The million-copy New York Times bestseller from the Fox News anchor who's brought new excitement-and massive amounts of populist common sense and rock-solid honesty-to television news. Now four seasons strong, Bill O'Reilly's nightly cable news program, "The O'Reilly Factor," is one of the hottest shows on the air. In book form, The O'Reilly Factor has sold over a million copies and spent fourteen weeks at the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Obviously, Bill O'Reilly has made his mark. His blunt, ironic, no-holds-barred style has earned him a devoted audience-friends and foes alike-who send him five thousand letters every week. And with the wit and intelligence that have made him one of the most talked-about stars in both television and publishing, O'Reilly continues to identify what's right, what's wrong, and what's absurd in the political, social, economic, and cultural life of America.
The O'Reilly Factor isn't just the name of Bill O'Reilly's popular talk show on the Fox News Channel anymore--it's also the title of his book, which, appropriately enough, actually reads like a TV show. The narrative rarely proceeds for more than a few paragraphs before a bold-faced "This Just In" or "Bulletin" pops up on the page and breaks the stream of thought--sort of like a commercial interruption. This provides an ideal forum for O'Reilly to sound off on any number of topics with lots of verve but not too much depth. There are breezy chapters here on money, media, religion, race, and sex, among others. O'Reilly dislikes many things, and he isn't shy about sharing his opinions: "SUVs should be immediately outlawed," he rants. Here's O'Reilly on President Clinton: "What a ridiculous waste!" Attorney General Janet Reno is a "ridiculous, incompetent woman" and President Clinton's "primary 'enabler.'"
This is not a subtle book, and its bombastic approach would be even more grating if it weren't for several flashes of self-deprecation, such as when the author shares a negative piece of viewer mail, or when he writes, "In case you haven't noticed, I'm a cocky bastard." Sometimes O'Reilly's put-downs are creative and funny: "If God has a sense of humor, as I believe he does, [Al Sharpton and David Duke] will be sharing a sauna in the netherworld. With one thermostat." And he's good at illustrating his points with outrageous details. In criticizing the bloated federal budget, for instance, he points to these shockers: $230,000 for a study of housefly sex habits, $27,000 for an analysis of why prisoners want to escape, and $100,000 to find out why Americans don't like beets. (To which he replies: "Houseflies mate when no one is looking. Prisoners don't like prison. Beets don't taste good.") O'Reilly is often considered something of a conservative, but he can also play the blue-collar populist: "The rich want us to believe that anyone can make the quantum leap from bowling league to country club by just working a little harder. That's supposed to keep us motivated and quiet." Fans of his TV show will probably appreciate this cantankerous book. --John J. Miller
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
More in your face O'Reilly:
Another set of vignettes where O'Reilly sounds off. As with his other books, you either like him or hate him. I do not always agree with him, but he does make several good points. Most liberals will disregard anything he says but most conservatives will nod in agreement.
You've Got to Really Like O'Reilly to Read This Book:
I was hoping for more political pandering to my conservative side, but the book was entertaining nonetheless as he discussed his likes and dislikes in areas ranging from politics to restaurants.
Another Compelling, Must-Ignore Book:
Yet again Bill O'Reilly hits the mark with another compelling, must-ignore book. When you think about it (and let's not spin this) there are few contemporary writers more important to ignore than O'Reilly. The man, one must admit, is a giant in his own mind: he was the first to climb Mount Everest (or at least "was there"); fought heroically in the Civil War ("was there," at least, for most of that war's seminal battles); spearheaded the allied attack (and victory) against the Germans in WWII (or at least... more info
Will make you think.:
Good read. While you may not agree with all that he says, it will make you think and what more could you ask.
