Although recognized for founding National Review, hosting television's Firing Line, and being one of the principal architects of the American conservative movement, William F. Buckley Jr. (1925-2008) was also a prominent literary figure. At his peak he produced about 350,000 words for publication a year, and he was never at a loss for what to say or how to say it. He wrote over 7,000 columns, articles, reviews, introductions, forewords, obituaries, and more, in addition to publishing fifty-seven books of fiction and nonfiction.

Conversations with William F. Buckley Jr. features interviews from 1970 to 2005, in which Buckley holds court on a variety of subjects: the Cold War, civil rights, literature, sailing, and the many strands of American culture and politics. Throughout his life, he was a prime subject for interviews, as his observations combined raw intelligence, vigorous wit, and a healthy sense of humor.