I was reading two pretty depressing books and was scanning my shelf of library books for a pick-me-up. This may seem like an unlikely choice as a pick-me-up to some, particularly those who know that my politics lean more to the left than to the right. But I think anybody who knows much about Ronald Reagan can't help but be infected by his endless optimism, his humor, and his brilliant turns of phrase. I didn't know much about William F. Buckley except that he was a really smart guy, and I was delighted to find that his humor rivaled Reagan's.