What Norman Podhoretz Taught Me

So much will be written about the towering legacy of Norman Podhoretz in the wake of his death this week that it seems almost fatuous for me to attempt a tribute. We weren’t closely acquainted, and by the time I was born he had already stepped down as the editor of Commentary. In 2021, however, I had the privilege of speaking to him over Zoom. I was interviewing him for a profile that would be published a few weeks later, but for the more than two hours we spent together, I could easily have been listening to a grandparent share the sort of knowledge that is only gained from a life enviably well-lived.

I still think about that call frequently. I feel uniquely privileged to have experienced it in part because few members of my generation were able to meet Podhoretz. But beyond that, I have had few conversations that were equally fascinating.

About the Author

Guy Denton

Guy Denton is a William F. Buckley Jr. Fellow in Political Journalism.

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So much will be written about the towering legacy of Norman Podhoretz in the wake of his death this week that it seems almost fatuous for me to attempt a tribute. We weren’t closely acquainted, and by the time I was born he had already stepped down as the editor of Commentary. In 2021, however, I had the privilege of speaking to him over Zoom. I was interviewing him for a profile that would be published a few weeks later, but for the more than two hours we spent together, I could easily have been listening to a grandparent share the sort of knowledge that is only gained from a life enviably well-lived.

I still think about that call frequently. I feel uniquely privileged to have experienced it in part because few members of my generation were able to meet Podhoretz. But beyond that, I have had few conversations that were equally fascinating.