In Flying High , William F. Buckley Jr. offers his lyrical remembrance of a singular era in American politics, and a tribute to the modern Conservative movement's first presidential standard-bearer, Barry Goldwater. Goldwater was in many ways the perfect candidate: self-reliant, unpretentious, unshakably honest, and dashingly handsome. And although he lost the election, he electrified millions of voters with his integrity and a sense of decency,qualities that made him a natural spokesman for Conservative ideals and an inspiration for decades to come. In an era when Republicans are looking for a leader, Flying High is a reminder of how real political visionaries inspire devotion.