Rating: 
Summary: Undeveloped Mind
Review: I've seen O'Reilly on the tube many times, but in print I saw another facet. He has a discussion about the existence of God that is perhaps the most juvenile I have ever seen in print on this topic. Like O'Reilly, I went to Catholic schools. The attempted indoctrination included four years at a Jesuit high school. So I sat through many lectures on the nature of God, the chain of causality, yada, yada, yada. O'Reilly's dribble would deserve no more than a "C-" as a 10th grade essay. I began to understand why this dork is a bully. It's all he has to work with. His mind is stuck somewhere in middle adolescence, guided not by intellect but by swirling emotions which he can barely harness.
Rating: 
Summary: Ten Commandments of Effective Parenting Worth Contemplating
Review: Bill O'Reilly's latest book, "Who's Looking Out for You? was a quick read and I completed it on a winter weekend. The surprise was that I was looking for something entertaining and fun but after reading the first chapter I couldn't put it down. Actually it was chapter one that got my attention and I will share some of it with you. I consider myself a child's advocate in many ways. It is just in my veins to want to protect children and especially the underdog. Every parent and grandparent should read this chapter and the information it gives on the entertainment world, as we know it today, especially music and TV. I will summarize what O'Reilly calls the Ten Commandments of Effective Parenting:
1-A parent who is looking for you will make time for you.
2-All punishments will fit the crime. Children are harmed with frequent physical and verbal abuse.
3-The home should be a refuge, a place where the child feels protected and loved.
4-Parents looking out for a child will educate the child in the best possible way. This includes college tuition if at all possible. This comes before the boat, vacation and leaf blower.
5-Parents should be available at all times for emergency talks. Drop everything else.
6-Concerned parents will screen the child's friends and the kid's whereabouts will be known at all times.
7-Rules will be enforced but explained. Rules are good but must have a logical objective.
8-Parents will be honest at all times. Lead by example. No lying, cheating, no nasty gossip, no cruelty or manipulating. Or at least in front of them!
9-Parents will be respectful of their parents. You can't effectively look out for your kids if you don't look out for your folks. (Even if your folks don't deserve it.)
10-Effective parents will remove the TVs and computers from their kids' rooms. All media absorption should be done in public space. Corrupting influences on children are everywhere, and parents must be full-time firefighters. Fight hard. I try hard not to preach to my children about the way they are raising their children but sometimes I can give little hints and suggestions. I am going to recommend this book to them and they can take from it whatever. Grandparents, we owe it to our grandkids! The book has personal stories and examples that were interesting to read and can be related to by parents and grandparents. I recommend everyone at least scan the book for the chapters that can be of help politically and socially.
Rating: 
Summary: I tried, I really did.
Review: A friend who is rather conservative and with whom I argue constantly asked me if I would read this. I'll leave the political discussions to the other reviewers. O'Reilly is simply not a very good writer. I began to "skim" after the first two chapters, then gave up. If he has a point to make, I think it is this: you had better look out for your own interests. Thanks Bill. How could we possibly have known that? He skips from topic to topic, and rambles needlessly. I just found it really hard to follow his train of thought.
Rating: 
Summary: THIS is a best seller? Thin in size -- and intellect.
Review: I have no problem whatsoever with Bill O'Reilly's politics. In fact, he's to the LEFT of me on many issues. I like Fox News, also, and the few times I've watched the O'Reilly Factor, I had no problem whatsoever in his delivery or style.
I guess my main issue with this book -- the first and only O'Reilly book I will probably ever read -- is that there's not much "there" there.
It's just a collection of not-very-earth-shattering bits of personal annecdotes, sprinkled with some good personal advice. But -- is this enough to warrant a number one best seller and millions and millions of dollars in profit?
While I admire anyone who can sit down and write a book, I don't see a whole lot of hard work or research in this thin (212 pages with VERY large type and lots of space between the lines) book.
It must be nice to have a national forum (TV and radio) and lots of fans in order to plug a book and produce a best-seller.
He has an easy-going writing style, but this is one forgettable book, and I have read quite a few in the past year.
As for me, I'm getting a little tired of this whole "Left-Wing" vs. "Right-Wing" best seller con game that is going on right now in this country.
Michael Moore, Al Franken, Hillary Clinton, et. al., on the left regularly come out with their lightweight best sellers; Bill O'Reilly, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, et. al., come out with their lightweight best sellers.
We -- the public -- buy them either to support our political heros, or to see what the other side is thinking.
Meanwhile -- the pseudo-intellectuals who crank out this pap, and the publishers that print it -- get rich.
When a man can make millions putting out a lightweight book like this, something's wrong with this picture.
Rating:
Summary: An experiment that stumbles
Review: It seems to be difficult to read reviews about a Bill O'Reilly book without sifting through reams of hatred directed not at the book or the ideas presented within, but at the man. Some people are so blinded by their visceral hatred they won't pause to digest what is being offered them. Assuming they've even read the book - no doubt more than half of those mentioned haven't - these so-called "reviews" are little more than potshots taken at a guy they don't like. (Filter the reviews and note how many of the one-star reviews don't even MENTION the book; that should tell you something about the motivations behind the review) Too bad. But unsurprising. So here's a look at the BOOK, not the MAN. Those familiar with O'Reilly's last two books knows that he writes in a direct, punchy styles. Chapters are kept brief, and those are usually broken down into even smaller sections. This makes for quick reading, and for a book that can easily be put down and picked up days later without missing a beat. This style holds true with his third book, making it easily digestible in a marathon read or in small, fit-into-your-schedule chunks. In typical O'Reilly fashion, he spends plenty of time dishing out criticism to those he feels wrong "the people." Sometimes he's right on target and sometimes he's off base, but he's largely consistent, something usually absent in (semi-)political books like this one. His targets haven't changed much - he still has disdain for Hillary Clinton and Jesse Jackson - and, despite criticism to the contrary, his targets remain a fairly diverse bunch. (The charge that he goes after just one "type" is simply not an objective observation.. Witness, for instance, his harsh criticism of the Catholic Church, or his slams on the Bush Administration). Where this book falls flat is during O'Reilly's "self help" sections, which make up most of the start and finish of Who's Looking Out For You? It's not that they are badly written or out of place, but rather that they are largely uninteresting, uninspiring, and are generally based on common sense. The real insights are few and far between. I have a hard time seeing any eyes being opened by the advice offered here, and the reading was not engaging. But at least those sections were relatively short. The bulk of the book is usual O'Reilly fare - punchy, to the point, opinionated, and entertaining. He bounces back and forth between self-congratulation and self-effacement throughout, but never beats around the bush about how he feels. Opinions abound, and agree or disagree, he presents the opinions in an entertaining way and actually (gasp!) offers arguments to back up his positions. And isn't that why people read political/social opinion books in the first place? To see what the writer's opinions are? (The cries of "he's biased" ring so absurd as to leave me speechless, considering this is, by definition and like every other such work, a book of opinions). In the end it's not as satisfying a read as his previous two tomes. The "self help" direction does not work well with O'Reilly's hard-edged style, which is engaging because it can rile you up (whether for or against him). He just does not inform or entertain to peak performance without a clear target in front of him. He is at his best when there is some person, cause of issue to rail against. And sadly, for much of this book he leaves the issues behind. O'Reilly deserves credit for trying to do something a little different, but in this case the experiment stumbled. A decent enough read for ardent O'Reilly fans, but those looking for a blast of social-political opinion should seek out his first two books or another author. This one will not quench that thirst.
Rating:
Summary: Apologist for a liar.
Review: The so-called no spin zone is nothing but spin. This "journalist" bullies and talks over anyone who doesn't agree with his sophomoric opinions. True conservatives ought to be embarrased by this guy.
Rating:
Summary: God is looking out for me.
Review: This fop is no more Catholic than he is conservative. FYI, Bill, extreme virtue is never a vice.
Rating:
Summary: Good points whether you like him or not
Review: Bill O'Reilly's show on the Fox news network is known for being over the top and in your face. In his book though, he shows a calmer side. His main points are that Americans are too greedy and that U.S. parents need to take care of their children better. I disagree with some of his arguments. When it came down to it though, I agreed with O'Reilly on how society is falling apart. He blames this on the "Numero Uno" effect where everyone is only looking out for themselves. I thought this idea was brilliant. The book is a good and easy read, it took me only two nights to finish it. The way he writes, it feels as if you're just listening to a talk show. To me it doesn't matter what side of the political spectrum you stand on, if the argument makes sense, I'm ready to listen to it. But if you can't stand O'Reilly on his show, you may not enjoy to read the book, either. If that's the case, it's too bad, because he makes good solid points that reveal real problems in our society. And, no matter if you like him or not, or agree with his conclusions or not, this book brings up arguments everyone should at least consider.
Rating: 
Summary: Commonsense not Ideology
Review: A quick look at me. I watch very little TV and have never seen Bill O'Reilly on any show. I have also not read any of his other books so therefore I come at his with a clean slate. I am a middle of the road politically, beginning to lean to the right (I think most people do as they get older). With that out of the way let me review the book. This book is really about helping yourself. You see to many people believe that the government is really one giant insurance agency providing insurance for all of their needs, health, retirement, low income (welfare), etc. However, the federal and/or the state governments were neither designed for this nor equipped to do these tasks. Therefore when government attempts to run these programs, they end up being rife with corruption and usually have the opposite effect of what they are intended for. If your understand this you will understand why Bill says that you need to look out for yourself, this does not mean being selfish instead it simply means you should analyze each situation and decide what is best for you. Pretty commonsense stuff if you ask me. So then why all the negative reviews? I think it goes back to the point that most people are just to plain lazy to think for themselves. They are also too lazy to work hard to succeed. These people want everything handed to them on a sliver platter and when things don't go their way, they want to be able to fall back on the 'government insurance' programs. To counter many of the hateful and negative reviews that slam Mr. O'Reilly as a right-wing extremist; let me tell you he does NOT come off overly conservative in this book. Logical, thought provoking, insightful, yes; conservative, no. His attacks on G. W. Bush are well placed and not coincidently well deserved. The person who he names as 'the gold standard for public service' is ROBERT KENNEDY (69). If Mr. O'Reilly was really this right wing attack dog as many have opined on this web site I wonder why he chose to criticize Bush and praise Robert Kennedy? Perhaps a quote from the book might help explain how the author thinks about things. "Finally, the war in Iraq proves once and again that ideologues can never look out for you. They are too blinded by the light on the right or the left and they will never see things for what they really are. If you are become an ideological prisoner, the truth will always elude you because you will never seek it. Instead, you'll evaluate each issue and problem with an agenda: trying to prove your ideology is correct.
The antidote to this is to reject a rigid political philosophy and discipline yourself to think logically. Gather facts. Facts always look out for you. And that's a fact." (157) Good job Mr. O'Reilly
Rating:
Summary: Chalk up Another Bulls-Eye for O'Reilly
Review: Employing the style and wit characteristic of him, Bill O'Reilly unleashes yet another ' and in my opinion his best yet ' attack on the rich and powerful in America, asking a simple and fundamental question: Who really is looking out for you? Before getting into the specifics, I want to again beg the reader to form her OWN opinion of O'Reilly based on what HE says and writes prior to listening to anyone else's opinion on the guy, including my own, for I have and continue to have the following discussion with people who usually consider themselves relatively smart: "What, YOU like that loudmouth Bill O'Reilly?" "Well yes, I like his style, and I find myself agreeing with him often, but not always." "I can't stand that conservative idiot." "What about him don't you like? His show?" "Oh no, I'd never watch him or the Fox News Channel and their conservative agenda." "Oh, I see. Which one of his books did you dislike?" "None ' I'd never read that propaganda." "Okay, but with all due respect, how exactly is it that you feel that you can have an educated opinion about O'Reilly, if you haven't read or heard a single thing about the guy?" "Oh, trust me, I know enough. After all, I read the [insert left-wing paper here] every day." Trust me, I get this on a daily basis being a graduate student of philosophy, and got it over and over again while in law school. People who bash O'Reilly without having the slightest clue about him or his beliefs, choosing instead to take whatever their agenda-driven newspaper prints on faith, are a dime-a-dozen. So why do it? Because it's so easy. Please pardon the preaching, but seriously, do your own thinking when considering O'Reilly (or anything else, for that matter). There's nothing wrong with abstaining from a particular debate by stating that one doesn't know enough to have an opinion about it. In this book O'Reilly scans contemporary culture and politics, analyzing notable figures in each under the simple rubric of whether, in O'Reilly's opinion, they are really looking out for us, or simply looking out for themselves. O'Reilly addresses how and why he thinks the left goes out of its way to tag him as a conservative, why the left's portrayal of the War in Iraq was so despicably inaccurate and misleading, the disgraceful treatment of pedophilia scandals in Rome and elsewhere, the lunatics in Hollywood who suddenly took up the hobby of being foreign policy experts leading up to the War in Iraq, and others. Give O'Reilly a chance before you decide to reject him out of hand. I've enjoyed O'Reilly's books almost as much as I've enjoyed talking about O'Reilly with people who think they have an educated opinion of him - without reading one shred of what he's actually written. The fact is, Bill O'Reilly IS looking out for us, and he actually DOES things that help people. Is O'Reilly always right? Not at all, but if there is one thing he does well and consistently, it is that he THINKS FOR HIMSELF and backs up what he says. Is O'Reilly often in-your-face, rude, and annoying? You bet, but some people need that sometimes. O'Reilly's analysis is usually sound and when he's giving you mere opinion, he says so and begs the reader to either form her own opinion or do her own research. If you're mulling over buying your first O'Reilly book, this one is just fine ' it's obviously the most contemporary of his three works of non-fiction, and I found it more fun to read than the previous two, and the people I know who have read all three books agree.
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