My Favorite Writers
Plus, The Weekly Wrap
Howdy,
I’m in a fine hotel in downtown Little Rock—not too shabby. It’s been a long few weeks. I had a great time in Turkey, but more on that next week.
I’m currently on the road to Nashville to attend Jason Howk’s concert to end veteran suicide. Then, on Saturday, I will fly to DC for the Principles First Conference. Although AAVA will not have a booth, members of our teams will attend the event. Say hi!
The news has been busy this week. A lot is happening, and most of it is not uplifting. So, let’s do some counter-programming. I will quickly list my top five favorite current journalists/writers.
Jonathan V. Last, Editor, The Bulwark - Like I always say about
: you might disagree, but you better respect the skill set. He can write about wrestling, watches, and balance-of-power theory. More importantly, he can do it in an engaging manner that holds his reader’s attention. Further, he’s a mensch.Kevin Williamson, The Dispatch - One of my life's most significant conservative intellectuals. Yes, I would put him on par with George Will. He’s smart, engaging, and thought-provoking. He will shit on JD Vance in one sentence while simultaneously roasting AOC. He can piss a lot of people off, but honestly, that’s what this is supposed to do.
Bill Roggio, The Long War Journal - Bill is on the list because he calls them as he sees them. He’s not trying to do a triple-bank-shot to curry favor. He just wants to kill all of these terrorists. And you know what? So do I! Further, he can talk about the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in one breath while roasting the Iranians in Yemen with equal vigor. That’s very rare.
Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic - She’s the best writer at The Atlantic, and it’s not even close. She can write on authoritarianism, the gulags, and everything in between. I never, ever miss an article from The Atlantic’s clean-up hitter.
George Will, The Washington Post - Disagree with him all you want. But do you ever read one of his articles and go, “That was a total waste of my time?” If you do, please send me the link, and I can probably tell you why it’s an excellent article. George Will unnecessarily uses big words, but he’s smarter than all of us, so it’s our fault.
Our Friends
The Future
I’ll be on the road next week, visiting some Afghan brothers in the United States. The future may seem bleak to our Afghan brothers and sisters, but if there’s one thing I know about Afghans, it’s this: they’re survivors.
You, sir, have excellent taste in writers. Were I to make a list, it would have included 4 of your 5, the exception being Mr. Roggio, but only because I am unfamiliar with his work.
I have been waiting on this list. Thank you.