Roberts said writing helped Churchill become a master of the English language, as he's known for. Churchill was a journalist - he was a war correspondent even while serving in the army.It was during a meeting that lasted well into the night, and Roberts said they simply held the same meeting the next morning pretending the last one didn't happen. Roberts said Churchill did drink an enormous amount, but there was only one documented occasion during WW2 when he was noticeably drunk.Churchill was in the British Army for several years, including in the First World War. 'Those are just the peacetime close brushes with death,' Roberts said. Roberts said Churchill was born prematurely, stabbed in the stomach when he was a child, nearly died of pneumonia, was in two plane crashes, three car accidents, almost drowned and nearly died in a house fire. Churchill had many near run-ins with death, which added to Churchill's point that he was meant for a greater destiny.

Roberts said Churchill believed he had a greater purpose all his life, which gave the leader calmness throughout the war.

According to Roberts, Churchill said when he was 16-years-old there were going to be great struggles and Britain would be in great danger, and that he would be called upon to save it. 'Walking with Destiny' comes from Churchill always believing he was always meant to lead.Roberts said Churchill believed he met with his father's ghost sometime after World War II, and in speaking with the ghost, he didn't tell his father how instrumental he was in the Allied victory in WWII. Roberts said it's possible to view Churchill's career as an attempt to make his father, who died when he was young, proud, although Roberts points out Churchill's father was harsh on him.Here are just some of the interesting anecdotes that stood out in Roberts' discussion in Lubbock, although there are many more in the book: 'Churchill: Walking with Destiny' has been praised by such publications as the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The New York Times and The London Times, so it's worth a read. Eager listeners hung onto the words as Roberts spoke of one of the history's most significant figures.

Roberts told stories, tales and funny one-liners of the late Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Roberts sat down with Texas Tech Chancellor Emeritus Kent Hance for a public conversation at Tech's International Cultural Center on Thursday. Highly-acclaimed British historian and author Andrew Roberts visited Lubbock this week on the heels of the release of his new book - a biography of Winston Churchill titled 'Churchill: Walking with Destiny.'

Winston churchill andrew roberts