounds from losing the election in Oldham, Winston Churchill renews his desire to become a great politician by finding a new war to build his reputation. This chapter is a great introduction to the Boer War.

Host Dennis Leap discusses Winston’s election day in Oldham. The candidates campaigning to win the election brought their wives with them. Winston was not yet married, so he begged his mother, Jennie Jerome, to come support him on election day. Jennie showed up dressed as a star-studded actress. Her sparkling beauty drew attention, but Winston fell 1,300 votes short of victory.

Host Dennis Leap continues discussing Candice Millard’s book Hero of the Empire, Chapter 3 “The Scion.” This chapter gives great insight into Winston Churchill’s mighty push to get into politics at a young age.

Host Dennis Leap continues discussing Candice Millard’s book Hero of the Empire. In this podcast, Dennis focuses on Winston Churchill’s unbearable uncertainty waiting to see if he would be chosen for a place on the Conservative ticket for a by-election in Oldham, England. Winston had no doubt in his star, yet he didn’t feel it wasteful to have his palm read to see into his future. Exploring mysticism was popular in England at that time, even with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Winston did not allow his “choice of palm reader” to advertise what she saw for his future, but events happened that put Winston on the ticket that launched his political career.

Host Dennis Leap continues discussing Candice Millard’s book Hero of the Empire. In Chapter 2, Candice provides additional history on Winston Churchill’s desire for power and fame with his involvement in the British Empire’s war against the Mahdists in the Sudan. It was a war of great carnage, but Winston remained unscathed. “Nothing touched me,” he wrote two days after the Battle of Omdurman, in which the British lost 500 men and the Mahdists 20,000.

Host Dennis Leap continues discussing Candice Millard’s book Hero of the Empire. Candice opens Chapter 1 with a review of Winston’s early love of 1,500 toy soldiers and make-believe battles and then gives an in-depth discussion of the extant and success of the vast British Empire.

Host Dennis Leap begins discussing a new book on the life of Winston Churchill by author Candice Millard. Hero of the Empire gives us details of Churchill’s daring escape from prison in Pretoria, South Africa (the capital of the Boer Republic), while fighting in the Boer War and the making of his political career.

After fighting the bloodthirsty Pathans and getting reassigned to leading a Punjabi infantry (none spoke English), Winston attempts to get attached to the Malakand Field Force permanently. This did not happen, and he was sent back to his home base at Bangalore. In Chapter 13, Winston seeks to maneuver for a job in a new campaign in the Sudan under Sir Herbert Kitchener. However, he discovers that those who had previously been friendly and encouraging had turned against him. Those who once supported him were calling him a medal hunter and a self-advertiser. Winston has to learn to endure “the less amiable aspects of human nature.”

After fighting the bloodthirsty Pathans and getting reassigned to leading a Punjaubi infantry (where no one spoke English), Winston attempted to be attached to the Malakand Field Force permanently, but he was sent back to his home base at Bangalore. He began writing a book on his recent experience in the Mamund Valley, which became a published success. Receiving praise from the prince of Wales, Winston began to remake himself as an author.