Sky here with another episode of the History Unplugged Podcast.

Winston Churchill remains one of the most revered figures of the 20th century and

his name is a byword for courageous leadership in

incredibly difficult times. But the Churchill we know today is a mixture of

history and myth that was authored by the man himself. At the end of his life

Churchill wrote his six-volume memoirs and made editorial choices

to decide how he would appear to posterity.

Separating the man for the myth involves digging into those editorial choices.

Today's guest, David Reynolds, compared his final memoir to an earlier draft and noted many discrepancies,

particularly how Churchill censored himself in order not to offend those on whose goodwill he counted on

in order to appear magnimonious.

Reynolds is the author of Mirrors of greatness, Churchill and the leaders who shaped him.

We re-evaluate Churchill's life by viewing it through the eyes of his allies and adversaries,

showing Churchill's lifelong struggle to overcome his political failures

and his evolving idea of what greatness entailed.

Through his dealings with Adolf Hitler and Neville Chamberlain, we follow Churchill's

triumphant campaign against Nazi Germany. But we also see a Churchill whose misjudgments of allies and rivals like Roosevelt, Stalin, Gandhi, and Clement Attley blinded him to the British Empire's waning dominance on the world stage and the rising popularity of a post-emperial social vision of Great Britain at home.

This is a look at history and also how history is made and I hope you enjoy this discussion with David Reynolds.

And one more thing before we get started with this episode, a quick break for word from

our sponsors.

Must remember, do not forget.

Remind me to bring photo ID.

...