A Bold, Fresh Piece of Humanity: Book Review

The book is Bill O’Reilly’s autobiography. It wasn’t what I expected. Mr. O’Reilly doesn’t just chronicle his life story, he tells how his past has made him the person he is today. He also tells how people can “get ahead” in capitalistic America no matter what their background.

I found O’Reilly’s elementary school stories entertaining. We also learn about his high school years, college years, and his career. I was hoping for information about his wife and family, but he says he guards that very carefully. When I looked on the internet I discovered he married a woman seventeen years his junior, and he has two children; a daughter who is ten and a son who is five.

Mr. O’Reilly has written eight books and a myriad of articles. He hosts an hour long TV program and has a daily radio show. But in his book, Mr. O says he doesn’t work to make money; he has plenty of that. He works because he enjoys what he does. He says when we die we leave behind a legacy. He says our legacy will be the wrongs we have righted and the people we have helped; therefore his passion is to right wrongs and help people.

Mr. O’Reilly talks a lot about American culture and the music that has been popular over the years. I think the younger generation might not know many of the songs he writes about. However, he quotes lyrics to make his point.

I enjoyed the chapter on power. Mr. O’Reilly talks about some of our presidents, then some TV personalities. He says some people enjoy the spotlight. He also says it’s hard for people at the top to stay there because they tend to lose their motivation.

Some people think O’Reilly is conceited and interested only in promoting himself. That crowd probably might not be persuaded otherwise even if they read his books. Those of us who like him, see him very differently. That O’Reilly is “looking out for the folks” is evident in this book, as it is in his others.

A Bold, Fresh Piece of Humanity

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