Michael Cromartie of the Ethics and Public Policy Center interviewed Buckley back in 1997 and published an article, "Buckley on Belief." The occasion was the publication of Buckley's newly published book, Nearer, My God: An Autobiography of Faith (Doubleday, 313 pp.; $24.95),
Here, for the first time, Buckley writes at length about his faith, about some of the principal obstacles to Christian belief (despite self-deprecating comments concerning his lack of theological training, he displays considerable powers as an apologist), and about the distinctive experience of a Roman Catholic in the twentieth century.
WFB link roundup, from the Corner:
Editorials:
DC Examiner: Demand a Recount
Chicago Tribune: Buckley's World
The Daily Telegraph: William F Buckley
Investor's Business Daily: Bucking History
Los Angeles Times: In His Own Right
National Post: Editorial Board on the Death of William F. Buckley: A Conservative Giant
Philadelphia Inquirer: A Man of Letters - Lots of Them
The Washington Post: Conservatism Loses Its Most Eloquent Voice
Union Leader: Farewell, WFB: Remembering Bill Buckley
News Stories & Commentary
Paul Needham: William F. Buckley Jr. ’50 Dies at 82William F. Buckley, Conservative Icon
John Bogert: Having a Beer With William F. Buckley JrJohn O'Sullivan: As Long As He Was Alive, The Liberals Could Never Win
Scott Kraft: William F. Buckley Jr
Jacob Heilbrunn: The Last True Conservative
Jeet Heer: Man of Ideas
Adam Daifallah: The Death of William F. Buckley
Robert B. Semple Jr.: William F. Buckley Jr
Douglas Martin: William F. Buckley Jr., 82, Dies; Sesquipedalian Spark of Right
Aileen Jacobson: Conservative Pundit William F. Buckley Jr. Dead at 82
Carolyn Click: ‘Inspiration to Millions’
David Jackson: Eloquent Champion of Conservatives Dies
Jed Babbin: William F. Buckley, Jr. Dead at 82
Lee Edwards: Bill Buckley: The Founder of the Movement
Mark Skousen: Bill Buckley and Me: A True Story
Ann Coulter: William F. Buckley: R.I.P., Enfant Terrible
Dana Cook: William F. Buckley Jr., 1925-2008
Glenn Greenwald: The "Father of Modern Conservatism," Dead at 82
Henry Allen: William F. Buckley Jr., Rapier Wit Of the Right
Bart Barnes: Erudite Voice of the Conservative Movement
Mona Charen: A Profoundly Consequential Life
Obituaries
Times of London: William F. Buckley Jr: Obituary
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Obituary: William F. Buckley Jr. / Erudite Founder of Modern Conservative Movement
The Toronto Star: Champion of Conservatism
Slate: William F. Buckley, RIP
More:
George H. Nash -
Consider the statistics. During his nearly 60 years in the public eye, William F. Buckley Jr. published 55 books (both fiction and nonfiction); dozens of book reviews; at least 56 introductions, prefaces, and forewords to other peoples’ books; more than 225 obituary essays; more than 800 editorials, articles, and remarks in National Review; several hundred articles in periodicals other than National Review; and approximately 5,600 newspaper columns. He gave hundreds of lectures around the world, hosted 1,429 separate Firing Line shows, and may well have composed more letters than any American who has ever lived. (more . . . )
"Legend he was, but in a small group, it was always Bill who rushed to get a chair for the person left standing. It was always Bill who reached to fill your glass." (I can attest to him doing both of these things for me in the last six months.)
Mark Hemingway:
I hastily noted Bob Tyrrell's kind words this morning without noting all the other wonderful WFB rembrances over at The American Spectator. Bob wrote a column praising his life, as did publisher Al Regnery. TAS also has a nice symposium about his legacy.
And while you're at it, head on over to The Weekly Standard's blog for some more great Buckley tributes, particularly Jaime Snider's heartfelt and amusing story about his time as Buckley's research assistant.
Peter Rodman:
Reading all the tributes that have poured in, one is struck by two things. First is that Bill’s life was a vivid refutation of the notion that great men don’t make a difference in history. Second was his personal decency, graciousness, and warmth. That is why so many of the tributes have been not only of respect, but of love.