A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity

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.

Customer Reviews:

Who hid the nun's underwear under the bed??

Who hid the nun's underwear under the bed?
Who is Bill O'Reilly and where does his passion come from? What is the impetus for his gritty "No Spin Zone" attitude? What and/or who shaped his vision and philosophy? Well folks it's all in his new autobiographical book A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity. From his childhood experiences, to his rough and tumble news career, to his now famous cable TV show, Mr. O'Reilly takes no prisoners and holds nothing back. He is who he is and he makes no apologies for his confrontational style. His "attitude" is for truth, honesty, and defender of the "little guy". Like him or dislike him, you have to admire his forthright views and passion. He thrives exposing the political spin world of obfuscation, stonewalling, parsing, and sometimes outright lying. The truth is out there but it takes a Bill O'Reilly to cut through the spin.
Shaped by small town values, a strong parochial school background, a traditional nuclear family environment, and "Leave it to Beaver" friends, Mr. O'Reilly attacks the world with gusto. Shunning the `60s drug and alcohol craze, Mr. O'Reilly substituted his passion to experience natural highs. He engaged the world he found and worked to make it a better place. The book is replete with his life examples and how he dealt with the world he found. Did he make mistakes? Sure. Was he always right? No. But he learned by doing and never gave up his quest for the truth. And that speaks volumes to who Bill O'Reilly is. In the end, Bill O'Reilly does it his way and that is good.
All in all a good solid book. Interesting vignettes of his life experiences and how these shaped his views and personality. I found the book to be an informative read into the life of today's best news commentator. I would have liked to know a little more about his current personal life but I understand his need for familial privacy.
Recommended for those who like biographical reads.
So Bill, did Clem really hide the nun's underwear under the bed??

2008-12-02

Written with all the skill of an average high school student

I got this book as a gift, and I'm now glad I didn't waste my money on it.

I had hoped it would be funny. It really wasn't. I had hoped it would be insightful. Not at all.

Worst, it is amateurishly written.

Buy it, but only if you want to read the word "bloviate" on every page.

2008-12-02

A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity

I'm a faithful "Factor" viewer but found this book disappointing. It's written at a fifth grade level and the ideas are one dimensional and simplistic. The author's constant third person reference to himself quickly became irritating

2008-12-02

A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity

O'Reilly's a hoot! Good reading, and it's fun and interesting and fun to know his background. It can bring us all back to our roots.

2008-12-01

Bill O'Reilly Review

A well-written, humorous and honest review of the life of Bill O'Reilly.
Entertaining and an easy leisurely read.

2008-11-30