Author and conservative commentator William F. Buckley has died at 82 in Stamford, Connecticut. National Review, the magazine Buckley founded in 1955, posted this appreciation on their website, noting that Buckley passed away while at work on his syndicated column — far from a surprise, especially when considering this fact highlighted in Buckley’s New York Times obituary: “He also found time to write at least 45 book… The more than 4.5 million words of his 5,600 biweekly newspaper columns, ‘On the Right,’ would fill 45 more medium-sized books.” The Times characterized Buckley as a man who “marshaled polysyllabic exuberance, famously arched eyebrows and a refined, perspicacious mind to elevate conservatism to the center of American political discourse.”

Buckley’s panache was on display in his long-running television show Firing Line: YouTube offers a trove of clips (and clipboards) from the show, including this culture clash with Noam Chomsky and this zinger for Allen Ginsberg. Also available are several rounds of Buckley’s war of words with Gore Vidal. And for an archive of Buckley in his own words, visit NPR.