Mr. Buckley had been deeply influenced by Whittaker Chambers, who became a

public figure, with the trial of Alger Hiss, just as WFB himself was becoming one, as an

undergraduate debater and journalist. Mr. Tanenhaus's new book, WFB tells us, "leaves

the reader better informed about America, but also engrossed by high human drama."

Much of this comes through in this absorbing half-hour. ST: "Here's a man who many

people think lied about everything he ever said. So that forced me as his biographer to

check the most minute details. And it turned out Chambers almost never lied about anything. He was more honest than most of us are and had a better memory than most of

us do--because he had a better mind."