It is with incalculable sadness that we announce the passing of Richard M. Langworth CBE, who died peacefully in the early morning hours of February 20th, 2025, at the age of 83. Summarizing the life of a man who accomplished so much and positively affected so many is an impossible task. Fortunately, he documented much of it himself — 726 blog posts remain as a testament to his passion for history, automobiles, and the enduring legacy of Sir Winston S. Churchill. His work extended beyond th...| Richard M. Langworth
In eary youth, Churchill found whisky repugnant. Then, in Sudan in 1899, “there was nothing to drink, apart from tea, except either tepid water or tepid water with lime juice or tepid water with whisky. Faced with these alternatives I ‘grasped the larger hope’.… Wishing to fit myself for active service conditions I overcame the ordinary weaknesses of the flesh. By the end of those five days I had completely overcome my repugnance to the taste of whisky.”| Richard M. Langworth
“Rab said he thought that the good clean tradition of English politics, that of Pitt as opposed to Fox, had been sold to the greatest adventurer of modern political history.... He believed this sudden coup of Winston and his rabble was a serious disaster and an unnecessary one: the “pass had been sold” by Mr. C[hamberlain], Lord Halifax and Oliver Stanley. They had weakly surrendered to a half-breed American whose main support was that of inefficient but talkative people of a simi...| Richard M. Langworth
In the world of automotive artists, Ken Eberts ranked with the best. His amazing eye for detail focused on artfully researched, nostalgic scenes, placing vintage motorcars in their original settings. William Jeanes wrote: “His work has a deja vu quality that may make you say to yourself, ‘I’ve been there before.’ The places are real, the cars are real, and the details of his settings are painstakingly accurate. Yet the moments never actually happened. Or did they?”| Richard M. Langworth
“The conversation turned to the French Fleet, and Clementine said she hoped that its ships and crews would carry on the fight with us. De Gaulle curtly replied that what would really give the French Fleet satisfaction would be to turn their guns ‘On you!’ (meaning the British). Winston tried to mediate but Clementine interrupted him, and said in French: ‘No, Winston, it is because there are certain things that a woman can say to a man which a man cannot say, and I am saying them to yo...| Richard M. Langworth
Setting: A grand hall in Westminster. Tapestries hang from the walls, and the faint clink of goblets echoes through the air. Enter: Sir Winstonus Churchillius, goblet in hand. Lady Bessica Braddockia approaches, fanning herself dramatically. Lady Bessica: “Hail, Sir Winstonus, thou art returned, From feasting, drinking, or some sport absurd? Thy face is flushed, and eyes like moons do glow; Dost thou drown England’s cares in wine's deep flow?”| Richard M. Langworth
They may have slipped on a banana, but ChatGPT has only been at this for a few years. "Give them another half decade and they'll probably have picked up every word Churchill wrote." So, before we lazily laugh at the tech boffins' failure accurately to pinpoint the Great Man's every word, we might stop to consider: They are just getting started. As Churchill was wont to say on occasion: "Let not the slothful chortle."| Richard M. Langworth
Honor(u)red to be invited to join Lord Roberts, at Secrets of Statecraft. It was fun to chat with the author of the foremost one-volume life of Churchill, about where Sir Winston stands on his 150th birthday. We mutually concluded that he stands as tall as ever. Beyond that, we need to remember him because he spoke everlasting truths about the relations between peoples, about governance, about the value of liberty. Those are as relevant as ever today.| Richard M. Langworth
There’s a way to derive a mostly correct picture of the man from this show: ignore Part 1. The other three parts also suffer from occasional forays into fiction. But they are more accurate, with honest dialogue, well-chosen quotations and spectacular footage, much of it freshly colorized. Kudos to Andrew Roberts, Jon Meacham, Allen Packwood and Catherine Katz for keeping it on track, and to Lord Roberts for his eloquent finale.| Richard M. Langworth
With style and panache, Winston Churchill lived a life of adventure through the worst storms that ever rocked civilization.| Richard M. Langworth
“If I want to understand Sir Winston Churchill's philosophy of life and living, what books would you recommend?” Your question first seemed impossibly broad. But on further thought, there very definitely is a body of work that helps provide the answers. Please use our online annotated bibliography for details and notes on books mentioned or to search for others in the same field. The post What was Winston Churchill’s Philosophy of Life and Living? appeared first on The Churchill Project...| The Churchill Project – Hillsdale College