Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger

Andrew Roberts is one of the foremost historians in the English-speaking world. His recent books include a history of World War II and a biography of Napoleon. With Jay, he talks about Napoleon. And also some other characters: Donald Trump; Hillary Clinton; Paul Johnson; Winston Churchill; Boris Johnson; Roger Scruton. Furthermore, he talks about the critical referendum in Britain tomorrow... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Evan Sayet is a stand-up comedian and writer in Hollywood – and a conservative. How’d he get that way? Well, he discusses it with Jay. They also talk about Carson, Leno, Letterman, Maher, Stewart, Colbert, and others you know. Evan Sayet, you will very much enjoy knowing. Support Our Sponsors! Get control of your inbox! Visit sanebox.com/ricochet today and they’ll throw in an extra $25 credit on... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

James Rosebush was chief of staff to Nancy Reagan. And senior advisor to President Reagan. He was now written a book: True Reagan: What Made Ronald Reagan Great and Why It Matters. And he discusses it with Jay. (They’re old friends.) Among the questions: Was Nancy a tough boss? How about her clash with Donald Regan? What about astrology? What about political differences with her husband? Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

At Yale, English majors have called for the abolition of the core curriculum: the Major English Poets, who include Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, et al. Heather Mac Donald and Jay agree that this is a tragedy – and an outrage. Ms. Mac Donald is particularly well placed to speak about this, because she was an English major at Yale: and got the good stuff. Students today ought not to be deprived of... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

President Obama visited Japan, reawakening old debates. Jay’s guest is superbly positioned to comment. He is Christopher Szpilman, a historian of modern Japan, who teaches in Japan. He is a particular expert on the Japanese Right. He is also the son of a famous memoirist: Wladyslaw, who wrote The Pianist. It was made into a movie in 2002. With his guest, Jay discusses this, too. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Garry Kasparov is a great chess champion. He is also a champion of human rights, freedom, and democracy. He is the chairman of the Human Rights Foundation, based in New York. And he was recently at the Oslo Freedom Forum, in Norway. Kasparov’s new book is Winter Is Coming: Why Vladimir Putin and the Enemies of the Free World Must Be Stopped. Jay sat down with Kasparov in Oslo. They talked of the... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Antonio Ledezma is the mayor of Caracas. He is also a political prisoner – a prisoner of the chavista government, led by Nicolas Maduro. He was arrested last year, brutally. He was arrested because he is a democrat and the chavistas are not. Freedom is eroding fast in Venezuela. The mayor’s wife, Mitzi, and daughter, Antonietta, attended the Oslo Freedom Forum this week. Jay sat down with... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Anastasia Lin has an unusual résumé, and she has led an unusual life. She is a Chinese-Canadian actress. And beauty queen. And human-rights advocate. She is a practitioner of Falun Gong. In 2015, she was crowned Miss World Canada. But the international competition was held in China. And the Chinese dictatorship blocked her from coming. And put terrible pressure on her family. She and Jay talk... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Jay’s guest is the grandson of the late Omar Sharif. Like his grandfather, this Omar Sharif – Omar Sharif Jr. – is an actor. And an Egyptian. He is also a model and a gay-rights activist. He is a speaker at the Oslo Freedom Forum, in Norway. That’s where Jay caught up with him, for a most interesting conversation: about Omar Sharif, about coming out gay, about coming out half-Jewish at the same... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Oswaldo Payá was a great Cuban democracy leader. He was killed by the regime in 2012. His daughter, at some risk, is carrying on his work. Jay talked with Rosa María Payá at the Oslo Freedom Forum, the annual human-rights conference in the Norwegian capital. They talked about her dad, of course. And her upbringing, and the murder, and President Obama, and many other things. Incidentally... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe