Podcast Summary: Newt’s World – Episode 921: Bernard Cornwell on “Sharpe’s Storm”

Date: December 14, 2025
Host: Newt Gingrich
Guest: Bernard Cornwell
Episode Theme: A deep dive into Bernard Cornwell’s latest Sharpe novel, “Sharpe’s Storm,” exploring his approach to historical fiction, his career journey, and insights into the Napoleonic Wars, Wellington’s genius, and the art of bringing history to life.

Episode Overview

In this episode, Newt Gingrich hosts renowned historical novelist Bernard Cornwell, best known for the Sharpe series and The Last Kingdom. Together, they discuss Cornwell’s new book “Sharpe’s Storm,” the creative and historical decisions behind his body of work, and the enduring appeal of bringing real characters and battles vividly to life. The conversation veers from practical authorial challenges to the legacies of Wellington and the birth of both England and America.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bernard Cornwell’s Accidental Start as a Novelist

(03:39 - 04:46)

• Cornwell recounts how marriage and immigration constraints led him to try writing a novel. He attributes his writing career to “an accident” after moving to the US and being unable to secure a work permit.
• Quote:
  “When I got to the United States, I found it was quite difficult to get a work permit. So I said to her, don’t worry, darling, I’ll write a book. And that was 45 years ago... and I’ve been writing books ever since.” – Bernard Cornwell (04:16)

2. Origins of Sharpe and Filling a Literary Gap

(05:13 - 06:39)

• Cornwell’s inspiration for Sharpe was the lack of novels about the British Army in the Napoleonic Wars, despite the popularity of naval stories like Hornblower.
• Quote:
  “I thought that was a gap on the bookshelf… so for years I looked for books that told the story of Wellington’s army, and I couldn’t find them. Eventually, this little light went off in my head and I thought, well, if nobody else is doing it, why don’t you do it?” – Bernard Cornwell (06:14)

3. Portraying Wellington: A Difficult, Brilliant Commander

(07:30 - 08:37)

• Cornwell brings Wellington to vivid life, highlighting his genius and emotional restraint. He notes the general’s disdain for authors and his affinity for confiding in women.
• Quote:
  “I think he was a very emotional man, but he hid his emotions very well and he was, of course, quite brilliant… I also suspect he would dislike me intensely. He once said he could not bear authors and he refused to talk to authors.” – Bernard Cornwell (07:35, 08:04)

4. The Last Kingdom and the Birth of England

(10:02 - 11:46)

• Cornwell explains the genesis of Uhtred and the Last Kingdom series, rooted in his curiosity about England’s origins. He contrasts England’s lack of a celebrated “birth moment” with America’s July 4th.
• Quote:
  “I realized that I had a very, very clear idea where the United States came from… England doesn’t have a birth moment. There’s no celebration in England of a day to celebrate England itself.” – Bernard Cornwell (10:28)

5. Crafting Battles: Fact vs. Fiction

(14:25 - 15:35)

• Cornwell candidly discusses how, in less-documented events like Brunanburh, he has creative license, whereas for Waterloo, factual accuracy is paramount.
• Quote:
  “One of the joys of being a historical novelist is you can make things up. I can’t make up anything about the battle of Waterloo. It’s too well recorded... But when it came to Brunanburgh... I just make it up as I go along.” – Bernard Cornwell (14:58)

6. Wellington’s Experience in India and Battle Tactics

(15:35 - 17:28)

• Cornwell analyzes how Wellington’s Indian campaigns shaped his confidence and leadership style, balancing bold attacks with defensive brilliance.
• Quote:
  “I think what he learned in India is to take heed of his own impulses, to follow them and to have confidence in them.” – Bernard Cornwell (17:18)

7. The Reality and Complexity of the Peninsular Campaigns

(18:16 - 23:33)

• Detailed exploration of the invasion of southern France and the significance of logistics, engineering, and quick decision-making, including the crossing of the River Adur.
• Quote:
  “When Wellington crossed the Pyrenees and marches into France, he is the only enemy army actually on French soil… It was a very difficult campaign for Wellington because he’s hedged in by rivers and faced with an enormous fortress city… his campaign following the crossing of the Pyrenees is quite brilliant.” – Bernard Cornwell (18:30)

8. Army Culture, Innovation, and Tactical Stubbornness

(28:46 - 31:08)

• Gingrich and Cornwell dissect British vs. French tactics: the efficacy of the British line versus the French column, and the French persistence in tactics that repeatedly failed against British methods.
• Quote:
  “The French understood that this was a problem… but in the end, as Wellington said of Waterloo, they came on in the same old way, and we saw them off in the same old way.” – Bernard Cornwell (29:49)

9. Character Insights: Sharpe, Uhtred, and Real-Life Inspiration

(31:08 - 33:11)

• Cornwell admits a greater personal affinity for Sharpe due to longevity but enjoys the creative freedom Uhtred’s looser historical context provides.
• Quote:
  “If I’m walking the dog, I hear him [Sharpe] talking in my head… Uhtred is in many ways more fun to write because we know less about his period, so I can make up more things for him. But Sharpe is incredibly real to me.” – Bernard Cornwell (31:19)

10. Editorial Legacies: Susan Watt’s Influence

(33:13 - 34:47)

• Reflection on Cornwell's long relationship with editor Susan Watt, who pushed for more emotional depth in Sharpe and inspired creative but sometimes mischievous negotiation over edits.
• Quote:
  “She cared very deeply about him [Sharpe] and she was always urging me to describe his emotions more, and I would just say, well, he’s always grumpy, that’s about it. And I refused to do it.” – Bernard Cornwell (33:38)
  “She always wanted to see early drafts and I always refused. I said, ‘You’ll see the book when it’s finished.’ ” – Bernard Cornwell (34:18)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “It was an accident… don’t worry, darling, I’ll write a book. And that was 45 years ago.”
  — Bernard Cornwell on his writing career’s beginning (04:16)

• “You only say that because he’s beaten you. I tell you, I can beat him and will beat him.”
  — Cornwell paraphrasing Napoleon’s hubris on the eve of Waterloo (20:25)

• “One of the joys of being a historical novelist is you can make things up. I can’t make up anything about the battle of Waterloo.”
  — Bernard Cornwell (14:57)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:39 – Bernard Cornwell’s writing genesis
• 05:17 – The first Sharpe novel and series motivation
• 07:30 – Bringing Wellington to life; real personality
• 10:02 – The birth of England and Uhtred’s story
• 14:25 – Fact vs. fictional license in battles
• 15:35 – Lessons Wellington learned in India
• 18:30 – The Southern France campaign and logistics
• 28:46 – Tactical contrasts: British line vs. French column
• 31:08 – Sharpe vs. Uhtred: author-character relationship
• 33:28 – The editorial influence of Susan Watt

Closing Thoughts

Bernard Cornwell and Newt Gingrich’s discussion provides rich insight into the discipline and artistry of historical fiction. Cornwell’s willingness to blend research with narrative license, his appreciation for complex commanders like Wellington, and his affection for both Sharpe and Uhtred offer fans a glimpse into the creative decisions behind treasured series. Their warm, humorous exchange, with plenty of historical asides and authorial confessions, makes this an unmissable listen for both history buffs and fiction lovers.

Book Mentioned:

• Sharpe’s Storm (now available at retailers and bernardcornwell.net)

For more from Newt’s World:
Subscribe and follow on Apple Podcasts, Substack, or Gingrich360.net.