This is thinking in public a program dedicated to intelligent conversation about

frontline theological and cultural issues with the people who are

shaping them. I'm Albert Molar, your host and president of the

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Andrew Roberts is a

renowned historian. He's the author of several best-selling histories, a history of World War II.

Biographies of figures such as Lord Halifax and Winston Churchill,

even of course Napoleon Bonaparte and others. He's a historian of wide range and he's also

an historian of enormous ability. I've had conversations with Andrew Roberts on thinking

in public before about books including his history of World War II Storm of War.

Today I'm going to be talking with Andrew Roberts about his latest book, Leadership in War essential lessons from those who made history.

Andrew Roberts, welcome to thinking in public.

Thank you very much indeed, Albert.

It's great to be back on the show.

You know, I have enjoyed all of your books. If there's any one genre of

literature to which I first turn it's history and especially historical biography so you've

kind of written a mother load of work over the

course of the last several decades all the way from Halifax and Salisbury to

Churchill and Napoleon and now leaders in war. I want to talk about your newest book

Leadership in War, but I also want to talk about historical biography, how you do it, how you see it. And I guess I want to start out by asking

you about a central premise of the introduction of your book, and that is that no matter how great a Prime Minister of Luxembourg may be.

Outside the context of war and with world

history at stake it's very hard for a leader to emerge as a world consequential leader.

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