Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger

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

One of Jay’s favorite politicians, and favorite Republicans, and favorite Americans, is Robert Ehrlich, the former governor of Maryland. Governor Ehrlich is the author of a new book, Turning Point: Picking Up the Pieces After Eight Years of Failed Progressive Policies. He and Jay talk about “where we are now”: with Obama, Trump, Hillary, and America. Jay thinks we are at a really lousy pass... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

Bill Kristol, the editor of The Weekly Standard, is interested in an alternative to Hillary-Trump – a third option on the ballot, preferably a conservative one, and definitely an honorable one. Jay is interested in the same thing. They discuss it in this half-hour – with a mixture of wonder, anxiety, and hope. Support Our Sponsors! The Great Courses Plus is offering our listeners a chance to... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

David Landon Cole is a doctoral candidate in political science at the University of York. He was also the captain of York’s team in “University Challenge,” the British quiz show – which has its origins in America’s “College Bowl.” “University Challenge” is Jay’s favorite television show, and he treats Mr. Cole as the celebrity and phenomenon he is, in the Old Country. They talk about the show... Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe

The greatest player of our day, Jordan Spieth, had an epic meltdown at the Masters. Then he charged back, bravely — and came up short. Jay discusses this with an expert: Mark Farrell, a pro golfer, teacher, and analyst, and an old friend of Jay’s. They “workshop” the matter, to use Mark’s lingo. They also discuss, or workshop, some other matters: Rory, Bubba, Tiger, Jack, “Caddyshack,” etc. Source Get full access to Onward and Upward at www.jaynordlinger.com/subscribe