Here, There & Everywhere: Collected Writings of Jay Nordlinger

by Jay Nordlinger

Book Overview

As the author says in his preface, Here, There, & Everywhere is a "grab bag of a book," containing almost 100 pieces on a multiplicity of subjects. Paul Johnson calls Jay Nordingler "one of the most versatile and pungent writers in America. And Mark Steyn says that this collection is "a virtuoso display."

In these pages, Nordlinger visits unusual towns, universities-even music camps. He delves into politics, then profiles a number...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0975899821
• ISBN13: 9780975899823
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: National Review Books
• Length: 521 Pages
• Weight: 2.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.5" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Lovely

Jay Nordlinger is our era's Alexander von Humboldt. His interests are far-reaching and comprehensive, and he is genuinely optimistic. He would be a welcome dinner companion the world over. Some of these essays are serious and some are light-hearted, but they are all worthwhile and engaging. Best of all, it is lovely to read words written with wit and clarity -- two characteristics that have gone missing for too long in American discourse.

Journalism that will last

One of the liabilities of a book of journalistic essays is that issues that once seemed so vital fade over time, and there is often little reason to revisit those once important subjects. However, quite the opposite is true here. Reading the stomach-turning tale of the Clinton pardon of Susan Rosenberg is enough to jolt me, all too painfully, back in time. This is something I had largely forgotten, but should not have. Reading the 2000 election night coverage, when I too stayed up all night certain that the Dems would pull their rabbit out and summarily declare no more hats, or the rancid pandering and lying that Bill used to equate pro-impeachment with racism, resurrects those mostly-forgotten stomach pains. Thanks for forcing us to recall how venal, coarse, and slimy things were in the Clinton days. I remember the pleasure of reading many of these essays in their original National Review venue. Time has made Jay's other interests all the more frightening and discouraging, and these magazine pieces demand more as portions of a book. This is exceeds reporting, it is moral clarity and exhortation. After years of Jay and other marginalized activists, who are American citizens, wondering why their non-citizen cousins make the evening news, clamoring for attention to Cuba, the white-glove treatment of Guantanamo prisoners generates more hand-wringing than teachers and librarians imprisoned and tortured on the other side of the wall. Why? Why? Way back I read that Chinese political prisoners were making shoes, working in vats of the chemicals used to tan leather. I promised to never buy another leather product manufactured in China. Which is hard to do; but why don't American firms stand up and tell us that employees, not slaves and Falun Gong members are making our shoes? Years go by, and the selectively upset of the left continue their highly targeted outrage. Remember "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere?" Now it's "Imperfect justice, no matter how tepid or logical, is a threat if it originated within the Bush administration." The callous hypocrisy, the slavish admiration of thugs and killers who pat their minions on the head and send them on their way, is revolting. The double-standards of a press which excoriates a Larry Craig while whitewashing (and yes, that verb is deliberate) a deranged and hateful Maxine Waters, are difficult to bear. Not biased? Come on folks, the papers might as well just publish leftist talking points as news and save themselves an enormous staff. The sad part of this review is that I suspect only the believers will read it. Now, if true to other NR authors, there will be lots of one-star reviews here by people who hate his thinking and will claim to have read the book. They didn't. What is to scream about? He wants attention paid to human rights, he demands we allow people to follow their own conscience, he offers some opinions about music and a few autobiographical tidbits. What's to hate here? Jack Ni