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William F. Buckley's Flip-Flop

Buckley tapped Richard Brookhiser as the editor of National Review before pulling the rug out from under him. In an excerpt from his new book, Brookhiser describes the crushing moment.

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Henry Burroughs / AP Photo
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One summer day in 1987 I came back to my desk after lunch and found a surprising letter. It was from Bill, and the envelope was marked “Confidential.”

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