Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger

Oleksandra Matviichuk is a Ukrainian human-rights lawyer, the head of the Center for Civil Liberties, in Ukraine. The center has just been announced as a recipient of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Jay spoke with her when she traveled to New York, for a session of the Oslo Freedom Forum. They talk about her life and work. Her work takes a toll, but it is urgently important. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Berta Valle is the wife of Felix Maradiaga, a Nicaraguan political prisoner. He was a presidential candidate last year, arrested along with other candidates by the country’s dictator, Daniel Ortega. Maradiaga is one of Jay’s favorite people. Jay did a “Q&A” with him in 2019 (here). Berta Valle is an outstanding person herself, doing all she can to help her husband. This conversation with Jay is... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

“Columny” was William Safire’s word for the craft of column-writing (he also called it “the column dodge”). Steve Chapman has been an outstanding columnist for more than 40 years—mainly with the Chicago Tribune. He has now retired. Bill Buckley published the first piece that Chapman ever got paid for. Chapman thought about leaving the check uncashed—maybe he should have it framed? Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

David Pryce-Jones met the King—George VI—when he was six or so. Later, when he was 16, he observed the King’s funeral procession. The crown fell off the coffin, right in front of him. Two years later, he placed a bet on a horse for the Queen—she had handed him a five-pound note and asked him to do it. David Pryce-Jones is a writer: a journalist, a historian, a biographer, a novelist, a memoirist. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Daniel Hannan is a frequent and prized guest on “Q&A.” He is a writer, a politician—a member of the House of Lords. He has just been in Odessa. He talks with Jay about Ukraine. Then they talk about the late Queen, and some British politics. A conversation with Dan Hannan is an education and a pleasure. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Masih Alinejad is a U.S. citizen from Iran. She is a journalist, a democracy activist, and a human-rights activist. Jay wrote about her last year: “A Free Spirit.” In that year, 2021, she was the target of a kidnapping plot by the Iranian dictatorship. In recent weeks, she has been the target of a murder plot. She is unable to live at home, in New York. But she is as outspoken as ever—a free... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Recently, John Bolton was the target of a murder plot by Iran. He now has Secret Service protection. He and Jay talk about Iran. Also Ukraine, Taiwan, South Korea, the GOP, and the FBI search at Mar-a-Lago. As usual, Bolton is interesting, informed, and frank. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Harvey Mansfield is one of the most celebrated and valued teachers in America. He is a professor of government at Harvard—and has been so since 1962. This year, some of his students and admirers held a conference called “Harvey Mansfield at 90.” With Jay, Professor Mansfield discusses some of his career-long concerns: Aristotle, Machiavelli, Tocqueville . . . He also answers, “What is democracy? Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Kim Holmes is a veteran foreign-policy hand. For many years, he was at the Heritage Foundation. He was also an assistant secretary of state. Today, he is, among other things, vice chairman of the Center for International Private Enterprise. With Jay, he talks about the War on Terror (ongoing). And, of course, the Ukraine war. And China and Taiwan. He also talks about American conservatism: Are... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Hillel Neuer is the executive director of UN Watch. Like no one else, he keeps an eye on the United Nations, particularly when it comes to human rights. If you care about what the U.N. does with human rights—and usually they do appalling things—then Neuer is your man: your man in Geneva. He is also a broadly thoughtful and experienced man, and Jay asks him some essential questions about his life... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe