After Bill Buckley's death I decided to read a couple of his books.  After searching Amazon I decided upon his literary autobiography, "Mile Gone By" and his first book "God and Man at Yale."  I finished the bio last weekend and am now reading the other book.

 

   One of the things that struck me about Buckley was his wealth.  I don't mean that in any kind of negative fashion; after all I am a conservative and I support a persons right to hang onto every penny earned, including any wealth inherited.  What struck me as interesting, though, was the fact that Buckley advocates basic principles that transcend wealth.  For example, the many stories about sailing found in the book obviously attest to his wealth (how many of us middle class folk can afford a sailing yacht) but his passion for sailing stemmed not from his financial ability to sustain the hobby but from his innate desire for a challenge and adeventure. 

 

   The consistent theme throughout "Miles Gone By" is that of individualism.  Buckley championed our right to be individuals.  Sometiems this simple message is lost in the political banter that consumes the airwaves.  However, Buckley does not ascribed to an uncontrolled individualism that may lead to chaos or some relativistic approach to life.  For him, as with many conservatives, it is an indivdualism tempered by moral constraint.  In his case that constraint being religious piety and a perception of social tradition.

 

   Buckley was truly a fascinating man and a towering personality in the conservative movement.