Miles Gone By

A Literary Autobiography

By: William F. Buckley Jr.

Narrated by: William F. Buckley Jr.

In this autobiography, woven from personal pieces composed over the course of a celebrated writing life of more than 50 years, you'll meet William Buckley the boy, growing up in a family of 10 children; Buckley the daring young political enfant terrible, whose debut book, God and Man at Yale, was a shocking New York Times best seller; Buckley the editor of National Review, widely hailed as the founder of the modern conservative movement; Buckley the husband and father; Buckley the spy and novelist of spies; and Buckley the bon vivant.

You'll also meet Buckley's friends: Ronald Reagan, Henry Kissinger, Clare Boothe Luce, Tom Wolfe, John Kenneth Galbraith, David Niven, and many others.

Along the way, the listener will be treated to Buckley's romance with wine, his love of the right word, his intoxication with music, and his joy in skiing and travel.

©2004 William F. Buckley, Jr. (P)2005 Blackstone Audiobooks

Charming

I knew of Buckley from his appearances on Firing Line, his newspaper columns, and occasional speeches and essays. I read this book immediately upon concluding Christopher Buckley's "Losing Mum and Pup" to see why Christo (if I may be so familiar) was so fond of his father. The book is a series of, for the most part, apolitical essays about life -- interesting people he has known, places he has traveled, and his two favorite outdoor pursuits, sailing and skiing. He shows himself to have been warm, witty, considerate, and a boon companion on his adventures. I found myself wishing the book could go on and on. Having the author narrate a personal book like this is helpful because he can add an arch tone to suggest a humorous jab that might be missed by the casual reader. Doubtless my favorite story was about the "Angel of Craig's Point," about which I will say no more. Read the book. I intend to read more of his work. I also see where Christopher got his wicked sense of humor. Great book, particularly for those not familiar with his body of work. The cover photo is a poor choice -- it makes Buckley appear weak, querulous, and pensive, qualities which simply don't exist in the book.

Buckley narrating is great

Fun memoir, good anecdotes... occasionally starts to drag, but Buckley's voice is great nostalgia. Occasional uncorrected slip-ups do not detract but rather make it seem as though you're having a conversation with him.

A superb book, even made more enjoyable by hearing it read by its brilliant author.

I enjoy Buckley*s voice, his accent, and his cadence, even his habit of mumbling, strangely enough. I find him admirable and charming, in an old world way. His vocabulary challenges the listener, but that’s part of the fun of it, at least for me. Also, there is much to learn from him, if one keeps an open mind. Well worth the time overall.

Must Listen

What made the experience of listening to Miles Gone By the most enjoyable?

Narrated by Bill himself which makes it very genuine.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Miles Gone By?

The dissertation on Whittaker Chambers, it had such a resounding effect I bought the audiobook

What does William F. Buckley bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

WFB recited his work with the passion that he wrote it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely.

Any additional comments?

Keep up the good work and I hope that more authors narrate their written works.

If you like Buckley, you'll love this

What made the experience of listening to Miles Gone By the most enjoyable?

There are very few things in life I enjoy as much as listening to William F. Buckley speak, so for me this was as good as it gets. Most know what a genius the man was, but far fewer are aware of what a sharp wit and tremendous sense of humor he had. There were times while listening I was laughing out loud.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Miles Gone By?

His section on sailing has been my favorite part so far.

Have you listened to any of William F. Buckley’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The obituary for his mother was very moving. She must have been a very remarkable woman.