A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity

by Bill O'Reilly

The year was 1957, the month September, and I had just turned eight years old. Dwight Eisenhower was President, but in my life it was the diminutive, intense Sister Mary Lurana who ruled, at least in the third-grade class where I was held captive. For reasons you will soon understand, my parents had remanded me to the penal institution of St. Brigid's School in Westbury, New York, a cruel and unusual punishment if there ever was one.
Already, I had barely survived my first two years at St. Brigid's because I was, well, a little nitwit. Not satisfied with memorizing the Baltimore Catechism's fine prose, which featured passages like "God made me to show his goodness and to make me happy with him in heaven," I was constantly annoying my classmates and, of course, the no-nonsense Sister Lurana. With sixty overactive students in her class, she was understandably short on patience. For survival, she had also become quick on the draw.
Then it happened. One day I blurted out some dumb remark, and Sister Lurana was on me like a panther. Her black habit blocked out all distractions as she leaned down, looked me in the eye, and uttered words I have never forgotten: "William, you are a bold, fresh piece of humanity."
And she was dead-on.
One day in 1957, in the third-grade classroom of St. Brigid's parochial school, an exasperated Sister Mary Lurana bent over a restless young William O'Reilly and said, "William, you are a bold, fresh piece of humanity." Little did she know that she was, early in his career as a troublemaker, defining the essence of Bill O'Reilly and providing him with the title of his brash and entertaining issues-based memoir.
And this time it's personal. In his most intimate book yet, O'Reilly goes back in time to examine the people, places, and experiences that launched him on his journey from working-class kid to immensely influential television personality and bestselling author. Readers will learn how his traditional outlook was formed in the crucible of his family, his neighborhood, his church, and his schools, and how his views on America's proper role in the world emerged from covering four wars on five continents over three-plus decades as a news correspondent. What will delight his numerous fans and surprise many others is the humor and self-deprecation with which he handles one of his core subjects: himself, and just how O'Reilly became O'Reilly.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Politics, Memoir, Autobiography, Biography Memoir, Audiobook

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Bill O'Reilly's success in broadcasting and publishing is unmatched. The iconic anchor of The O'Reilly Factor led the program to the status of the highest rated cable news broadcast in the nation for sixteen consecutive years. His website BillOReilly.com is followed by millions all over the world.

In addition, he has authored an astonishing 12 number one ranked non-fiction books including the historical "Killing" series. Mr. O'Reilly currently has 17 million books in print.

Bill O'Reilly has been a broadcaster for 42 years. He has been awarded three Emmys and a number of other journalism accolades. He was a national correspondent for CBS News and ABC News as well as a reporter-anchor for WCBS-TV in New York City, among other high-profile jobs.

Mr. O'Reilly received two other Emmy nominations for the movies "Killing Kennedy" and "Killing Jesus."

He holds a history degree from Marist College, a master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Boston University, and another master’s degree from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Bill O'Reilly lives on Long Island where he was raised. His philanthropic enterprises have raised tens of millions for people in need and wounded American veterans.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/billor...

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What more could you ask for? It's easy to read and understand, funny, and will give you a perspective you may never have considered. For all those people who hate Bill O'Reilly, yet have never watched his show or read any of his books but blindly spew the mantra of the far left, please read this book! You may be surprised by the humble beginnings of that little hellion also known as Bill O'Reilly and the experiences that made him what he is by smacking him around. How would today's educators/policy makers refer to Bill and his cohorts? "At risk" is the phrase that comes to my mind, justifiably as two of Bill's good friends died young and many got mixed up in self destructive behavior. What made Bill different? Read this book and find out! I'll give you a hint--it has a lot to do with personal responsibility.
Because of the influence of the far left media, it is easy to dismiss Bill O'Reilly. Before you do that, realize that he does the best that he can to help the folks that don't have all the resources that he has. Bill has done his best to expose the people who have stopped Jessica's law because of his desire to protect children. For the same reason, he has come out against specific liberal judges who merely lecture those who sexually abuse children. He has lead the charge against illegal immigrants who are arrested for various crimes and released to harm more U.S. citizens. Bill has blasted members of Congress, such as Barney Frank, who have devastated our economy. On Bill's TV show, when he brings up a topic, he brings in 2 representatives of different view points. Watch The Factor and find out! I can hear some of you grumbling--stop grumbling and read this book and watch his show a few times objectively.

[Rodger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know there are many who don't like O'Reilly but I think he is the fairest interviewer on TV. He always lets both sides have their say, even if he is a little arrogant. (did I say a little?)

Bold Fresh tells about his life and how he came to hold the viewpoints he holds today.

Call me whatever you want, I like O'Reilly and The No Spin Zone.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I've only read one of Bill O'Reilly's other books (I think it was his original) and I also read his novel "Those Who Trespass" (which wasn't half bad that I can remember, but it's been a few years), but I've always liked O'Reilly. Yeah, he's a blowhard. Yeah, he had that fairly creepy sex scandal with one of his underlings a few years back. But I think he busts people's asses who need it, and he doesn't rest on his laurels. He's always riled up about something. I like that. I thought the title of this was just hysterical (he was told that by one of his school nuns, and I don't believe it was a compliment), so that's the main reason I picked it up, but it turned out to be a very entertaining, quick read. The theme of the book is how O'Reilly's upbringing shaped him and his views, so you get an idea of why he thinks (and acts) the way he does. It was surprisingly funny and self-aware, and very self-effacing. He knows he's a pushy know-it-all, and he knows how obnoxious he is. That kind of takes the wind out of his opponent's sails. But mostly, he writes just like he talks--he's brash, bold, funny, kind of dorky, and self-righteous. If you like Bill O'Reilly, it's kind of charming. If you hate him, well--he understands why you do. And he's good with it. In fact, it keeps him in business!

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was there any doubt I would read this book first?

Any doubt that I would like it?

I didn't think so.


Here's what I found appealing about the book:
1) It was genuinely entertaining. Bill is a great writer, and can tell a fantastic story. I can identify with many of the hijinx he pulled that got him in trouble - his telling of the events are worth the read alone.
2) He examines the reasons why he holds the beliefs that he holds. "Why" you believe something is a very important question. I couldn't help compare his analysis of his "why" to my own personal belief system "why."
3) He explains why he goes after bullies today and how it continues to energize him and provide his drive. I have always wondered where his desire to 'take on' the powerful has come from (other than it makes for good TV) and he answered the question.

I'll never forget the first time I saw this guys on TV and thought "what an egotistical blowhard!" Now, he's one of my top 10 people alive today.

[Heather]

I know a lot of people don't like this guy, but he is really smart and I think he sincerely tries to make a positive difference in the world. He gives great perspective to his personality and attitudes in this book.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love my Bill O'Reilly!

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bill O'Reilly has a couple decent books, but most of them are really, really lazy. This is definitely one of the lazy ones. It's part childhood memoir, part political analysis, and part whatever-random-thing-just-happens-to-be-on-O'Reilly's-mind. The childhood stuff is pretty boring, and O'Reilly's rampant ego makes it difficult to take his impressions at face value. The political analysis is breezy and off-the-cuff, with nary a statistic or footnote anywhere in sight. As for the random stuff... Well, for one thing, readers are treated to a list of pop cultural peccadilloes that have annoyed O'Reilly over the past FIFTY years. That's right, O'Reilly bravely sets his sights on things like disco music, Tiny Tim, the SEINFELD finale, and John Travolta's movie career during the '70s. Seriously, this takes up an entire chapter of the book. How exciting, right? How relevant! How could anyone feel as though they weren't getting their money's worth outta this?! The book ends with O'Reilly imparting all sorts of curmudgeonly advice, such as why you shouldn't get a tattoo, and why eating healthy is important.
Duh.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in response to many people at work trash talking the guy. When I asked them exactly why they didn't like him, they usally responded with something like, "He's just crazy"... follow up discussion revealed that none of them actually watch his show. Sooo...I started watching the "The Factor" myself, then happened to see the Bold Fresh book while perusing the new releases and I picked it up. It's a quick, easy read and I found it enjoyable. Bill seems like a guy with solid values, (mostly anchored in his Christian education) who really cares about our country. He has that East Coast, working class, tough guy approach to personal responsiblity that seems to infuriate some people. That being said, anyone who bothers to check the facts will find he donates substantial amounts of his book reciepts to charitable causes. Very commendable.

[Shirleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved listening to this book on tape, even though I do think Bill O'Reilly can come across as a bully on tv. It was so interesting hearing his stories growing up in a poor neighborhood, his insights into the presidents he has interviewed, his belief of the difference between how a president growing up poor (eg Bill Clinton) and a president who came from a rich family (George Bush) approach problems, things he would have done differently, and all interspersed with lines from songs. Hearing Bill tell his story in his own voice may have added to my enjoyment (as opposed to if I had read the book).

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only recently started watching "The Factor" on the FOX news channel and like Bill O'Reilly though I change the channel when things become too confrontational.
This book was interesting and entertaining, and I found myself agreeing with most of his basic ethics and political principles.
He seems like one of the good guys and has great arguments so I don't think he needs to be confrontational, though that seems to be one of his hallmarks.

[Marnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Bill O'Reilly talks about his life & how he got to be that way. I loved the parts about his childhood & when he worked at Carvel as a teen. Parts of it made me laugh out loud. I recommend this book to everyone, whether you're an O'Reilly fan or not. He talks about important values like self reliance, education, religion, & politics & relates it to his life.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Autobiography of the early life of the newscaster.

He's a Big Chill Baby Boomer, and led the same life as all the other people in that generation seem to live. There's the usual undertone of gloating that the Baby Boomers had it better than everybody else, and they made sure of that by ruining things for everybody else. And it's all in Bill O'Reilly's voice.

[Jan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dear Mr. O'Reilly,
Even though I agree with you on many points, and I enjoy your tv show for it's interesting guests and your demand of answers to hard questions, I quit listening to you read your book because I realized that I could never like you as much as you like yourself.
Yrs,
jks

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audio version was very fun to listen to on a long road trip with lots of laughs to keep me company. It's not hard to admire this man, even if you don't think you like him..I challenge any rational thinker to listen and disagree with his sound arguments. Loved his view of power versus wealth.

[Chad · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know very little about Bill O'Reilly, and have only seen his show when channel surfing. I only read this book because someone asked me to, and I wish I hadn't. Throughout the book, O'Reilly refers to himself as "the bold, fresh guy" rather than using personal pronouns "I" and "me". This got pretty annoying after the 20th time.

O'Reilly basically tells his life story, explaining how events in his childhood shaped his attitudes and personality today. That may be interesting for a fan, but I wasn't into it. Here are some of the topics he covers:

People should be self-reliant, and can't look to the government or others for handouts.
Anyone who deliberately harms another human is evil. Evil people usually are that way by nature, and can't be rehabilitated.
He talks extensively about his Catholic upbringing and experiences at Catholic schools, and how he consciously decided to remain Catholic.
He records how events and friends in his youth molded him into the man he is today.
People should be held accountable for their actions.
He includes firsthand accounts of the culture during his early life, including the anti-Vietnam movement, pot smoking, and several presidential elections.
He talks about his quest for fairness being his defining characteristic; he's always standing up to the big guy for the sake of the little guy. He says that's what he's done throughout life, and still does with his cable TV show.

[Teechbiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

What made Bill O'Reilly the man he is today? Was it something that happened to him as a child? Actually it was the child that he was that made him the man that he became.

I think every class has a Bill O'Reilly in it. A Bold, Fresh, Piece of Humanity, and as a teacher I realize that it's up to you to try to help channel all that energy.

My favorite story? The alarm clock. What an excellent idea Bill.

[Mary Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am something of an apologist for Bill O'Reilly because, when he was still on the radio, his show came on at the time I took my nap, and I thought that he was funny and smart and that he was NOT an ideologue. His ego is as bloated as his detractors claim, and I've read that he can be difficult to work with, but he makes no secret of either quality and does, in fact, poke fun at himself, unapologetically, however.

Sometimes I take an early nap and have to listen to Sean Hannity (or turn off the radio and tune in to the BBC online, which is my strategy of choice these days), who (Hannity)is definitely not stupid, but he is a checklist conservative; you know where he is going to stand on every issue. Not so with Bill O., who takes umbrage when conservatives insist that global warming is not a problem or that it is a natural phenomenon that would have happened anyway. Bill O. says, and I agree, what difference does it make, we still need to clean up the planet.

He also leans libertarian, for example, re gay marriage. He has said that committed gay couples should have all the legal rights and privileges as heterosexual couples, and balks only at the designation of gay unions as "marriage." Last I heard (I don't have a television, so I haven't kept up with him since he left radio), he was thoroughly disgusted with the Republican Party. He describes himself as a "traditionalist" and gets huffy if referred to as "conservative." ...

BFPH is MUCH better than CULTURE WARRIOR, which was self-congratulatory, too too cute, and poorly edited... OH! And you must put on protective eyewear or his ego will, I swear, blind you.

This is not the case in BFPH; you can probably get by with regular sunglasses. BFPH is funny, is a shade less self-congratulatory than CULTURE WARRIOR (and more competently edited), and is sometimes wise. And it's an easy afternoon read. He and I are about the same age, so I enjoyed his childhood reminiscences.

I really don't have much use for politics, and I am mystified as to why someone with Bill O.'s energy and intelligence would want to waste those qualities in the role of a self-styled government watchdog as opposed to, say, a pet groomer, but I suppose SOMEBODY has to keep an eye on public policy, because I certainly don't

[Lisal · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book because someone I love and respect asked me to. I was about to undertake a four hour plane flight so I figured I could devote that time to it: I wasn't going to be doing anything else. Anticipating the possibility that my resolve could weaken I ensured that all other reading material was packed away!

I like autobiographies: I always find other people's lives interesting. So despite the fact that I had never heard of Bill O'Reilly, I thought I might well find his life story of interest. And indeed I might have, if he'd written much about it. But very little of the book described Bill's life and experiences. Most was a somewhat repetitive exposition of his absolute views of the world. These include the conviction that everyone can succeed and prosper if only they listen up, man up, work hard and take responsibility for themselves. That some people are just 'evil'. That religion is our salvation. And pages and pages of black and white opinions on what's wrong with America and the world.

Despite repeated claims of being a modest, down-to-earth guy whose main focus in life is his relationships, there was a definite flavour of inflated ego. Perhpas it was the absence of any perceived failures, or perhaps the impression conveyed that his successes always occurred where others had failed in some way - to appreciate an opportunity or correctly appraise situations, for example. And always with the disclaimer 'Not bragging. Just reporting.' Bill advocates the importance of self-reflection. He admits to regrets - but these never convey any real sense of personal failure. Rather, they are regrets such as not eating a good enough diet, not having enough patience and not grilling his interviewees hard enough.

He calls himself a 'bloviator'. I have no idea what that means.

On the positive side, Bill O'Reilly probably is the same person to his friends now that he has always been; and he wrote (actually in an understated way) that he has set up a charitable foundation and contributes to several other charities. So I'm certainly not saying that he's a bad guy...but it's not a great book!

[Damon Lively · Rating 1 out of 5]

I literally picked this book up at a severely reduced rate when Border’s was going out of business. I’m glad I did not spend more – and probably would not have read it otherwise. I have grown - not to be a huge fan of O’Reilly (after watching his show through the years) – I think he is a bit of a mouthpiece and tries to play the “center” card – when he is really far right. Not to mention – it’s annoying to listen to someone talk over people all the time. So I ask myself why I read this again? I guess to be fair and balanced?

There was really nothing worthwhile in this book. Sure – some points of reference during his childhood have a bit of positive impression – but they are sort of self-serving on why Bill is smarter and better than you and I – as opposed to truly teaching a moral or some social guiding point (so in essence – he missed a good opportunity there). Beyond that – the book is just a lot of ranting and haphazard movement to different points or topics – often drifting on a clear reason. He tries to be savvy (or maybe funny) and tie in some pop culture – which is beyond boring. I could care less about his story of vacationing and friendships with past college buddies - only he knows (or would care to know).

The whole thing is sloppy – like Bill woke up and thought it clever to divulge his personal accounts at random – similar to a narcissistic social media blow by blow. When you consider his branching to attempt historical books – I cringe. I hope some of you proceed with caution.

[Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. People should read it.

That's the pithy version of my review. One of the mysteries of the universe, however, is how someone whose father was seemingly always pithy in his comments ended up with a son who is a master bloviater. Although this is a mystery that may never be fully solved, O'Reilly does shed a great deal of light on his upbringing and the values that still drive him to do what he does.

At times intense, often funny, usually insightful - this is a book worth reading. If you are a Factor fan, it's a must read. If you're intrigued with the man behind the show, you'll get a solid understanding of what motivates him. If you don't "like" O'Reilly, you probably won't like his book. (But he won't care).

Aside from the insights on Bill O'Reilly himself, I especially enjoyed his comments about President Bush, Oprah Winfrey, and Donald Trump. In his assessment of each of these, I found myself seeing the person with fresh understanding, and I found O'Reilly's comments both astute and fair-minded.

As an autobiography, I give the book high marks. O'Reilly does not seem to slant things in a self-aggrandizing way, as many who tell their life stories do. He gives the facts, explains his motives and values, and leaves us with a much better understanding of who he is. For that, I give the book 5 stars.

[Janet Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of people hate Bill O'Reilly because they think he's a rabid partisan. The fact is, he may have conservative views, but his job (as he defines it) is to expose people in power of any stripe who abuse their power, take advantage of others, or stand idly by and let horrible things happen that they could have stopped. This book is a memoir in the sense that it recounts stories from Bill's young life and early career, but it's really a "Who I am" book - each chapter looks at one "thing" or "concept" that has shaped Bill's personality, and pulls in stories from his past that illustrate how that thing or concept came to play out in his personality. It examines all the forces that make him who he is. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I admire the work O'Reilly does even if I don't always agree with his opinions.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I enjoyed reading this book, I became bored towards the end. Also, he described his father as a person who didn't have much to contribute towards family conversations. I believe this to probably be true of almost every father who was raised during the depression and should/could have been pointed out by Mr. O'Reilly. I am sure his friend' fathers were like his father.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been only recently that O'reilly has become the symbol of journalistic integrity...the rest of the media has developed a horrendous slant due to the "new" journalism's agenda driven materials...the biographical effort here is funny and entertaining...it delivers the background that has shaped this giant

[Jean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I have often defended Bill O'Reilly to others when they complained of his arrogance, his newest book that delves into his life is one of the most arrogant displays of self righteous behavior I have ever encountered. While I agree with most of his political viewpoints, I will find it more difficult to tune in to The Factor.

[booklady]

Be sure to check out Kay Bolen's review of this book. It's excellent! If I didn't have so many other books I NEED to read and I'm committed to read, I'd pull this off my 'someday' shelf. (sigh)

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the funny stories about growing up in the 50's and the Catholic school experience. I found his constant praise for himself and all of his traits that he considers so admirable to be a bit tedious.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My brother-in-law bought this book for my mother. I thought the cover was cute so I picked it up. I zipped right through it and enjoyed it a lot. I was surprised to find that I agreed with much of what Bill O'Reilly had to say. Very surprised.

[Dan]

Review to come after it is released. Needless to say, it was for work.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

very clear to see how bill would turn out in the future!

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this on my shelf and didn't recognize how it got there. I was actually going to discard it as I lost respect for O'Reilly from his combative on-air interviews and finally the sexual harassment lawsuits.

Still, I though, why not? Maybe I would get some insight into his rudeness and even indiscretions beside generally wanting to be willing to "read what I don't believe."

Actually, the initial paragraph of Chapter 1 offered a point I agree with and echoes my own sentiments:

I don’t endorse candidates for office or shill for them in any way. Party affiliation does not matter to me. Over the years, my philosophy has evolved into this: I vote for the person who I believe will do the least amount of damage to the country. It is rare that a true problem solver is nominated for office, so usually it’s who will do the least amount of harm to the folks.

A lot of the autobiographical vignettes are entertaining, if not enlightening, such as being picked to debate for Nixon against Kennedy at a Catholic school...

Aside from that, his stated philosophy seems hypocritical such as stating "Give most people the benefit of the doubt" while writing off Katrina refugees as lacking in intelligence and wisdom and making wrong decisions he would never do...

Bill even has an essay on select political figures and it is interesting to read his overview of Trump. This includes examining the pointless and "dopey public brawl between Trump and Rosie O’Donnell". This leads to an indirect summary of Trump as a self-aggrandizing bully, "Too many powerful Americans use their status simply to help themselves. That is a bad thing."

Well, it would take one to know one! O'Reilly really seems to love his own brand and while he claims to be "radically independent" his mean-spirited personal attacks with belittling name-calling ("pinhead") feels to me like spite in place of spirited argument.

Also, there is a romanticized celebration of youthful pranksterism and later adult rudeness that seems lacking in reflection and hindsight. I bring it up as it is not only an overt theme here but it seems like I am detecting a pattern autobiographies from better-than-thou types that seems to show this side. I'll be watching for the pattern, now.