Buckley

The Life and the Revolution That Changed America

De: Sam Tanenhaus

Narrado por: Malcolm Hillgartner

“A magnificent achievement—a long, gripping, and enthralling account of the life of America’s premier conservative polemicist of the twentieth century.”—Max Boot, author of Reagan: His Life and Legend

“A rich, immersive biography exposes the roots of the modern conservative movement through the life of the firebrand writer and commentator who shaped it.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)

In 1951, with the publication of God and Man at Yale, a scathing attack on his alma mater, twenty-five-year-old William F. Buckley, Jr., seized the public stage—and commanded it for the next half century as he led a new generation of conservative activists and ideologues to the peak of political power and cultural influence.

Ten years before his death in 2008, Buckley chose prize-winning biographer Sam Tanenhaus to tell the full, uncensored story of his life and times, granting him extensive interviews and exclusive access to his most private papers. Thus began a deep investigation into the vast and often hidden universe of Bill Buckley and the modern conservative revolution.

Buckley vividly captures its subject in all his facets and phases: founding editor of National Review, the twentieth century’s most influential political journal; syndicated columnist, Emmy-winning TV debater, and bestselling spy novelist; ally of Joseph McCarthy and Barry Goldwater; mentor to Ronald Reagan; game-changing candidate for mayor of New York.

Tanenhaus also has uncovered the darker trail of Bill Buckley’s secret exploits, including CIA missions in Latin America, dark collusions with Watergate felon Howard Hunt, and Buckley’s struggle in his last years to hold together a movement coming apart over the AIDS epidemic, culture wars, and the invasion of Iraq—even as his own media empire was unraveling.

At a crucial moment in American history, Buckley offers a gripping and powerfully relevant story about the birth of modern politics and those who shaped it.

©2025 Sam Tanenhaus (P)2025 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Painstakingly researched and beautifully crafted, Buckley is a capacious and incisive history of the modern conservative movement’s formative years, seen through the eyes of its intellectual leader—a man who, in Tanenhaus’s hands, is enthralling and infuriating by turns, but never boring.”—The Washington Post

“[A] well-written, and intelligent take, both critical and admiring, on a complicated man.”—The New Yorker

“A biography not just of a prominent influencer but also of a potent movement . . . a milestone contribution to our understanding of the American Century.”—The Boston Globe

The reader of this audiobook is incredible

The reader of this audiobook is incredible. He does pitch perfect voices for Buckley, Reagan and others

Rich, lengthy but too brief at the end

Excellent performance in the narration - capturing the essence of Buckley, allies and adversaries. There is unnecessary brevity in covering 1980 triumph to 2008 death in the last 2 brief chapters of this door stopper of a book. Lots of good detail on WFB formative years, the Buckley family and the tumultuous first 20 years of NR. Definitely a good,valuable listen for any WFB fan but could have been released back in 2010 - shortly after death - with the same content. A qualified thumbs up. P.S I’m glad there was no attempt to directly tie WFB and the conservative movement to the advance of Trumpism. (as the PBS doc did).

Balanced biography of complex, decent man.

The depth of research into the man’s thinking, background and human relationships. The author’s descriptions of the relevant social and political context. All of this made the book riveting. And the author’s descriptions did not shy away from Buckley’s flaws or gaffes, many of which Buckley himself acknowledged. This is the highest form of biography. Fair, thorough and informative.

A life beyond

I've long been fascinated by William F. Buckley and absolutely devoured this book. Sam Tanenhaus did a marvelous job of researching and writing this book, and did so with balance and sensitivity. I'm a liberal and still found Buckley's life to be charmed, incredibly productive and containing all the elements of a bon vivant. I was also disappointed by several of the positions he took on matters such as homosexuality and minority rights. Still, he gravitated with time and always seemed to like almost all those around him regardless of anything else (with some notable exceptions such as Gore Vidal).

I was sad to hear this book end, and to hear of Bill Buckley's decrepit end, though I was prepared for it, having read the memoir written by Christopher Buckley (his son) who recounted his final, agonizing days.

Long life William F. Buckley in our memories, library shelves, YouTube videos and biographies.

Great book

Fair, highly entertaining, and fascinating. I am happy to have read it as it gave me insight into the life of a man I truly disliked, yet watched and read my entire life. I now understand why I was so entranced and repulsed.

First rate - just like Buckley himself

Anyone who’s lived the past 60 years (or wants to understand it) should read this fine book. Buckley was at the center of political and popular revolution for the better part of four decades. And the performance of the narrator, while not pitch-perfect Buckley (and there could only be one of those) is close enough for entertaining a listener.

Antagonistic Biographer

How disappointing Mr. Tannenhsus is in this biography, doing disservice to Buckley , who admired his work and trusted him. His biography of Whitaker Chambers is generally regarded as excellent and Buckley certainly thought so in selecting Tannenhaus before his demise. My first thoughts were almost immediately “He doesn’t like Buckley and is being very subtle about it.”

His use of the language is excellent and insightful, as it was in Witness. However, his choice of descriptors, adjectives, and adverbs frequently convey disapproval and disreputable actions and personality traits of Buckley’s character that he clearly disapproves of. How disappointing.