Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger

On assignment in Miami, Jay ran over to Coral Gables to see Jeb Bush. They talked about current issues — the Kavanaugh mess, the Florida election races, Hurricane Florence — and some issues of longer-term concern: the nature of the Democrats, for example, and the nature of the Republicans. Also under consideration are refugees, immigrants, and American identity. Bush talks about the presidential... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Enes Kanter is an NBA player, a New York Knick. He is also a Turk — and an opponent of the Erdogan regime back home. This opposition has not come without cost. On Monday, Jay talked with Kanter at a special session of the Oslo Freedom Forum in New York. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Rachel Fulton Brown is a professor of history at the University of Chicago. She is a medievalist. And she has attracted great controversy. Naturally, Jay wanted to talk to her. They talk about being a medievalist. What attracted her to the field in the first place? They talk about “The Lord of the Rings.” And then life in academia, when your views are considered heretical. She is a happy warrior... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Jim McAdams is a professor of international relations at Notre Dame, and a “Communistologist,” as Jay says. He was seen by millions in a video a couple of weeks ago, broadcast during the Notre Dame–Michigan football game. McAdams is one of the leading authorities on Communism in the world. He is the author of “Vanguard of the Revolution: The Global Idea of the Communist Party. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

The college-football season is underway, and Jay has a special ’cast with David French and Vivek Dave. Each of those guests is a whiz. They talk about Alabama, the 800-pound gorilla of college football. The relative strengths of the conferences. The question of Urban Meyer (Ohio State’s coach). Differences between the college game and the pro game. Whether college athletes should be paid. Etc. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Grant Starrett is a Tennessee lawyer, businessman, and politico. He’s also an old friend of Jay’s (and a return guest). More to the point of the present episode: He’s a big reader, a reading machine. He reads and reads – books. So, with Jay, in this episode, he talks about the reading life: how he does it and why he does it. We all make investments in our time. Starrett has thought a lot about how... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Ed. Note: To mark the passing of Senator John McCain, we’re reposting this interview Jay Nordlinger did with him in 2015. Jay’s guest today is John McCain, the senior senator from Arizona and the 2008 Republican presidential nominee. At Jay’s prompting, he covers the waterfront, or at least a fair stretch of it: Iran, Syria, Israel, China, etc. He talks about wars past and present (and possibly... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Sir Willard White is an opera singer with a story to tell: from Jamaica, to the Juilliard School, to a knighthood, and beyond. He is as commanding a speaker as he is a singer. With Jay, he talks about his growing up, the decision to sing, the sting of racism, and much more. He even does a little singing — including “Love Me Tender” and “Smile.”... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

At the Salzburg Festival this summer, Herbert Blomstedt was a big hit. He was a big hit onstage with the Vienna Philharmonic, and, an hour afterward, a big hit on a smaller stage with Jay. Blomstedt quoted Picasso: “It took me many years to become youthful.” And he described music as a “search for truth.” An inspiring – and fun – conversation (complete with plenty of singing). Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Javier Camarena is one of the leading tenors in the world. He is a guest at the Salzburg Festival, and participated in a series of conversations hosted by the Salzburg Festival Society. The moderator of this series is Jay. This episode of “Q&A” gives you excerpts of the conversation with Camarena. Jay actually had an encounter with this tenor in an opera house years ago – a story that Jay tells... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe