Shows / Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger
Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger
Jay Nordlinger is a journalist who writes about a range of subjects, including politics, foreign affairs, and the arts. He is the music critic of The New Criterion. He is a senior resident fellow at the Renew Democracy Initiative, and a contributor to its publication, The Next Move. His guests are from the worlds of politics and culture, talking about the most important issues of the day, and some pleasant trivialities as well.
www.jaynordlinger.com
Episodes
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE243. Old Friends
Mona Charen joins Jay for a “Need to Know”-style hour. As of old, they go back and forth – about the flood (not the Noah-related one, but the recent one in…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE242. Frenchistas
George Will once pointed out to George McGovern that he, McGovern, had become a noun, and an ism: “McGovernism.” The same has happened to David French: “David…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE241. Quiz Kid, Whiz Kid
Listeners may recall that Jay is a great fan of “University Challenge,” the British quiz show. He has had “UC” contestants as guests on “Q&A” before: the great…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE240. The Dazzling NBA
It truly is dazzling, for those who are prepared to be dazzled by it. This episode gives you NBA talk from two of Jay’s regular gurus, David French and Vivek…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE239. Mike & Kevin & Jay: The Joy of a Newspaper
Mike Brown is the editor of the Rockdale Reporter, in Central Texas. He is one of Jay’s favorite newspapermen and writers. Jay and Kevin Williamson took a road…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE238. An Ambassador for Music
Gerard Schwarz is a leading conductor, and he started out as a leading trumpeter. He is also one of the best talkers about music – best teachers of music – you…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE237. A Very Personal Case
Nasser Weddady is an American of Mauritanian origin. (Mauritania is a nation in northwest Africa.) He is a human-rights activist, and strategist. He works for…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE236. Spytime
That’s the title of one of William F. Buckley Jr.’s novels: “ Spytime.” Its subtitle is “The Undoing of James Jesus Angleton.” Jay asks his guest, H. Keith…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE235. Crack Korea Expert and ‘BBC Dad’
Robert Kelly is known worldwide. He is the “BBC Dad,” the scholar whose children and wife burst into the room, delightfully, as he was giving an interview. Do…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE234. Freedom and Unfreedom with a Top Historian
Timothy Snyder is a historian of the Holocaust, Eastern Europe, and yet other matters. He is a professor at Yale and has many other affiliations. Among his…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE233. The Freedom Pastor, Once More
Listeners to “Q&A” know Evan Mawarire already. He is Zimbabwe’s “freedom pastor,” a leader of the democratic opposition. He was a guest on this podcast two…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE232. George F. Will and ‘The Conservative Sensibility’
He has written many books, and many more columns. His latest book is “ The Conservative Sensibility.” In a way, George F. Will has been pointing toward this…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE231. A Brother, Helping His Sister
Loujain al-Hathloul is a Saudi political prisoner. She has campaigned for women’s rights: the right to drive; the right to live an independent life, without…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE230. The North Korean Ambassador Who Defected
From Jay Nordlinger’s introduction: “Three years ago, Thae Yong-ho defected to South Korea. At the time, he was North Korea’s deputy ambassador to the United…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE229. A Prince in the World
Zeid Raad al-Hussein is a Jordanian prince and a distinguished diplomat. He was U.N. high commissioner for human rights. Before that, he was his country’s…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE228. A Brave Reporter on a Tragic Country
Esther Htusan comes from Burma – or is it Myanmar? That is the first thing discussed in this “Q&A.” Esther Htusan is a journalist who has been forced out of…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE227. The Harpsichordist
Mahan Esfahani is a musician, and an unusual one. He’s not a pianist, violinist, cellist, or even a tuba player: He is a harpsichordist. Jay talks with him…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE226. Facing Venezuela
Diego Arria is a Venezuelan with broad experience – particularly in politics and diplomacy. For instance, he was Venezuela’s ambassador to the U.N. Later, he…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE225. Runs, Roses, and Thorns
“Q&A” is a sportscast this time – but it begins with “Game of Thrones,” a topic on America’s mind. Jay’s regular gurus, David French and Vivek Dave, are joined…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE224. A Voice from Paris
Anne-Elisabeth Moutet is a journalist, a whiz, and a joy. She writes in both French and English. And today she talks with Jay (in English!) about Notre Dame…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE223. Sowell Strikes Again
Retirement does not suit Thomas Sowell. He is working away. He tells Jay he wants to die with his boots on. He does enjoy freedom from his syndicated column…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE222. On the Road with Kevin Williamson
Last week, Jay took a road trip with Kevin Williamson, from Dallas to Rockdale, a town in Milam County, Texas. They went to Rockdale to see a newspaper editor…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE221. Carly Today
Carly Fiorina is an experienced person with much to say. She says some of it in a new book: “ Find Your Way.” Jay talks with her about this, and about the…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE220. A Classical Life
Donald Kagan is someone you can learn from. Many have, over the years. Also, he is a delight to talk to, and listen to. He is an eminent scholar, an eminent…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE219. Sally Jenkins, Dan Jenkins, and ‘The Athletic Heart’
Sally Jenkins is a sports columnist for the Washington Post, and one of the outstanding sportswriters in the entire country. Her father, Dan Jenkins, passed…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE218. The Power of Love (Even in Politics)
Arthur Brooks is one of the luminaries of the conservative world. An economist and public-policy analyst, he is the longtime president of the American…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE217. An Acquaintance with Mass Murder
Bjorn Ihler is an expert on counter-extremism and he works for peace, human rights, and mutual Bjorn Ihler understanding. He had a highly, highly unusual…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE216. A Vast, Troubled, and Fascinating Region
David Luhnow is the Latin America bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal – and one of Jay’s favorite journalists. Luhnow is immensely knowledgeable, and he…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE215. The Agony of Nicaragua
All eyes are on Venezuela — to the extent they’re on Latin America at all. But spare a glance for Nicaragua. The Nicaraguans are going through hell right now…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE214. The Amazing Example of Asma Khalifa
Asma Khalifa is a young woman from Libya — a Berber. She is also a human-rights activist and democracy leader. She is one of Jay’s favorite people. He says he…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE213. ‘Is This Really Happening?’
Madeleine Kearns is a young journalist from Scotland. She works at National Review. She has recently been on an unusual beat: transgenderism as it relates to…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE212. Wars Hot and Cold
In an earlier episode, Jay talked with Charles Hill. Now he talks with another Grand Strategist at Yale, Professor John Lewis Gaddis, who is best known for…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE211. Charlie’s Wars
Jay’s guest is a legendary teacher at Yale University: Charles Hill, a retired Foreign Service officer and a diplomat-in-residence, among other things, at…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE210. All-Stars, Star Wars, and More
Jay does a sportscast — but with a twist at the end: a discussion of Star Wars, Star Trek, etc., with two experts on the subject: David French and Sopan Deb…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE209. Venezuela Now
Otto Reich is a former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela. He’s also one of Jay’s favorite people. They talk about the current crisis: where it stands, how it…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE208. A Cool Thinker in a Hot World
Eric Edelman is one of our top diplomats (retired though he may be) and one of our top foreign-policy thinkers. In a long career, he was ambassador to Finland…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE207. Foreign Correspondent
Megha Rajagopalan is a foreign correspondent for BuzzFeed News. She is one of Jay’s favorite reporters. She grew up in Maryland, and for years reported from…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE206. A Scholar and a Gentleman
Peter Wood is the president of the National Association of Scholars. He is also an anthropologist. Jay is an old anthro major. So, they talk anthro major to…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE205. The Dreaded Double Doink
In a sportscast, Jay asks David French and Vivek Dave about last night’s championship game – Alabama vs. Clemson. Or should that be Clemson vs. Alabama? They…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE204. The Middle East: Helpful Knowledge
Michael Rubin is a wide-ranging authority on the Middle East, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. In this “Q&A,” Jay simply picks his…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE203. Sports: How Goes It?
How goes college football? What about the playoffs? What about the latest retirement of Urban Meyer? How goes the NFL? What about Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE202. Picking Kevin’s Mind
On last week’s National Review cruise, Jay sat down with Kevin D. Williamson and asked him to talk – about conservatism, cities, Bush 41, Twitter, “elites,”…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE201. Long at Large
There are few things Jay likes to do more in life than talk with Rob Long, and he got to do it on last week’s National Review cruise. Sitting in a lounge, Jay…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE200. The Supreme Court in American Life
Returning to “Q&A” is Richard Brookhiser, the historian and journalist – Jay’s colleague at National Review. Brookhiser’s latest book is “ John Marshall: The…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE199. MBS & Co.
With good reason, people are wanting to know about Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince in Saudi Arabia. Jay’s guest today is Rami Khouri, a veteran…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE198. Perils of the Jungle
Robert Kagan is one of America’s best scholars of foreign policy. He has now written a book with a remarkable title: “The Jungle Grows Back” (here). In other…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE197. The Stephensonian View
Bret Stephens is a columnist for the New York Times and a winner of the Pulitzer Prize. For many years, he was a columnist and editor at the Wall Street…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE196. The Subject of a Lifetime: Winston Churchill
Andrew Roberts is a major historian and biographer: of World War II, Napoleon, etc. He has now written a life of Churchill, his subject of subjects. This is…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE195. A Wide World of Sports
Pardon the plagiaristic title, but it describes this podcast with David French and Vivek Dave, two of Jay’s regular gurus on sports. They do the Major League…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE194. Stephen Harper: Where We Are
Stephen Harper was prime minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. Jay routinely referred to him as “the Leader of the West.” Harper has just published a new book…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE193. Out of West Africa, a Dictator’s Scourge
Togo is a little country in West Africa, wedged between Ghana and Benin. For more than 50 years, it has been ruled by two dictators, father and son, one after…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE192. A Burst of Passion and Truth from a Defender of Girls against Mutilation
Leyla Hussein is a leading campaigner against FGM, which stands for “female genital mutilation.” She has lived in Britain for many years but started out in…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE191. Kickin’ Back with Kevin, Seriously
Jay wanted to talk some things over with Kevin D. Williamson, and Kevin obliged. They talk about issues of concern to them both: what makes an economy go (and…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE190. Jeb at Large
On assignment in Miami, Jay ran over to Coral Gables to see Jeb Bush. They talked about current issues — the Kavanaugh mess, the Florida election races…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE189. A Turk, a Knick, and a Mensch
Enes Kanter is an NBA player, a New York Knick. He is also a Turk — and an opponent of the Erdogan regime back home. This opposition has not come without cost…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE188. One Gutsy Medievalist. (She Fences, Too.)
Rachel Fulton Brown is a professor of history at the University of Chicago. She is a medievalist. And she has attracted great controversy. Naturally, Jay…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE187. The Communistologist
Jim McAdams is a professor of international relations at Notre Dame, and a “Communistologist,” as Jay says. He was seen by millions in a video a couple of…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE186. College Football: ’Tis the Season
The college-football season is underway, and Jay has a special ’cast with David French and Vivek Dave. Each of those guests is a whiz. They talk about Alabama…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE185. The Reading Machine
Grant Starrett is a Tennessee lawyer, businessman, and politico. He’s also an old friend of Jay’s (and a return guest). More to the point of the present…
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE4. Sen. John McCain, a Big and ‘Lucky’ Life
Ed. Note: To mark the passing of Senator John McCain, we’re reposting this interview Jay Nordlinger did with him in 2015. Jay’s guest today is John McCain, the…