Rating: 
Summary: I HAVE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE BAD RAP
Review: The fact that Bill O'Reilly admits that both his television show and his book are his OPINION is significant and against the grain with most modern journalists. -- Somewhere along the line they forgot that they are historians or scribes, tasked with reporting facts as facts and not opinions as facts. For this I admire him. The book was fun reading -- you don't have to agree with everything -- enjoy the book and think about the various "factors" in your own life. I finished it in two days.BUT, I regret that he took a cheap shot at the Roman Catholic Church. I estimate my age to be within 3 years of Bill's and I was formally educated by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Brothers and Priests of the Society of Mary and both Jesuit and Benedictine Priests. I also was raised in the Midwest -- not the more "progressive" minded Northeast. I DO NOT recall a level of mental and physical abuse by these clerics to be nearly as close as he suggests. -- Why is it so popular to embellish the truth and cling to myths about the very faith that has influenced your life ? --- admit that Bill -- they (your Catholic mentors and teachers) helped shape the man you are today -- I'm proud of it -- I hope you are. I had to get that out of my system -- other than that outrage -- I truly did enjoy the book. Thanks for reading my opinion.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Book You Will Not Be Able To Put Down...
Review: I just recently started watching Bill's show on FOX and found honesty in most of what he said. So I bought the book and have to say I love it. The book is an easy book to read, very entertaining, and educational. It helps you se through the "BS" in today's world especially the media. You will learn about the way things work in America. This book is for Liberals, Conservatives and everyone in between. Perfect addition to anyones collection.
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Summary: It's not objective reporting, stupid, it's superb analysis
Review: For the ignoramus professor of journalism who tore into this book saying it is poor reporting, wake up stupid, the book is news commentary, just like the show: it goes beyond reciting the headlines and 5 W's and H. Bill is engaged in a noble profession of commenting on the news. He is at the circus of life and he has a front row seat. We don't have time to go to the circus ourselves, so he is not just our eyes and ears (journalism professors, please no shouting yet, let me finish). but a trusted, knowledgeable sage. He tries to tells what to think about, not what to think. He not only reports, he analyzes--that is he points out contradictions, he digs for information from bipartisan sources, he questions the sacred cows of society (like Jesse Jackson), and he takes hits from both Republicans and Democrats who both accuse him of being from the opposite party. That is a good measure of independent analysis--if people from both parties feel like Bill is stepping on their toes with his big feet. I will fault the book for one thing--no where does it say just how big his feet are. Are there people who bought the book who have never watched his show? I doubt it. But if there are such people, you are in for the greatest treat of all. You discovered him in print and will get to watch him on TV to see just how knowledgeable, courageous, and entertaining he is. What is most suprising about watching O'Reilly that can't be conveyed in the book? His self-control. He has more self-control on the tube than I would have. He also possesses a wonderful sense of humor of the highest level: self-deprecatory humor, as exemplified throughout the book and in his letters from disgruntled viewers who disagree with him. News commentators on the network evening news programs in the 1970's and 1980's (David Brinkley, Eric Sevareid, Harry Reasoner, Howard K. Smith), those wise sages who commented on the news--that is, analyzed the news--these are the closest people doing what O'Reilly does today. I speak not of Anchormen on network news, but of news commentators who engaged in labeled news analysis. In the 1970's and early 1980's, even the major networks felt it was important to analyze news as long as it was labeled. Walter Cronkite would label Eric Sevareid's like this: "That's the news tonight. And now for a commentary from Eric Sevareid. Eric?" Sevareid would then make some sense out of it all, pointing out if it ever happened before, and what it might lead to. So, for the journalism professor who tore into the book in front of his journalism class, wake up, stupid, O'Reilly is not an objective reporter giving a saint and a sinner equal time. He has his thumb on the truth side of the scale. Thbvbvyou are saying news commentary is not reporting. You are saying an apple is not an orange.
Rating: 
Summary: Factor This! Independent Thinker? Try Unprincipled!!
Review: CNN's former leftist pundit on Crossfire, Geraldine A. Ferraro had this too say about Bill O'Reilly, "It's hard to pin a label on Bill O'Reilly. Is he a liberal conservative or a conservative liberal? But whatever his political leanings, his show is a hard-hitting, fast-moving discussion of events at the top of the news. No one walks away from it, guest or viewer, without admiration for The O'Reilly Factor." Bill O'Reilly won't hesitate to criticize the Clinton-Gore regime or for that matter Jessie Jackson and Janet Reno.. he keeps the far-left liberals in uproar. He pays the lip service to the traditional conservative values like family, low taxes, less government, la da, BUT he is so interested in "putting things in perspective" as this "non-partisan" independent thinker, he comes off as a consummate liberal. He prattles the war drums in favor of American imperialism, internationalism and UN peacekeeping missions. Ironically, he breaks totally away from conservatism's traditional stance of non-government interventionism in the economy in favor of price-fixing for health care and some Medicare 'FBI' as the cure-all for are health care whoas (on his TV show)... This solution is as dumb a solution as nationalizing it like the proposed HillaryCare would in 1994. I would just remind Bill O'Reilly that the HMO's he whines about came about because of the U.S. Congress in the 1970's. Public control of health care financing has put real inflationary pressures on the sector since health care providers find it easier to manipulate politics than a free-market. I'd recommend the Bill O'Reilly go to a few economics classes before writing anymore books or doing another TV show. Oh and don't take away the welfare state, because O'Reilly thinks we need it for working families trying to get by? How can one support Socialized Medicine, an Interventionist Foreign Policy, and the Welfare State-- all the while playing conservative? Criticizing Algore and Jessie Jackson doesn't suffice.. O'Reilly is one of those conservatives (if you would call him that) that proves liberalism wins by default... he has thrown in the towel and just pays lip service to conservative values like low taxes, personal responsibility and family- Bill O'Reilly's whole "Independent thinker act" is a apparently a ploy to resonate with liberal-moderates while keeping favor with the Fox News Channel's conservative audience... Not surprising for a teacher turned journalist. I've found his show interesting and he is a pretty good orator, but he needs to grow a backbone instead of being an ideological oddity.
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Summary: O'Reilly Factors In Again
Review: With the same impecable style as his FoxNews Channel show, Billy O'Reilly offers his perspective on the many facets of American life. Moving from topic-to-topic with a mix of humor and homegrown philosophy, O'Reilly tells us what he thinks, why he thinks it and why we should care. You may not agree with everything he has to say, but at least you'll respect his point of view. I recommend this book to anyone that wants to take an objective look at our nation, the media, politics and the family.
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Summary: Thank God for O'Reilly!
Review: The only reason I continue to pay for cable is so I can watch "The O'Reilly Factor". This book does not disappoint. With a keen gut instinct, good grasp of the facts, wry humor and wit, O'Reilly tells it like it is. No pandering here. O'Reilly lays out the blueprint for succeeding in America...everyone should read this book. This is the book the mainstream press does not want you to read. Read it and you'll find out why.
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Summary: The first book my little son has to read!
Review: I hope every one in America reads this book. We need this type of eye-openers to bring us to reality. Great job, Bill! Bad job, Jesse Jackson.
Rating:
Summary: O'Reilly Factor
Review: I'm normally not interested in books other than theology, history, or philosophy. Of course this book doesn't fit any of these categories, yet I enjoyed reading it because it lead me to think further on each issue. Each chapter of the book focuses on an issue without going too far into it. It's brief and too the point. That way, I was able to read what he said and think for myself. O'Reilly said himself that he is an independent thinker, and I believe this book encourages us to be as well. He tells us what he thinks, and we decide what we think. One other thing I appreciated about The O'reilly Factor is that it is written in a way that keeps your attention. Several times I heard myself lauph out loud.
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Summary: The O'Reilly Factor - Right On Target
Review: Superb, no-spin, un-biased read. Heads above the works of about 90% of what passes for 'journalism' in this country.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book
Review: You can judge this book by the critics. Especially the writer who wrote from "Bible Noose Ohio". He (or she) claims to speak for intelligent people but uses "your" when clearly "you're" is what is intended. Everyone should read this bood.
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