William F. Buckley, Jr. was born on November 24, 1925 to William F. Buckley and Aloise Steiner. He was one of 10 children, and his birth positioned him in the middle of the Buckley brood.

William Sr. was an oil developer with a keen perception for which way the political winds blew, whether north or south of the Mexican border. He typified the boom-and-bust nature of the oilman, yet the Buckley family often experienced the trappings of wealth in their youth. They lived in Sharon, Connecticut, where their estate, Great Elm, was located. They also maintained a large residence in Camden, South Carolina, known as Kamschatka.

"In Tanenhaus’ terrific and enlightening work, readers are treated to almost every aspect of Buckley’s life --- his loves, successes, trials and tribulations --- and will find themselves enriched as they devour the last page."

Buckley experienced life abroad at an early age as the family moved to Europe before the stock market crash in 1929. The relocation across the Atlantic was meant to broaden the minds of the children, particularly the younger ones. Buckley’s early education began in England, but his formative schooling occurred back in the United States when he attended boarding school in Millbrook, New York. Money and privilege may have granted others access to the renowned institution, but he would need to distinguish himself at the school in order to graduate and set his path forward to college.

After a stint in the Army during World War II, Buckley attended Yale University, where he served as chairman of the Yale Daily News and was admitted to their secret society Skull and Bones. His knack for leadership shined through as he helmed the college paper, and he would prove intractable when standing up for others. His first foray into the battle against communism came with the advent of the Korean War. He wished to combat it in a non-martial manner, which led to a brief but impactful tenure with the CIA, where he formed a long friendship with the soon-to-be infamous E. Howard Hunt.

As Buckley matured, he wanted to voice his opinions to the public. His first venture, GOD AND MAN AT YALE, had its share of fans and harsh critics. But criticism didn’t deter him, and his conservatism only grew as the 1950s progressed. The National Review was fueled by a new voice in political activism that belonged to Buckley and primarily was kept afloat by his family’s largesse. As the magazine's readership steadily increased, he became a regular TV personality with his show “Firing Line.” His role as éminence grise was undeniable for over 50 years.

BUCKLEY is an overarching biography that encompasses the peaks and valleys of the life of an influential and polarizing man. Sam Tanenhaus, the former editor of The New York Times Book Review and a contributing writer for the Washington Post, has penned an epic chronicle befitting his subject. Buckley is seen as an erudite individual, a staunch conservative in ideology yet capable of evolution in his thoughts. While he could be combative with an opponent in an intense debate in public, his demeanor in private was often the exact opposite. His dual nature is both perplexing and intriguing.

In Tanenhaus’ terrific and enlightening work, readers are treated to almost every aspect of Buckley’s life --- his loves, successes, trials and tribulations --- and will find themselves enriched as they devour the last page.