Our pal James Rosen has assembled a terrific book of Bill Buckley’s eulogies, and our other pal, Christopher Buckley, says he thinks this may indeed prove to be his dad’s “finest book ever.” We’ve just got our hands on a hot-off-the-presses copy of A Torch Kept Lit: Great Lives of the Twentieth Century, which you can pre-order here (the formal publication date is October 4th). And you can find out more about the book at ATorchKeptLit.com.
Bill was an unrivaled master of the eulogy (hence Christopher’s assessment), likely because he had an edge over most people when it came to obit-penning: If you were of particular importance, it’s likely Bill knew you, and maybe even quite well — well enough to give a distinct, educated, and unique reflection. I’d wager any collection of Buckley-written R.I.P.s would make a terrific collection — and a de facto history book. And this specific collection qualifies as terrific, all the more so because of James’s selections and his smart and wise introductions.