Sir Martin Gilbert, official biographer of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, drew a full house in Phillips Auditorium last Thursday with the promise of an interesting lecture. Attendees were not disappointed.
At the lecture, Gilbert quoted a World War I officer who said, “There’s a lot of Yankee in Churchill; he knows how to hustle, and make others hustle, too.”
If the soldier may be paraphrased, there’s a lot of Hillsdale in Gilbert; he knows how to study, and make others study, too.
Perhaps the most notable quality of Gilbert’s lecture was his thorough research and attention to detail, as mentioned by President Larry Arnn during the introduction. Gilbert has written some 80 books, all of which have their basis in documents penned by Churchill himself.
“They see an example of an academic life devoted to noble works and excellent service,” assistant professor of English Stephen Smith said of the lecture’s importance to students.
Gilbert was knighted in 1995 for his service in the field of history. The focus of his interest has been the life and works of Churchill. The root of this fascination, according to Gilbert, lies in an unflagging curiosity that began early in his youth, when he was surprised to discover that half of his school teachers loved Churchill and the other half hated him. Since realizing this, Gilbert has immersed himself in the particulars of Churchill’s life.
His lecture on Thursday covered, point by point, what America meant to Churchill, and was a direct reflection of Gilbert’s latest book, “Churchill and America.”
“The lecture was a picture of this book,” Arnn said. “He himself understands America, which is why he is qualified to write this book.”
Towards the end of his lecture, Gilbert concluded his argument with a one of Churchill’s affectionate statements about America: “Never be separated from America.”
After the lecture, students and faculty gathered in the Dow Center for a reception and book signing. Many students attended, some of them with as many as four copies of the new book, to be signed. The book will continue to be available for purchase in the college bookstore, along with up to 13 copies signed by Gilbert himself, while they last.
The event was marked by the audience’s reverence for the quality of the speaker who captured students and faculty alike.
“He’s an excellent speaker and has an awesome accent,” said junior Michael Brannagan, who attended Gilbert’s lecture at Hillsdale last year and was present at this year’s book signing.
Gilbert, when asked about his plans for the future, said his previous experiences at Hillsdale were always enjoyable and that he hoped to return every year to lecture at the college.