My new hero

What was your favorite gift from the holidays? One of my favorites was a lecture series from The Teaching Company. The package contained six CDs and twelve lectures by Professor Rufus Fears from the University of Oklahoma. The subject: Winston Churchill. The story of this incredible Brit made a perfect traveling companion for our seven hour drive to Florida.

The world could use a few more Sir Winstons. He was a brilliant statesman in the truest sense. Professor Fears chronicles Churchill's life from a "troublesome child" to a fearless world leader who first suspected the evil of Hitler and took on the Nazi tyrant without flinching in Britain's' darkest hour.

Dr. Fears is a master storyteller. He begins by talking about the things that made Churchill great - a moral compass, bedrock principles, and a grand vision. We learn that Churchill was an accomplished painter and prolific writer. He had a dog named Rufus. Churchill drank way too much but still managed to get an amazing amount of work done. Sir Winston was an optimist, an activist and orator who inspired millions with his words: "Never, never, never give up." He was a lousy politician but great leader.