I think I read “God and Men at Yale” at Cornell…

By Jon Ralston

Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008 | 2:01 a.m.

I think I read “God and Men at Yale” at Cornell in about 1977. It didn’t have much impact on me — did you notice? — but I do recall being impressed by the writing and the profundities therein. The author’s influence hit me later on when I was in grad school at the University of Michigan. It was there that a broadcast journalism professor constantly referred to “William F. Buckley” questions — a reference to the “Firing Line” host’s inquiries that were Faulkneresque in structure and often much longer than the answers. I don’t think the prof meant it in a positive way, but many years later, I see the value in William F. Buckley questions. Sometimes you have to show off a little. R.I.P., WFB.