Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger

Returning to “Q&A” is Richard Brookhiser, the historian and journalist – Jay’s colleague at National Review. Brookhiser’s latest book is “ John Marshall: The Man Who Made the Supreme Court.” Jay talks with Brookhiser about the man and the Court. What was Marshall like? What about his education? (Any, of a formal nature?) What about his slaveholding? What about his relationship with Jefferson? Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

With good reason, people are wanting to know about Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince in Saudi Arabia. Jay’s guest today is Rami Khouri, a veteran journalist and teacher, associated with the American University of Beirut and the Kennedy School at Harvard. He talks about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, whom he knew. And about U.S.-Saudi relations. And about the Arab world more broadly. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Robert Kagan is one of America’s best scholars of foreign policy. He has now written a book with a remarkable title: “The Jungle Grows Back” (here). In other words, if you leave liberal democracy untended, the jungle will grow back – as it seems to be doing now. Kagan talks with Jay about this and many other issues: personal, national, and international. A compelling conversation. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Bret Stephens is a columnist for the New York Times and a winner of the Pulitzer Prize. For many years, he was a columnist and editor at the Wall Street Journal. Before that, he was editor of the Jerusalem Post. He grew up in Mexico City. With Jay, he talks about Mexico, and Latin America in general, and the Middle East, and China, and Russia, and many other subjects. Often, when Stephens writes a... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Andrew Roberts is a major historian and biographer: of World War II, Napoleon, etc. He has now written a life of Churchill, his subject of subjects. This is the one he has been waiting for, preparing for, says Roberts. Jay talks to him about all matters Churchill, or many matters: his intelligence, his literary skill, his American side, his moods, his marriage, his personal habits... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Pardon the plagiaristic title, but it describes this podcast with David French and Vivek Dave, two of Jay’s regular gurus on sports. They do the Major League Baseball playoffs, the NFL, college football, the NBA (happy new season), and a dollop of Tiger Woods. There are many issues discussed in this episode, including the rather philosophical or elevated: Why sports? A freewheeling joy of a... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Stephen Harper was prime minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. Jay routinely referred to him as “the Leader of the West.” Harper has just published a new book, “Right Here, Right Now: Politics and Leadership in the Age of Disruption.” Its themes are populism, conservatism, and current passions. Harper came of age with Reagan and Thatcher (and so did Jay). This is a different moment, though... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Togo is a little country in West Africa, wedged between Ghana and Benin. For more than 50 years, it has been ruled by two dictators, father and son, one after the other — as in Syria and elsewhere, as Jay points out. This regime is opposed by a remarkable young woman named Farida Nabourema, who is Jay’s guest. Wait’ll you hear her story, her thoughts, and her spirit. You could almost feel sorry... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Leyla Hussein is a leading campaigner against FGM, which stands for “female genital mutilation.” She has lived in Britain for many years but started out in Somalia – where she herself underwent this brutal practice. She was seven. Jay interviewed her a year ago, at the Oslo Freedom Forum. He saw her again a few days ago at another session of the forum – and she was agitated by news she had just... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Jay wanted to talk some things over with Kevin D. Williamson, and Kevin obliged. They talk about issues of concern to them both: what makes an economy go (and stall); the whys and wherefores of immigration; the effects of trade; the nature of poverty. They talk about other issues too, including (gulp) Playboy clubs. KDW is a wonderful thinker and gent, and these qualities come shining through in... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe