"Either You Love Him Or Hate Him!"

Two-time Emmy Award winner for excellence in reporting, Bill O'Reilly, most appropriately describes himself in his latest book, Who's Looking Out For You, when he quotes one media analyst who stated: "O'Reilly comes off like a jerk or a genius depending on who you talk to."

There is no shortage of useful advice in O'Reilly's most recent tome, wherein he advises his readers in a frank tone (be they his followers or not), to look out for themselves, as no one else is looking out for you. However, as he maintains, this does not imply selfishness or only looking out for "Numero Uno." Rather, O'Reilly endeavors to present and promote a series of principles or tools that will improve one's ability to recognize who really cares about oneself as a person, and who does not.

In order to get his message across, O'Reilly describes his own professional experiences, as well as his attitudes pertaining to world events, which are clearly interwoven with the counsel he proffers to his readers. We are told to be vigilant with whom we associate, not to take everything we read for granted without first questioning who wrote it, make sure we surround ourselves with a good support system of friends and acquaintances, who will be there when we need them, become a problem solver and not a creator, keep foolish mistakes to a minimum and learn from them, develop our minds and body, practice tolerance, and try to be as independent as possible.

Granted much of O'Reilly's recommendations are nothing new or unique, and the book may have its flaws, however, this in no way detracts from the worthiness of his advice. Without doubt, O'Reilly's writing is at times very strong bordering on the dogmatic, however, for the most part, he does succeed in pulling his anecdotes above the level of the parochial and he does effectively connect them to the realism of the larger world.

Reviewed by Norman Goldman
Courtesy Bookpleasures
Posted September 19, 2004

Bill O'Reilly is mad as hell - and he's not going to let you take it anymore. In his most powerful and personal book yet, this media powerhouse and unstoppable truth-teller takes on those individuals and institutions in American life who are failing in their duties - big-time. In his inimitable style, mixing wit, pugnacity, and plain common sense, O'Reilly kicks butt and takes (and also names) names - from crooked corporate weasels to venal politicians to lazy and/or politically correct bureaucrats to sexually predatory priests and the Church hierarchy that protects them to a media establishment rife with political bias and economically hooked on violence and smut. At the same time that he calls the famous and powerful to account, he dares to get personal, questioning just how much our closest friends, families, and lovers do look out for us, and delivering a powerful message about personal responsibility and self-reliance in an uncertain world. He forces us to ask just how much genuine altruism is left in a society that thrives on self-indulgence and ruthless competition. Who's Looking Out for You? is a book that boldly confronts our worst fears and biggest problems in a post-9/11, post- corporate-meltdown world. Its sage, candid advice on regaining control and trust in these troubled times will resonate with the millions of readers and viewers who have come to believe in Bill O'Reilly as the man who speaks for them.