[goldstategop]

Its fair to say without National Review America would be an entirely different sort of country. William Buckley's achievement was to make conservatism intellectually respectable and to weed the conservative movement of cranks, kooks, crazies, and misfits that plagued it. As a result, the cause he championed became embraced by a considerable segment of the American people. One can't say he stopped history but he made us aware of what it meant to be American. For that and more we owe him and his fine publication a debt of everlasting gratitude.

[The Shrew]

I came upon Mr. Buckley's writings in a most un-conventional manner - I read his fiction first!

His primary character, Blackford Oakes, was one of the best spies in literature. That is how I found National Review as well. Buckley always mentioned Blackie's favorite magazine - NR. I know this is trite but reading the Blackford Oakes novels served as a primer for me of the Conservative viewpoint to all of the major events in the Cold War.

His most recent book, again published by Regnery, "Getting it Right" was sheer delight.

Regards,

TS

Any time I start to suffer from the delusion that I am relatively bright I reread "Up From Liberalism". That usually cures my pretentiousness.

TS