I went with Phil to the Cuny Graduate Center at Fifth and Thirty-fourth tonight for the panel discussion commemorating the silver anniversary of  The New Criterion--my favorite magazine (see the link on my profile).  The participants were co-editor Roger Kimball, Judge Robert Bork, Anthony Daniels, Eric Ormsby and Mark Steyn.  Each participant said a few things about the magazine and about his contribution to the anniversary anthology Counterpoints: 25 Years of The New Criterion on Culture and the Arts.  I haven't bought the book because I have a complete run of the magazine since 1982 and I've got everything in it except the introduction.  But I recommend it heartily to anyone with more than a passing interest in literature, the fine arts and culture in general--and their fate in our time.  And if you don't already read The New Criterion, do yourself a favor and subscribe.

As was to be expected, Steyn stole the show with his ad libs, but each speaker was well worth the hearing.  Kimball spoke mostly of the magazine itself, then Bork spoke on the familiar themes of activist judges and liberal law faculties and students.  Daniels (aka Theodore Dalrymple) expressed gratitude for the magazine's offering him a refuge from the misery and bureaucratic incompetence to which he was exposed in his medical practice as a prison doctor in Birmingham (England).  Ormsby spoke about translating the Bible and the Koran vs. secular literature, and Steyn said some things about Broadway and jihad, liberally larding his speech with very funny jokes.

During the question-and-answer period that followed the speakers had more to say on particular things not covered directly in their speeches.  Rather than give an imperfect account (I didn't take notes), I note that C-Span was there to film the proceedings and that they will probably be televised on BOOK TV within the next fortnight (almost certainly on a weekend).  Check your listings or the C-Span website.  If you won't be around when it's on--or if you don't have TIVO--you might be able to watch it online at your pleasure.