Churchill

by J. Rufus Fears (Author And Narrator)

Listening Length: 6 hours and 15 minutes

His friend, colleague, and esteemed political foe Clement Attlee once memorialized Winston Churchill as "the greatest Englishman of our time - I think the greatest citizen of the world of our time." More than a half-century later, Churchill's life remains proof that a single individual can change the course of history for the better and make of life a blessed and noble thing, despite public and private trials too numerous to name.

Who was this extraordinary man who rose up at an hour when freedom and right stood in mortal peril before tyranny and terror to rally the British people? To say with courage, genius, and eloquence, "Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'"

Moreover, how did he accomplish this amazing feat? And how was it that this achievement was just a single part of a long and fruitful life in a stunning array of endeavors?

In these 12 inspiring lectures, Professor Fears presents a well-balanced portrait of Churchill that does not whitewash his flaws. Yet he also draws on the most recent historical scholarship and material from Churchill's writings and speeches to make the case that Churchill belongs with Pericles of Athens and Abraham Lincoln as one of the greatest statesmen in the history of democracy.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Audiobook, War, Politics, Biography Memoir

7 pages, Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Dr. J. Rufus Fears is David Ross Boyd Professor of Classics at the University of Oklahoma, where he holds the G. T. and Libby Blankenship Chair in the History of Liberty. He also serves as David and Ann Brown Distinguished Fellow of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. He earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University. Before joining the faculty at the University of Oklahoma, Professor Fears was Professor of History and Distinguished Faculty Research Lecturer at Indiana University, and Professor of Classical Studies and Chair of the Department of Classical Studies at Boston University.

An acclaimed teacher and scholar with 25 awards for teaching excellence, Professor Fears was chosen Professor of the Year on three occasions by students at the University of Oklahoma. His other accolades include the Medal for Excellence in College and University Teaching from the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) Great Plains Region Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the UCEA's National Award for Teaching Excellence.

Professor Fears's books and monographs include The Cult of Jupiter and Roman Imperial Ideology and The Theology of Victory at Rome. He edited a three-volume edition of Selected Writings of Lord Acton. His discussions of the Great Books have appeared in newspapers across the country and have aired on national television and radio programs.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are those who dislike Churchill, and those who think he was a great man. Professor Rufus Fears is definitely of the latter persuasion, and he makes a compelling case. After hearing the 12 lectures on Churchill's life, I agree with Professor Fears, who is a fine lecturer. You could not ask for a better way to spend time in your car in traffic than listening to this audio series. Churchill was a fascinating man.

[Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much new about Churchill! I love these lectures from the Great Courses. 12 hours' lecture about Churchill from a learned professor. A fascinating story - the essence of creative nonfiction.

[Robert Vlach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historik a rétor par excellence prof. J. Rufus Fears stvořil nejsilnější Churchillův životopis.

Minule jsem zde pěl ódu na Fearsovy Knihy, které psaly historii a dnes mám to potěšení recenzovat další jeho počin: strhující audioknihu Churchill sestávající z 12 kapitol o životě Winstona Churchilla, anglicky, zas a znovu ve fenomenálním řečnickém podání.

Churchill byl, jak říkají Angličané, člověk větší než život a jeho životopis tak nutně musí být větší než on sám. Sice jsem četl Churchillovy monumentální paměti z druhé i první světové války a měl určitou představu o jeho všestrannosti a kontroverzích, ale teprve z této přesné životopisné sondy jsem načerpal detaily i celkovou představu o magnitudě Churchillovy osobnosti — o strastiplném dospívání v nepřízni rodičů a učitelů, o závratné kariéře vojáka a spisovatele, o jeho neokázalém hrdinství, o tavení a zrání pro historickou úlohu, kterou mu přihrál Osud a on ji sehrál lépe, než si kdo v jeho době dokázal přiznat či představit…

Fears má Churchilla nejen perfektně nastudovaného (včetně soukromé korespondence), ale především podle mne lépe než kdokoli jiný vystihl jeho ducha, nepoddajnou a přitom vskrytu láskyplnou osobnost, čímž mj. oponuje Churchillovým kritikům, kterých se vždy najde dost. Pokud jste měli jako já nějakou vágní představu o tom, kdo byl Winston Churchill, poslechněte si tuto audioknihu a garantuji vám, že ji od základů změníte.

Když jsem jako kluk četl Tolkiena, fascinoval mne onen dramatický oblouk, který napjal mezi absolutním Zlem a Dobrem, nad nic netušícím svobodným lidem Středozemě. Rozesmutnila mne též epochální naléhavost jeho Příběhu a byť Tolkien sám údajně odmítal paralelu mezi Pánem prstenů a současným děním, právě Winston Churchill se nevděky stal protagonistou neméně velkého Příběhu našeho věku. Ba co více, stal se prorokem událostí odvíjejících se nevyhnutelně ke střetu svobodného světa s totalitou dvou forem. Teprve díky Fearsovi mi plně došla nečekaná pointa, že totiž jeho Churchill je vlastně meta-příběhem našeho věku.

Mnoho lidí si dnes zoufá z bezradnosti a nijakosti, jakéhosi bezvětří dějin, přerušovaného jen tu či jindy poryvy skepse. Možná je to ovšem dáno tím, že sami žijeme ve stínu velkého Příběhu, který se udál, uvrhl Zlo do propasti času a ponechal nás napospas následujícímu bezčasí. Možná? Fearsovi vděčím za to, že si tyto otázky kladu. Mistrovský kousek.

[Peter Pecksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply one of the most inspirational books I have ever read. Technically it is a series of lectures, but none the less, phenomenal. The author is decidedly pro Churchill and incredibly positive about him. I was moved from laughter to tears while following the course of this man's amazing life. Learning the situations and emotions behind some of the most memorable quotes in history and the man that made them is well worth the time invested in this lecture series.
To only be able to find a politician or statesman with a fraction of his foresight and responsibility in todays world would be such a blessing for the world we currently live.

[Dionne · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Winston Churchill was the greatest leader of the 20th century. He is proof that a single individual can change the course of history. His courage, character, and genius rallied the British people to 'their finest hour'. His was a multifaceted genius. He was a successful politician and a statesman of vision and principle. He was a military innovator, who outpaced his contemporaries in his grasp of the impact of technology on warfare. He was one of the most successful authors of his day, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was a painter, whose artistic work brought him a considerable income during his life and still hangs today in major museums. With all this, he was a father who won the devotion of his children."

This is a great, comprehensive look at the life of Winston Churchill. I agree with the author that Churchill was the greatest leader of the 20th century. Fears does an amazing job, and I look forward to listening to more books/courses by The Teaching Company.

[Gail Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course as someone who grew up in the 50's and 60's I had heard of Churchill, but I guess I didn't really know much about him. This course covered his life from birth til death and really showed all the difficulties he faced. He participated in World War I and was in and out of government from then on. He offered suggestions on how to defeat the Germans, although soon after the US entered the war we stopped listening to his advice. :-) Perhaps most amazing to me was that just as he was bringing home the WWII victory, he lost the office of Prime Minister! Also, he foresaw the problems that would come out of Russia post World War II. A good biography; I enjoyed it.

[Kirsti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Fears is a believer in the "great man" theory of history, which usually doesn't interest me (partly because it's almost always about a great man rather than a great woman). But he makes a compelling case that the world would be very different today if Winston Churchill had become an artist instead of a soldier and politician. I wish Fears had spent less time on Churchill's ancestors and had been more willing to entertain criticisms of the man and his policies. Still, this lecture series kept me interested and taught me a lot.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winston Churchill was possibly the most influential figure of the 20th century. Born to nobility, he managed to devote his life to public service, and rally his country, as well as the free world, against what Dr Fears (the lecturer) might call 'empires of evil'. These 12 lectures serve as an introduction to the life of Churchill, not a thorough biography...but that might be my next step.
Try it, when you can get it on sale...

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Winston Churchill was a remarkable man who accomplished more in one lifetime than any ten ordinary people. It is fashionable now for the mildly-educated to denigrate Mr. Churchill for the views he held that may not be compatible with modern sensibilities, but I quickly dismiss those people as so many sand fleas on the leg of a modern giant.

Professor Fears does his usual superb job of combining scholarship, humor and even pathos to present a portrait of a great man.

[Leslie Hickman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being an OSU grad I never knew something other than storm predictions could come out of Norman. But Professor Fears seems to be one of the best lecturers I have heard in a while! I look forward into listening to others he has done. Very informative, without talking down or over anyone. Delightful to listen to anytime!

[Kraig Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight into a great person.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

As yet another great courses class I have taken in history [1], one quickly gets used to the particular format and it is a comforting matter. The cds are in a case and often a smaller container within, along with a guidebook that gives an outline of the lectures and the scope of their material, a bibliography for future reading and research if the listener is interested in it, and some thoughtful questions for reflection. There are introductions to the lectures, plenty of well-deserved clapping, and every cd is either 45 minutes or an hour, which is long enough to cover materials in some depth and short enough that the material is not forgotten between the times someone happens to be in the car. All in all, the Great Courses are a great idea and I have not listened to any that I have not wholeheartedly enjoyed so far. Given that I am fond of the writing and career of Winston Churchill, this one was an easy one to enjoy as well [2], and there was plenty of material to appreciate.

This particular course is divided into six cds with two lectures apiece, each of them thirty minutes in length. About ten of the lecture are devoted to the life of Churchill itself--bookended by lectures about the heritage of Winston Churchill and his family background at the beginning and the legacy of his loyal and successful service, including some rather harsh comments towards revisionist historians who have viewed Churchill negatively. Let it not be assumed that this is an impartial account, the professor is a partisan for Churchill, something that is easy to be. After a discussion of Churchill's family history the author gives lectures about Churchill's troublesome youth, his service as an officer on the Empire's frontiers in India along with detached service elsewhere, his political beginnings after a dramatic escape from captivity during the Boer War, the controversies that involved Churchill during his time in the cabinet during World War I, the challenges Churchill faced in the postwar period serving an irresponsible Prime Minister in Stanley Baldwin and an electorate that didn't want to prepare for war or keep Britain strong, Churchill's lonely years in the political wilderness, the efforts he made to prepare Great Britain for the Nazi menace in the late 1930's, two lectures on his leadership during World War II, and a lecture on his postwar service as a champion of freedom around the world.

Although some listeners might not appreciate the professor's open partisanship for Churchill and his passionate defense of absolute truths and eternal values worth fighting for, and if necessary, dying for, those listeners who share the worldview of Churchill and the professor will likely find this an immensely enjoyable course. The only part of the lecture series that I found less than excellent, although I am a far from unbiased reviewer myself, was the fact that at times the author's voice dropped and he seemed to mumble a bit, which made parts of the lecture difficult to listen to without turning the audio up to alarmingly high levels. This is a minor quibble, though, as the quality of this course is enough that anyone who is fond of Winston Churchill as a statesman, as a historian, or even as an artist will find a great deal of material here of interest. The professor does a good job at pointing out Churchill's shortcomings in being a bit impetuous and charging in where angels feared to tread and also his chronic lack of political antennae, as well as an alarming tendency to be slandered and to have those slanders linger despite being proven in error. Even in celebrating great men (and women), we find much to reflect upon in the patterns of our own lives.

[1] See, for example:

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[2] See, for example:

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https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

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[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

How much do you know about Winston Churchill? I started listening to this audio history lecture series because of little I know about Churchill. This lecture exceeded my expectation and I’m glad The Teaching Company produced this and had professor Rufus Fears taught on Churchill. Fears was the David Ross Boyd Professor of Classics at the University of Oklahoma. Though a Classics professor it seems he was quite knowledgeable about Churchill as well! I’m sadden to learn he passed away in 2012 though I plan on listening to more of his teachings on other topics.
I learned a lot from these lectures about the life and accomplishment of Churchill. Churchill did a lot even in his early life and a lot of it was motivated by his desire to make a name for himself and also Winston’s attempt to achieve his father’s love—even after his father’s death. The lectures also pointed out how accomplished Churchill was outside of politics; he was a very successful writer and one of the highest paid journalist during his time. The book pointed out the 1930s was Churchill’s “wilderness” experience in which he wasn’t advancing much politically. But that doesn’t mean Churchill was not productive for during this time he wrote 11 books and 400 articles on a vast array of subjects, not just politics. Just by his literary works Churchill would be deemed a successful writer but he wasn’t just accomplished in using words on paper. Churchill apparently was also an accomplished artist and the lecturer compared and contrast Churchill as an artist with Hitler as an artist. Whereas Hitler was a failure Churchill was very good and had his work featured in reputable gallery and collections under a different pen name than his own. I love how this lecture give us a larger picture of the man Churchill and did not just look at his political accomplishments. In that vein I also appreciated the professor’s discussion about Winston’s home life.
The part of the lectures that moved me the most emotionally was the discussion about World War Two. I learned of how during the time leading up to World War Two Churchill was often the only voice that spoke out against Hitler. And he did this against the popular sentiment for appeasement and compromise and even giving in to Hitler. He understood Hitler in contrast to some of the other members of Parliament, having read Hitler’s own writings. Yet in pushing for a strong stance against Germany Churchill was also concern for the every-day people. He would visit bombed cities throughout the United Kingdom, something Hitler never did himself because it was too difficult. He would also be emotional for the soldiers in the front.
The lectures also made a good point in that while many people remember Churchill as a military failure during World War Two with certain actions he pursued, he was also a much accomplished military man and was above his peers in the world stage during World War Two. During World War Two in which there were many titanic figures he was unique in terms of his military experiences. Eisenhower had said that many people thought of Churchill as an amateur in military strategies but he wasn’t. He had military combat experience as a young man having seen conflict in four different wars unlike Roosevelt and Stalin. While Hitler also experienced the front in World War One as a junior soldier Churchill though has led an infantry Battalion before and was also as a war cabinet member during World War One. Thus his experience and his knowledge of history was unparalleled to the other world leaders during the war.
Definitely Churchill was an extraordinary character; and this lecture series did a superb job teaching the listeners about this extraordinary life.

[Bruce Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This discovery of Great Courses streaming audio from the library might really set a trend with me. What a delightful way to learn about one of the greatest statesmen in the history of the world (in only 6 hours!). Rufus Fears provides the perfect amount of professorial pomposity and humor; you can actually hear some of the audience chuckling at points of his lectures. This course is highly recommended if you don't know much about the single person who rallied the British and prevented Hitler from attaining total European dominance. But it provides a broader stroke of Churchill's life: his struggles in school, his defense of ancestors, his writing prowess and even his painting skills.

"This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."

[Edward Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must listen for Churchill fans. His insight before World War II is valuable today as we see the same type of unenforceable and broken appeasement treaties. Churchill believed WWII was the most preventable war in history. We should heed his advice again today.

The lecturer is enthusiastic, and his description of Churchill's life and career are inspiring. It really fired me up to stand for principles. A 2017 movie about Churchill portrays him as an old dottering fool. It makes me angry to see how some segments are trying to rewrite history this way. However, this lecture series is an accurate complete portrayal of the great man. Enjoy.

[Darel Grauberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prompted by watching "The Crown" television series, and watching John Lithgow's performance of Churchill, I decided to gain a little more perspective from this entry in the Great Courses series- a medium I can highly recommend as I've always received nothing less than a perspective of someone who is fully devoted to the topic, whatever it may be, and lends an enthusiastic voice to their instruction. It often has the same feel of sitting in the classroom of that teacher that made you care about whatever it was they were talking about, often surprising you in the process.

[Willard Brickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book but a series of twelve lectures on six CDs delivered by Professor J. Rufus Fears, who also delivers the excellent series The Wisdom of History. Both come from the company The Great Courses. Professor Fears is an entertaining and informative speaker and this is a great introduction to Churchill. The last two discs, which cover World War II to the end of Churchill's life, are particularly exciting. The final lecture is a summary and provides some analysis.

[Hpsmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

So excited to discover my favorite college professor, Dr Fears, has audio books/lectures on Audible. It’s been 25 years since I sat in his Greek History class. His Churchill “great course” confirms that, yep, he really was (unfortunately past tense due to his passing) as great as I remembered. I look forward to binge listening to all his others.

[Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very uncritically pro-Churchill series from an admittedly pro-Churchill lecturer. Not that this is a bad thing, I'm very pro-Chuchill myself - I just feel the first two lectures in which he looks at his forebears and early life are a tad superfluous and long-winded.

[Ross Rawnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several of these teaching course lectures, and have yet to be disappointed. Dr Fears does a wonderful job delving into the lives of one of the great leaders of the 20th century.

This book certainly expanded my knowledge of Churchill beyond WWII.

Recommended!

[Tamminh · Rating 5 out of 5]

It felt like farewell to a close and greatly admired friend at the end of the course. Prof. Fears, a master story-teller, masterfully took me through the important moments in Winston Churchill's life, where Prof. Fears clearly explained why Churchill's actions defined a *great* man.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't go wrong with Fears.

[Lukáš Matějka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skvělé, chvíli trvalo než jsem se do toho dostal, ale zvlášť válečná léta byla perfektní. Audiokniha dala celkem jasnou představu o Ch. osobnosti.

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Fears delivers a great series of lectures once again. Dr. Fears is both engaging and informative. I highly recommend if you are looking for an insightful look into Churchill.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great series of lectures by Dr. Fears.

[Kelly-Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the summer of 1990 I went on a month-long trip to England. One of the places we visited was Chartwell, Winston Churchill’s home in Kent where he lived until he died in 1965.

Over the years I’ve learned much more about this remarkable statesman and leader. Now I would enjoy a visit to Chartwell all the more! I would get so much more out of it. It is on the must-see list if I ever make it back to England again. (This list is pretty long in fact, which means the next trip there will need to be another month-long trip at the very least!)

Dr. Rufus Fears is the lecturer for this brief, 6-hour biographic summary of Churchill’s life. Yes, Dr. Fears can be a little dramatic in his lecturing style, but I suppose it’s not a criticism at all when you consider that the alternative could be a monotone, boring delivery. Another thing that spices it up is Fears peppers the lectures with some of Churchill’s witty quips and quotes, some of them, laugh-out-loud funny. Churchill had a razor-sharp wit and used it freely. I also like how Fears addresses modern-day criticism of the imperialism of the era, and explained how Churchill sincerely saw the British Empire as a way of helping to spread freedom for the peoples in the Empire, not to enslave them, and not to leave if it meant the people would just become subjugated to the tyranny of their fellow countrymen.

I have only read one other Churchill book, and it’s one I highly recommend. It covers his time in the Second Boer War when he was in his twenties and is just excellent: Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston ChurchillHero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill

[Feng Ouyang · Rating 2 out of 5]

This course talks about the life and legacy of Winston Churchill. According to the introduction, Churchill was positioned as a “great statesman” who follows a principled approach regardless of the prevalent wind at the time.
To address the theme, the course covered three “unpopular” actions of Churchill: warning about the war in the 1930s, leading Britain in the fight in the 1940s, and advocating freedom and against Soviet expansion after the war. The course also highlighted that Churchill was unfazed by his setback as the First Lord of Admiralty. However, the course does not get into any depth on Churchill’s thoughts and discuss the foundation and source of his conviction. Nor does the course describe Churchill’s political skills for winning supports beyond the requisite speech texts.
The rest of the course covers other sides of Churchill: his childhood, his wife, and his pursuits of other interests such as history, writing, and arts.
The course provides little insight into the man and the era he presided in. Furthermore, the course offers minimal discussion on Churchill’s domestic policies, which should be his most important job as a prime minister. The course talked a little about Churchill’s conservative party affiliation and his political wit in embracing some liberal policies. However, there is no deep discussion.
Overall, the course is not distinguished from an ordinary biography, which provides a chronological recount of Churchill’s life. This course can provide a general timeframe and historical context for further studies for someone who knows very little about Churchill. However, one can achieve the same goal by reading the Wikipedia article.
The professor delivered the course with a theatric performance as giving a prominent public speech. The melodramatic tones and cadences do not match the content. It is tiring to listen for hours and hours to the same undulating voice pattern.

[Melyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand that we all have heroes, but it is important that we understand that our heroes are still human. Putting people on pedestals, acting as if they could do no wrong, that does a disservice to us, and to the person(s) we're deifying.

Professor Fears crosses the line, going from historian to fanboy, and in doing so loses the objectivity necessary for every valid historian. Honestly, I think if he had the chance to have Churchill's baby, he'd go for it. I know that's going a bit far, but it's no further than he went in his lectures.

Churchill was an impressive man, who did amazing things and inspired a nation at a time when they sorely needed inspiration to survive. However, he was also human, with all of the flaws and cracks that entails. Instead of acknowledging those flaws and examining how they played into the history of the man and the world he helped shape, Professor Fears excuses them, turns them into something they're not. In doing so, he dismisses the aspects of Churchill that make him most approachable, most identifiable. Humanity does better with heroes who have flaws because we can connect with them. Perfection is not only impossible, implausible, but creates a divide too wide for the average person to cross.

I enjoyed the facts I learned in this series of lectures, but would have enjoyed a more balanced presentation, one showing me the REAL man behind the public figure. Sadly, that will have to be found elsewhere.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10

“War is glorious but squalid, beware of drinking its cup to the dregs.”

I'm ashamed of how little I knew about Churchill, as it seems that I had the highlights of his career with none of the meet. Here there was more of it, but this was only the primer for me before I read a larger biography. He's certainly a fascinating, many faceted man, whose weakness's seemed to be social nuance, and gambling. Not that gambling in itself is a weakness, only that he was terrible at it. This was a mediocre lecture series, primarily valuable due to its brevity and lack of wasted words. In it's steps I will waste no more, but share a few of Churchill's:

In convincing a mechanic to help restart vehicles in battle, he yells at him “Buck up, no one has ever been shot twice in the same battle!” This apparently worked.

“The difference between liberalism and socialism is this—Socialism seeks to tear down the rich, while Liberalism seeks to build up the poor.” His fight for rights and wages for the poor was surprising to me, as I had not heard this aspect of him of before. I was similarly unaware that he was a painter, and was surprised how much I enjoyed his works.

9 scotches and 9 cigars per day. Sounds fun.

[Andrew Markos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a brilliant history of Churchill, but at times it did come across a little polemical and lacked a little nuance. Almost everything Professor Fears had to say was positive, even when Churchill himself would have been more self-critical.

The Dardanelles particularly stood out for me as an episode which Professor Fears really only skirts round Churchill’s mistakes.

Also notable is the almost total lack of a mention of Churchill dealings with India and Gandhi, something that might be excusable given how short the work is were it not for the fact that Professor Fears spends a whole chapter on Lord Marlborough. I think the fate of over 1 billion people is worth a bit more time than it was given.

Overall though Professor Fears’ style is very entertaining and I learned a lot.