Memories and Adventures

The grandson of Winston Churchill here recalls happy childhood days at Chequers, the official country residence of Britain's prime ministers, his years at Eton and Oxford, his daring flight around Africa in a single-engine plane in the early 1960s and his experiences reporting conflicts in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. His recollections of the great man whose name he bears form the core of this modest, charming memoir, however. Sir Winston doted on his grandson, sent him encouraging letters, tried unsuccessfully to teach him to paint, and when the young man came of age took him to the gaming tables at Monte Carlo--an altogether ideal grandpapa. The author provides glimpses of famous folk including Albert Schweitzer, Ernest Hemingway, John and Robert Kennedy, some of them behaving unexpectedly: Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery playing croquet with grandfather, Greta Garbo removing her underpants at the dinner table because room the room was stuffy. The book concludes with a touching tribute to the author's father, journalist and would-be politician Randolph Churchill, an ``enchanting companion'' who was unable to master his temper or his drinking. Winston Churchill, now 49, has served as a Conservative member of Parliament for 20 years. Photos. (Sept.)