Keep It Pithy: Useful Observations in a Tough World

by Bill O'Reilly

From the bestselling author of  Killing Lincoln  and host of Fox News' top show  The O'Reilly Factor , the best of Bill O’Reilly’s provocative writing—reflecting his ideas, wisdom, and core values

Bill O’Reilly is one of the most recognized and talked-about journalists of our time. With an unparalleled track record as an author and with the #1-rated Fox News show, The O’Reilly Factor , O’Reilly has become a veritable institution of political insight and keen advice. In Keep It Pithy , O’Reilly offers a classic collection of the most memorable writings from his bestselling books, and looks back at how his opinions and ideas have been proven right or wrong by the passage of time. With his trademark candor and no-nonsense approach, each chapter focuses on a core theme as it gathers O’Reilly’s thoughts on the most compelling issues of our time and provides readers an illuminating guide to the American cultural landscape.
 
A spirited and personal book, Keep It Pithy is the perfect addition to an O’Reilly fan’s library, or the best introduction for the few left uninitiated.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Audiobook, Social Issues, Social, Essays

144 pages, Hardcover

First published May 7, 2012

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

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to Keep It Pithy on audiobook on a trip. This is the first O'Reilly book I have read, and I was really impressed with it. It is written in easy-to-understand, everyday language. Bill O'Reilly's dry humor is hilarious, if you know how to appreciate it. As far as his opinions, I agreed with him most of the time, but not always. This book gave some good advice for a young, college student like me. It has good advice for parents on how to teach their children with love and discpline, as well as how to deal with issues in American culture today. Finally, I liked how O'Reilly addressed the blatent hypocracy of the American left and the obvious flaws in the European, Socialist societies (and how it WILL NOT WORK WELL AT ALL over on this side of the pond).

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

O'Reilly has phoned in several of his books, but this is ridiculous! KEEP IT PITHY is nothing more than a slapdash compilation of selections from O'Reilly's earlier writings, supposedly representing "the pith" of O'Reilly's famously aggressive stances on various topics. Problem #1: These are O'Reilly's better-known arguments, so don't expect anything you haven't already heard before, unless you live under a rock. Problem #2: In giving us just the pith, all the factual support and reasoning behind said arguments goes completely out the window. Problem #3: There is absolutely no reason for this book to exist, other than to fulfill a book contract and further line O'Reilly's pockets.
This book is an insult to O'Reilly's fans and the reading public in general. It's something that O'Reilly could have easily slapped together in a single day. Ann Coulter did something similar a few years back, and it made me angry then, too. KEEP IT PITHY probably deserves one star, but I'm bumping it up a notch because the short little editorials actually make for fairly good bathroom reading once your gift subscription to READER'S DIGEST expires. Just please-for-the-love-of-God don't pay good money for it.

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have read anything by this author, you will enjoy this hidden gem. It is short and sweet! The content covers material from a few of the author's previous books and analyzes whether or not he was on point in his predictions concerning politics. In addition, Mr. O'Reilly also gives sage advice on how to withstand the swirling winds of progressivism without violating one's own conscience. I like this author as I can tell he is a man of integrity and character. The book is an extremely easy read and can be read in one day.

[Christina Teilmann · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a windbag. This only confirmed what was already my opinion of Bill O'Reilly; that he's a foghorn enamoured with the sound of his own voice. Shut up already.

[Terry Cornell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read most of O'Reilly's books except some in the 'Killing' series. (not that I don't plan to read most of them eventually) This was a little disappointing as it pretty much was a re-hash of material from his other books. He did make more current comments on some sections, but these were very brief. It was nice re-visiting the not so distant past, and most of this material is timeless. Photos are included, I think just to take up more space to make the book seem longer. A very quick read. Unless you get this at a bargain price--I recommend some of his other works.

[D G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid reflections on a life in journalism.

[Lynda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't understand how Bill O'Reilly's books have become bestsellers. The only two reasons I can come up with is that he's a fan of conservatives and they are written in simple, sentence structure with an absolutist tone that appeals to many conservatives. He denies the conservative label, preferring to label himself as a libertarian, but his views on many issues belie this. I had hopes for this book because the previous two books of his which I had read: "Killing Kennedy" and "Killing Lincoln" were wonderfully written and provided riveting accounts of the complexities of both presidents. However, those two books had a co-author who works for the New York Times. These two books have a different writing style than "Keep it Pithy," a more sophisticated, in depth analysis of the issues of the times. This leads me to believe that it was the co-author who likely did most, if not all, of the writing of the "Killing" Books. "Keeping It Pithy" is written exactly as the title implies: no nonsense with a lack of intellectual analysis of the political and moral issues facing our times. Of course, there is a chapter dedicated to his obsession on the non-existent "War on Christmas" and short analysis of his view of the various presidents. The book is too simplistic on issues such as drugs and crime which have more to do with child abuse and brain chemistry than just simple badness. I am glad that I am not a friend of his because he can be harsh toward them. He writes that if someone doesn't return his call after he's called them twice, he dumps that friendship. While it is rude to not return phone calls, there are many reason, other than simple rudeness, which can account for such indifference such as depression, personal problems, etc. Bill O'Reilly lives in a world of black and white which does not account for the complexities of human actions. However, he is very good at admitting his mistakes. He admits that he erroneously thought that Romney would win the 2012 election. He also made a giant leap in his evolvement concerning gay marriage. Years ago, he considered it to be an affront and dangerous to traditional marriage and society. However, he now understands that there is no rational reason to be against gay marriage, other than religious ones, and that, living in a secular society, we cannot deny marriage to gays solely on religious grounds. He even went so far as to admit that it is mostly the "Bible thumpers" who object to gay marriage. He now admits that gay marriage is of no threat to social values and he had been mistaken about his prior objection. It takes a decent man to admit his mistakes so I give him credit for that. However, this book only gets two stars because of the poor, simplistic writing style and the lack of depth concerning the issues he discusses. I would not recommend this particular book but definitely recommend reading his two "Killing" books which are masterpieces.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw this book sitting around a friend's house so I asked if I could read it. This work is a compilation of brief "pithy" observations, predictions, and short interviews that O'Reilly has done over the last twenty years. The author in his introduction even stated (and I'm paraphrasing): "You're probably not going to learn anything new here, this is all old stuff most of my fans already have heard, but if you want to read the book I won't stop you."

The book is only 130 pages long and has plenty of white space and many photographs. Therefore, you can blow through this entire work in about thirty minutes if you are so inclined.

On the positive side, some of O'Reilly's observations are relatively entertaining and witty. Furthermore, the author's tone is not as nasty or negative as most of his counterparts in the right-wing punditry. O'Reilly does show a certain sense of humor and the ability to make light of himself, which is evident to anyone that has witnessed his interactions with his friend and political opposite, Jon Stewart.

I would recommend this work only to "fans" of O'Reilly's commentary.

[Thyme Wisper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never thought I would be reading a book from Bill O'Reilly, nor writing a favorable review. I never liked the glimpses I saw of him (always accidentally) on television. He seemed too loud and obnoxious. And then I saw him being interviewed on CBS This Morning as a promotion for this book and found that I liked what he said. He was not loud and thoughtfully responded to questions. And his answers made sense. So I decided to get the book.

What a delightful read! I didn't agree with some of his opinions, but I had a clear understanding of where he was "coming from". I liked it so much that I decided to get a paperback version for my father, whose views are very much like the views of Bill O'Reilly. Finally there was something I could share and enjoy politically with my father. And that is the main reason I will think of this book with fondness...

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like watching Bill O'Reilly on TV. My favorite part of his show is probably his opening Talking Points Memo, where he gives a practical, no-nonsense take on a current event that I usually agree with.

This book is short -- small in size and 140 pages with plenty of white space -- and consists mainly of dialogue that looks like it is pulled directly from Talking Points from his show. I don't know; I admire O'Reilly because he does give huge amounts of money from his books to charities, and as I said early, I do largely agree with him. But to just publish a "book" of your on-air discussions seems like a bit of a cop-out.

If you like O'Reilly, you'll probably enjoy this brief book -- especially if you don't see the show and thus haven't heard his thoughts before.

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually really enjoy Bill's books. However, this one irked me a bit. It is really just a commentary on his past writings, most of which I have already read. It felt as though he felt pressured to come up with another book quickly, and simply went through the motions of commenting on some of his previous work. I gave it three stars simply because the original material was good, but there simply was not enough new material to be rated any higher.

[DeBora Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book because his Killing Lincoln book is one of my very favorite books. Although this book was good, I didn't feel I learned anything new from it. On another note: he's a good reporter and I'm glad he shares his viewpoints. Fast, easy read - took me less than a few hours to read cover to cover with a break in between.

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 Stars

Just short, pithy! collections of O'Reilly's opinions on certain items. I am scratching my head at the purpose of this book since if you watch his show or have read ANY of his other books, they are in those.

[Matthew · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst book na this guy is full of shit.

[Dana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Extreme political views.

[Margie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Useless rehash of other books. Maybe 80 pages of content, none of it new.

[Amber Andrews Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh...it was ok.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook. If you
Like O'Reilly, you'll like this book. Mostly previous material updated or still relevant.

[Book Shark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keep It Pithy: Useful Observations in a Tough World by Bill O’Reilly

“Keep It Pithy" is an interesting look at a Bill O’Reilly’s political philosophy. It’s a journey in which O’Reilly looks back at his original thoughts and takes an updated look at them. Best-selling author and conservative talk-show host icon Bill O’Reilly shares his views over the years in a rapid straightforward manner. What does this Secular Progressive (S-P) reviewer have to say about this book? Find out.

This direct 162-page book includes thirteen chapters broken out by the following three parts: 1. State of the Union, 2. State of Yourself, and 3. Keeping it Pithy.

Positives:
1. A well-written, concise book.
2. An interesting look at O’Reilly’s views over the years and whether or not they have changed much.
3. An easy to follow format that readers can easily reference back. Very accessible and dare I say fun to read.
4. Candid thoughts. I appreciate the bluntness; it’s actually refreshing so allow me to extend the courtesy. “I’m not likely to disagree all that much with what I’ve opined in the past. Exceptions are notable, and I will note them. Most of these quotes from my writings will require no explanation. My core values have not fundamentally changed.”
5. To a critical thinker like myself some of the philosophy does resonate with me. “Hard work and discipline lead to economic success. Government handouts and unsupervised policies of pity only rob people of incentive.” Agreed.
6. I’m pleasantly surprised by some of his takes. “I know this much to be true: It is not easy being a minority in the United States. Not only are you outnumbered, but the crushing weight of irrational ignorance is, generally speaking, directed toward you far more than it is at the majority. Sometimes whites in the USA overlook racial bias entirely because it does not affect them.”
7. Kudos to Mr. O’Reilly for tackling the clerical sex scandals. “When Cardinal Law learned of abusive priests, did he leap up in outrage, throw out the perverts, and call the cops? No, he did none of those things, according to his own sworn testimony. Instead, he kept the situation quiet so it wouldn’t hurt his standing in Rome.”
8. Provocative. O’Reilly is anything but boring. “But forcing all incoming freshmen to read any book praising a specific religion does violate the mandate that public universities have to live by in order to receive tax dollars.”
9. Interesting look at money, “In short, this country has developed a ridiculous blind spot: the power and glorification of money.” I’m a capitalist and so is Mr. O’Reilly but I understand where he’s coming from and agree.
10. A reasonable look at dealing with fear. “I believe that overcoming fear is an essential key to living a useful and honorable life. Taming fear also trains a person to stand up to injustice. This is very important.”
11. Kudos again to Mr. O’Reilly for the following, “On the other hand, religious fanatics who demonize gays and other alternative groups aren’t covering themselves with glory, either. Yes, I know about the references to homosexuality as “an abomination” in Leviticus, but I also know what the Old Testament says about slavery.” Wow, I agree.
12. My favorite quote of the book. “Tammy, it is your right to believe in the Bible and live according to it. It is not your right to impose that belief on anyone else. I happen to believe that all Americans have a right to make a living and have a lifestyle free from religious judgment. As long as gays or any other group do not intrude on you, they should be left alone.”
13. There are some interesting exchanges in the book. My favorite and most compelling discussion was with Fox news contributor Sandy Rios regarding a story involving openly gay Ellen DeGeneres, J. C. Penney, and a conservative family organization known as One Million Moms.
14. The book is full of lists and I do l like lists. There is a list on what O’Reilly believes or the No Spin Zone commandments. Including, “I believe that global warming is real.” I do too.
15. An interesting rant-fest illustrated by celebrity headshots.
16. Three examples of what influenced O’Reilly to change his mind, quite good: the presidential election of 2012, the Iraq war, and gay marriage.

Negatives:
1. My biggest bone of contention is O’Reilly’s misrepresentation of atheism and the so-called negative impact it has on society. I will illustrate some examples in which the contrary is the case and use some of his comments to show you so.
2. The Constitution was largely devised by James Madison and is a secular document. There is no mention of God, Christ or any Supreme Being to be found in ANY part of our document! BTW Madison was also in charge of drafting what ultimately became the First Amendment. The great Thomas Jefferson wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which was the inspiration behind the First Amendment. His response to the Danbury’s Baptists letter from October 7, 1801, “I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus BUILDING A WALL OF SEPARATION between Church and State.” The caps are my emphasis. This was Jefferson’s vehicle at the time to make a major public policy announcement.
3. “The tired ‘separation of church and state’ argument is used again and again to justify attacks on spirituality in the public square.” Really? Our secular Constitution is intended for ALL Americans not just for Christians. The public square is per definition public, for all. It’s precisely this separation (and a tax-exempt status) that has allowed religions to flourish in America. Separation of church and state is one of America’s greatest contributions to the world. It’s a concept that is a model for religious liberty and has given our citizens more religious freedom than any other nation. The question you must ask yourself does separation harm religion and the unequivocal answer is NO!
4. “Almost every social change the secular-progressive movement wants to achieve is opposed by religious Americans. Therefore, the more the S-Ps can diminish religious influence in America, the faster their agenda can become a reality." Actually, religion has been perhaps the biggest obstacle toward progress in society. Let’s take a look at gay marriages. The Bible considers gay sex as an abomination punishable by death. Death? Is this the kind of society we want to live in one that would most closely reflect Uganda than say Denmark?
5. “The rise in dysfunction parallels the rise in secularism, no question about it.” Really? Have you taken a look at the globe lately? Secular countries/societies as a whole are not only more functional but are generally better in every meaningful metric. Theocratic countries are the epitome of dysfunction. Please refer to Phil Zuckerman’s excellent book on this topic, “Society without God”.
6. “So, if everyone was religious wouldn’t the world be a much better place in which to live? Of course it would. And if there is no God at the end of it all, what does it matter? You’re in the ground or scattered to the winds. If the deity is a fraud, you won’t possibly care. You’re gone.” Pascal’s Wager Mr. O’Reilly…please don’t insult the intelligence of your readers.
7. Disagree on the following pithy subject, “4. Understand and respect Judeo-Christian philosophy.” Being able to criticize bad ideas is a hallmark of being American. An immoral passage in the Bible such as Thou shall not suffer a witch to live needs to be called out. The endorsement of slavery and not just indentured servitude needs to be called out and that’s why I’m proud to be an American because I have the freedom to do so. I can’t morally respect such beliefs.
8. A good point that illustrates why I’m a nonbeliever, “If you have to convince someone to be your friend, the concept of friendship falls apart. Like love, you can’t force it.” A deity that espouses the idea of “love me or go to hell” is not worthy of my worship.
9. Very little supporting material. No note or links to references.

In summary, this was actually a fun and breezy book to get through. Surprisingly, I have more in common with Mr. O’Reilly than I anticipated. Some of his ideas resonate well with me while my biggest bone of contention has to do with most matters concerning religion. I did not reject religion because I lack a moral foundation I reject religion and specifically the Abrahamic religions precisely because of my superior moral sense. Any book that endorses slavery, the death of witches, the killing of women for not being virgins on their wedding night, the death of gays just to name of few is not worthy of being a moral guide. I hold myself to higher standards and I’m accountable to my fellow human beings and my fellow citizens and so should you. Worth reading even if you are a S-P just like me.

Further suggestions: “Culture Warrior” by the same author, “A Nation of Moochers” by Charles Sykes, “No, They Can’t” by John Stossel, “Things That Matter” by Charles Krauthammer, and “Society without God” by Phil Zuckerman.

[Mitchell Kimbrough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read,

For anyone unaware of the word pithy, it means forcefully expressive. I had never heard that word before a day in my life. I have been a fan of Mr. O'Reilly since his show on Fox News. He understands all sides of every issue and has an approach that's respected by republicans and democrats. He's one of the few journalists who does not isolate with a one-sided perspective. He's a journalist without an agenda, he simply reported the news in an even way that could be viewed by anyone open to REALNESS.

There is a lot of great thought provoking quotes in this book. Mr. O'Reilly has a quote that sums up the liberal intention or any liberal presidential candidate perfectly, "The more you make, the more we take". This man knows what he's talking about an has been on the front lines of many historical news stories, and reports from a nonbiased perspective that's missing today in TV News. If you want to hear his views on parenting, the economy, top priorities if he were running things, President Obama and a host of other issues, READ "Keep It Pithy".

Keep It Pithy: Useful Observations in a Tough World

[Melissa Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was formatted to be a quick, easy read, and it was great. Bill O'Reilly is unapologetic in his unpopular beliefs--and extremely persuasive. He wastes no time getting to the point and backing up his logic.

A wide variety of topics are covered, and O'Reilly encourages readers to think for themselves.

I appreciate that he possesses the humility to change his viewpoints from time to time, rather than clinging to the popular opinion of his political party.

Bill O'Reilly is a valuable voice in an era when more and more Americans prefer government support over hard work.

I highly recommend this book. It was an easy read, entertaining, and enlightening. I applaud the writing style. Well done.

[Gable Roth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not an O'Reilly fan but I got this book as a prize and figured that since I owned it, and since it was short, then I might as well read it. It was OK. He has some interesting ideas. I agree with some of them and am terrified by others. It scares me that so many people follow him, or people like him, so religiously. One thing he says in this book is to think for yourself. I think that is very true. Don't believe everything someone tells you. Form your own opinions and don't be afraid to disagree with people on some points while still agreeing with them on other points.

[John Biddle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had this one around for awhile and finally got to it. Keep it Pithy is a compendium of some of Bill O'Reilly's more memorable moments, at least the ones he still agrees with. I like O'Reilly's in your face, aggressive style and I mostly liked his politics though over time I liked them less and less. If you're a fan you might like this one, even though it's a rehash of what you probably already know. If you're not familiar with O'Reilly I'd recommend almost any one of his many other books before this one.

[Anne Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I'll admit I've never listened to O'Reilly on TV or radio and the only other books by him that I've read were in the "Killing" series which I enjoyed. This book was short and sweet and didn't kill any brain cells. Its appeal to me was that it championed personal responsibility, which I feel is quite lacking in our country, and adhering to one's ethical and religious values.

It was written in 2013 which made it very dated - would be interesting to see a followup set in 2024.

[wayward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bill O'Reilly is such a good author, but he is also a good orator. This book brought both together. He has always been an easy read for me. I have enjoyed the research he does for any book.
"Keep It Pithy" was humorous and thought provoking. I could almost hear him saying each section on the show.

[Andrew · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the shortest and worst O'Reilly books. O'Reilly does warn the readers before the book starts so I was not expecting much. However, this is still a desperate attempt to sell more books. O'Reilly throws together a random collection of soundbytes and ruminates on these ideas. It was a brief read but difficult to recommend to others.

[Michael Vincent · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, but not enough facts - more about his philosophy which is generally libertarian conservative. How has he come up with his opinions? Very weak when he talks about "marriage" and how God will work it out in the end. God has already revealed to us about His definition of marriage and feeling about homosexuality in the Bible. (pp. 99-100; not just Leviticus)

[Starla Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book off the shelves for its title. I will admit, I only know O'Reilly for his books like "Killing Lincoln". I have never seen him as an anchor and I did not know his views, but this was a very eye opening and informational piece. I feel that anyone, with any opinion on these topics, would still benefit from reading this book.

[Troy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the weakest Bill O'Reilly book I have read. His biography and Killing series are better. He doesn't explain his viewpoints, sometimes he's quoting old interviews and many times the point of being concise hurts his debate. This is a short book, but don't expect to change your thinking or learn something from it.

[Liz Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely book of O'Reilly's collection of writings he has published over the years. If you're younger and just getting into politics this would be a great book for you. I would hand this book off to every highschool graduate if I could! Enjoy!