- His epitaph literally reads, “I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.”
- He was a POW in the Boer War and escaped by walking over 300 miles.
- He received the Nobel Prize in literature for his publications, including The Second World War, a six-book series on the history of the end of World War I to the end of World War II. This is especially amusing because he has a quote saying, “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”
I Think You’re Wrong, but I’m Listening by Sarah Stewart Holland & Beth A. Silvers
One of the great tragedies of modern politics is the inability to debate policies while simultaneously respecting and hearing the people on the other side of the debate. In 1945 Churchill’s ruling party lost the election in a landslide. He had just spent the last five years inspiring the world to win the fight against the Nazis, and his people responded by kicking him out of office. However, his quote afterward shows how well he understood the principles outlined in this book. “They have a perfect right to kick us out. That is democracy. That is what we have been fighting for.” Okay, Winston, we’ll go ahead and set up morning tea with you and Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth A. Silvers.
Boundaries by Henry Cloud & John Townsend
One of my favorite things about Winston Churchill is his daily schedule. Here is an abridged version. 8:00 a.m: Wake up, eat breakfast in bed, read newspapers, and dictate letters to his secretaries. 11:00 a.m: Take a stroll around the garden 1:00 p.m: Join guests and family for a three-course lunch. 3:30 p.m: Work from his study 5:00 p.m: Take an hour-and-a-half long nap 6:30 p.m: Bathe and prepare for dinner 8:00 p.m: Eat a large dinner with guests 12:00 a.m: Work for another hour after dinner I mean, first of all, how do I get this schedule? Staying in bed until 11:00 while secretaries type whatever I dictate? Yes, Please! But seriously, Winston Churchill had one of the most stressful jobs in history, but he knew that to be at his best he needed to set boundaries. We feel pretty certain if he were alive today he would be dictating a note to Henry Cloud and John Townsend thanking them for their work and inviting them over for a stroll around the garden.
It Happened in Italy by Elizabeth Bettina
It seems like the majority of the world finds WWII fascinating, but I bet that if Churchill was alive today he would be reading WWII books as religiously as he napped. This one is about the little-known story of the brave Italians who risked their lives to save Jews from the Holocaust. Italians banded together as one of the only nations that accepted Jews without visas after 1939, and they committed to hiding them in the years that followed. This resulted in 80% of Jewish refugees in Italy surviving the Holocaust. Even though they weren’t allies in the war, we think Churchill would give a tilt of his hat to the brave Italian people.
Fascism: A Warning by Madeleine Albright
If anyone hated Fascism, it was Winston Churchill. This book is written by Madeleine Albright, who was a Jewish refugee in England during WWII and went on to become the first female Secretary of State under President Clinton. In this book she uses her experience in war-torn Europe, as well as her career in diplomacy to warn the world about the growing threat of Fascism. I feel pretty sure that Churchill would have written the foreword for this one if he was alive today. Churchill stood resolute in the face of incredible evil, making him one of history’s most celebrated leaders. I hope today you will celebrate National Winston Churchill Day by looking up Winston Churchill quotes, and if you are looking for further reading, check out Churchill’s Trial. Page Chaser is operated by HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc, the publisher of I Think You're Wrong but I'm Listening, Boundaries, It Happened in Italy, and Churchill's Trial.