William
F Buckley Jr was one of the most prominent American political
commentators of the latter half of the twentieth century, with an output
including over fifty books, a magazine (
National Review), and a TV program that ran for over thirty years (
Firing Line).
For those who pay attention to such things, it could not have been a
surprise that he was also a man of strong religious convictions (his
first book was entitled
God and Man at Yale, after all).
Nearer, My God is a combination of a personal spiritual
autobiography and a more general examination of the author's Catholic
faith. After a brief account of his childhood, the primary section of the book begins with a chapter devoted to the history of
Buckley's friendship with Arnold Lunn, and with Lunn's pre-conversion
exchange of letters concerning common objections to Catholicism with
Msgr Ronald Knox (also a convert). Buckley then draws upon other eloquent
Catholics of his acquaintance - men like Fr Richard Neuhaus, Russell
Kirk, and Fr George Rutler - to whom the author submitted a
questionnaire on issues facing the Church today. Notably, and unlike
Buckley himself, all these men are converts (he laments the lack of
foresight that led to the exclusion of Malcolm Muggeridge and Clare
Booth Luce). Later chapters reflect on his friendships with Muggeridge
and L Brant Bozell, Jr (both, again, converts). Perhaps tellingly,
despite this being an autobiography, there is little here of a personal
nature until the final chapter, focused on his relationship with his
mother (which admittedly is genuinely touching).
Engaging and well-written, but not particularly insightful or memorable.
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