That may give you a sense of those connotations.Īnd I would say that it is certainly true today that we now know that the beauties of his Napoleon, his Churchill, his histories of the Second World War, and his continued achievements in the sartorial have firmly established his preeminence. And his only rival he said could be Niall Ferguson. Now, that has a wide array of connotations, I think. Many years ago, at least 15 years ago, that he thought - or it was part of his ambition to be the prettiest historian. Andrew once said - boy, I hope, please, God, that he remembers he said this to me. I must also say there’s no lack of Churchillian personal ambition in this. But Andrew’s histories and biographies share a relevance with Churchill’s in providing a guide to the presence and a sense of the character that is needed in our world to preserve the best for our future and for our children. Of course, it can’t be said of Andrew Roberts what Arthur Balfour said of Churchill’s history of the first world war, “The World Crisis,” that it was an autobiography discussed as a history of the universe. And our speaker has revised and extended the first with his own History of the English-speaking Peoples Since 1900 and provided a brilliant variation on the theme of the second with his Storm of War and Masters and Commanders. They’re still read by us, his History of the English- speaking Peoples, The Second World War.

His Nobel Prize for literature was certainly about his great triumphs in the writing of history. Winston Churchill achieved fame in many ways but not least as a historian. Though I think I will tell one, but in a moment.

I assumed originally that we have moved from the church because I was going to tell some stories about Andrew that were inappropriate from the pulpit, but he’s told me that I cannot tell those stories. It’s a thrill to be on this stage, which recreates the stage from which Winston Churchill gave the “Sinews of Peace”, the ‘Iron Curtain Speech.’ It’s a thrill to have Andrew Roberts back. CROSBY KEMPER: So Fellow Muehlhauser, Marshal Jones, Mayor Cannell, Secretary Ashcroft, Senior Fellow Boeckman, fellow Fellows, members of the Churchill family, and ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for being here. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Fellow Crosby Kemper.

This man is a leading citizen in Kansas City and around the United States. ROBERT MUEHLHAUSER: The Kemper Lectures have continuously attracted global experts in both British history, British- American history, and Winston Churchill for over the last 40 years.įor the last 20 or so, we’ve had the great pleasure of having these guest luminaries be introduced by someone who is well known for his great introductions.

Andrew roberts winston churchill