Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Yessir, WFB sure could write himself a darn good eulogy. I'm certainly not agreeing with everything Buckley ever wrote, but it's hard to not be enchanted by his skill at writing smooth, erudite, and very readable prose (and flinging around 10 dollar words). And occasionally, he even liked the person he wrote about.
Like how funerals aren't really for the deceased, the eulogies in this collection aren't really about the deceased either (shoot, the one for Jerry Garcia barely mentions the guy!). You get a good view of what Buckley valued in politicians and friends, and what character flaws aggravated him. And, for better or for worse, you get the very distinct feeling Buckley lead an incredibly privileged life, with, y'know, ski trips in Switzerland and going sailing across the Atlantic and hobnobbing with celebrities.
This was a surprisingly quick read -- each name in big bold typeface like "TRUMAN CAPOTE" or "PRINCESS DIANA" or "RONALD REAGAN" kinda dares you to keep reading. And when WFB truly missed someone, like his father, he packed quite a punch. WFB could tell a story, and there are some really good yarns here.
While fascinating to read, I do have a few reservations. Biggest is that as fun as WFB's witty ripostes were on TV, his Enemies section felt...kinda petty to be honest. His venomous bites at Ayn Rand are a little amusing (boy howdy did she make a bad first impression), but the rest weren't fun at all. And it was odd sometimes his takeaway from deaths -- he mildly implies that Princess Diana's death was because we don't value marriage as much anymore? That sure doesn't track...
But, that's part of the charm of this book: Buckley's unrepentant attitudes towards his work, his religion, his country, and his friends. And his editor ain't too shabby of a writer either! If I had it my way, though, I would've ended on the obituary for Charles Wallen, because his lingered with me the most. He was an absolute nobody, and the closest to a regular joe in the whole damn book. A Southern gentleman with a sweet tooth for literature, an eagerness for correspondence, and a little bit out of his league. And yet he won the affection and friendship of Buckley and Buckley's circle of friends. And, in exchange for his friendship, Buckley gave the man a dog. That's how I'd like to remember WFB.
Like how funerals aren't really for the deceased, the eulogies in this collection aren't really about the deceased either (shoot, the one for Jerry Garcia barely mentions the guy!). You get a good view of what Buckley valued in politicians and friends, and what character flaws aggravated him. And, for better or for worse, you get the very distinct feeling Buckley lead an incredibly privileged life, with, y'know, ski trips in Switzerland and going sailing across the Atlantic and hobnobbing with celebrities.
This was a surprisingly quick read -- each name in big bold typeface like "TRUMAN CAPOTE" or "PRINCESS DIANA" or "RONALD REAGAN" kinda dares you to keep reading. And when WFB truly missed someone, like his father, he packed quite a punch. WFB could tell a story, and there are some really good yarns here.
While fascinating to read, I do have a few reservations. Biggest is that as fun as WFB's witty ripostes were on TV, his Enemies section felt...kinda petty to be honest. His venomous bites at Ayn Rand are a little amusing (boy howdy did she make a bad first impression), but the rest weren't fun at all. And it was odd sometimes his takeaway from deaths -- he mildly implies that Princess Diana's death was because we don't value marriage as much anymore? That sure doesn't track...
But, that's part of the charm of this book: Buckley's unrepentant attitudes towards his work, his religion, his country, and his friends. And his editor ain't too shabby of a writer either! If I had it my way, though, I would've ended on the obituary for Charles Wallen, because his lingered with me the most. He was an absolute nobody, and the closest to a regular joe in the whole damn book. A Southern gentleman with a sweet tooth for literature, an eagerness for correspondence, and a little bit out of his league. And yet he won the affection and friendship of Buckley and Buckley's circle of friends. And, in exchange for his friendship, Buckley gave the man a dog. That's how I'd like to remember WFB.
A great introduction to interesting characters of the twentieth century, told, somewhat ironically, through their eulogies.