Host Dennis Leap continues discussing Part Two: “Into Africa” of Candice Millard’s bestselling book, Hero of the Empire. Winston Churchill argues with Redvers Buller, British commander in chief in South Africa, to get the number and names of the British soldiers who died during the first weeks of the Boer War. Winston discovered that a close friend of his, Aylmer Haldane, was slain. Haldane was an aide-de-camp to Sir William Lockhart and was able to get Winston a position in India that put...

Host Dennis Leap discusses Chapter 7, “The Blackest of All Days” in Part II, “Into Africa.” This chapter reveals that the famous British commanders over India, such as Penn Symons, believed the fight with the Boers would be easy. The journalist crew, which included Winston Churchill, was stunned when they arrived in South Africa to a sign that read “Boers Defeated, Three Battles, Penn Symons Killed.” In pages 74 and 75, we learn why Penn Symons died.

Host Dennis Leap finishes discussing Chapter 6, “We Have Gone Far Enough,” from Part II: “Into Africa.” Candice Millard gives the incredible history of the Boers who proved themselves to be superior warriors from the time they inhabited the Transvaal and the first Boer War with the British. The British received a humiliating loss at the battle of Majuba Hill. George White had told a friend before he left South Hampton: “I don’t believe there will be fighting of a serious kind.” While at...

Host Dennis Leap finishes the discussion for Chapter 5 of Part 2, “Send Her Victorious” and begins Chapter 6, “We Have Gone Far Enough.” Chapter 5 revealed the blasé attitude of the British to the coming war with the Boers, who weren’t considered warriors. Chapter 6, however, shows that the Boers were well prepared for the coming fight.

Host Dennis Leap continues discussing Part 2: Into Africa, Chapter 5: “Send Her Victorious.” Winston was not overly worried that he was traveling to a war in South Africa. He saw himself as a confident, well-to-do journalist being paid well to report on the early phase of the Boer War. Winston traveled in the lavish style of a British aristocrat, taking a valet with him. Even though seasick, he shows himself a politician by talking over the Boer War with General Buller, who is also on the...

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...

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...

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.

Host Dennis Leap continues discussing the Pathan’s attack on the British in Chapter 11. The British adjutant had been shot. Four soldiers were carrying him to safety when, out from the edges of the village houses, rushed a half dozen Pathan swordsmen. The leading tribesman rushed upon the prostrate adjutant, slashing him three or four times. Winston angered by the crime wanted to kill the Pathan with his own sword. But upon seeing a group of Pathans behind their leader, he decided to shoot...

Host Dennis Leap discusses Winston Churchill’s praise for Sir Bindon Blood’s talents as a military leader while working with the Bunerwal and Pathan tribes of Northern India, but then reveals the flaws in some of Britain’s political officers. Winston calls them Marplots because they failed to act resolutely or decisively, leading to the unnecessary deaths of British soldiers.

At the end of Chapter 9: “Education at Bangalore,” Winston is offered a 3-month leave to return to England, which gives him a break from the sweltering heat of India. While in England, he reads in the newspapers that the north Indian tribe Pathan was revolting against the British. He learns that his friend Sir Bindon Blood is leading a field force of three brigades to quell the revolt. Winston telegraphs Sir Bindon to remind him that he had promised to include Winston in such an event....

Host Dennis Leap finishes his discussion of Chapter 9 “Education at Bangalore” with Winston’s treatise on polo’s popularity with the British troops and the Indian populace. Polo games in India were high cultural events with parades of elephants and British royal regalia. Of course, Winston was most excited about his polo team defeating the highest-ranking Indian team. The ultimate takeaway from this chapter is true education involves books, classes, quality social occasions and challenging...

Host Dennis Leap continues discussing My Early Life Chapter 9, “Education at Bangalore.” Winston comes to the conclusion that he doesn’t have a grasp on religion. He recognized that the British Empire had exposed him to many different religions full of untruths that created much confusion. His final religious belief in God came after a few years of being in constant danger: He continually prayed for protection and he knew that God provided it for him.

Host Dennis Leap continues discussing My Early Life Chapter 9: “Education at Bangalore.” During the winter months of 1896, Winston came to the realization that he needed more education. He wrote, “I began to feel myself wanting in even the vaguest knowledge about many large spheres of thought.” While he had developed a huge vocabulary thanks to being an avid reader, he still lacked knowledge in subjects such as ethics, the Socratic Method and history. With the help of his mother, he built his...

Host Dennis Leap moves into Chapter 9 “Education at Bangalore.” While being trained to utilize British fighting maneuvers to protect the Empire in India, Winston realized he was not truly educated: There was a lot of English vocabulary he did not understand. He could speak the words, but he did not know their meaning. For example, he loved the word ethics, but did not know exactly what it was. “I would have paid some scholar 2 pounds at least to give me a lecture of an hour or an hour and a...

Host Dennis Leap wraps up his discussion of Chapter 8. Winston gives young readers advice on how to take care of their health, specifically warning them not to dislocate their shoulders. He also describes his life as a young soldier in India. His descriptions are a technicolor view of the beauty of British rule in India. In Bangalore, Winston settled into his new life in India. He devoted himself to the serious purpose of life—polo! You won’t want to miss the humor and fascination of India in...