The No Spin Zone by Bill O'Reilly (Author)

From the Back Cover
“[O’Reilly] is the Real McCoy. He’s the best reporter I’ve seen in years . . . He is smart, well-read, has good values . . . and he is fearless in picking targets.”
–Newsday

“This explosive anchor can be articulate, bombastic, scornful, witty, iconoclastic, passionate, persuasive, and sarcastic”
–Publishers Weekly

“[O’Reilly’s] brand of hard-nosed, regular-guy TV talk is here to stay.” –Newsweek

“[The No Spin Zone] vibrates with O’Reilly’s gruff Irish wit and elbows-on-the-bar social criticism.” –Atlanta Journal-Constitution

JAMES ELLROY, who contributes an Afterword to The No Spin Zone, is a famed novelist and journalist who profiled Bill O’Reilly for the magazine GQ.

Is there anyone on the planet who doesn't have at least some idea of who Bill O'Reilly is? He is best known as the host of Fox News Channel's top-rated program, The O'Reilly Factor; he is also the number one best-selling author of a book by the same name. It is not a news program in the sense that it doesn't report news but instead has the capacity, more often than not, to make news. There is kind of a train-wreck fascination to observing O'Reilly work and it shines through, in spots, in THE NO SPIN ZONE.

O'Reilly is capable of asking just about anything, a tactic that has earned him the reputation of being rude. O'Reilly's questions, though, are his reason for being. They are not rude questions; they are simply questions that need to be asked and, more importantly, need to be answered. It is doubtful that Saddam Hussein would ever consider sitting down for an interview with Bill O'Reilly. O'Reilly, unlike Dan Rather, would have left the kid gloves at home. That is not, however, because he is a fan of George Bush, who has been in the No Spin Zone a time or two.

O'Reilly is akin to Arizona Senator John McCain in that he is accused of being conservative but does not fit the definition of either "conservative" or "liberal." O'Reilly points out in THE NO SPIN ZONE that he believes global warming is real, but that the environmental movement has hurt America; that he doesn't believe in the death penalty, but only because it is too soft a punishment; and that, while he would not outlaw abortion, he considers it a ghastly procedure that should be restricted and views it as a human rights issue. All of these positions raise the ire of conservatives and liberals alike, though not at the same time and not for the same reason. However, it is not unusual to find yourself wanting to kiss the screen one moment and put your foot through it the next, no matter what your political persuasion may be.

The book THE O'REILLY FACTOR was primarily about O'Reilly, but THE NO SPIN ZONE is mostly about O'Reilly's television program and what has occurred during some of his more notable interviews. Almost all of the chapters have a format. Each begins with an exchange between O'Reilly and a guest, followed by some extended written comments by O'Reilly; an edited transcript of the exchanges between O'Reilly and his guest du jour; and some additional editorial comments by O'Reilly.

O'Reilly made his bones by posing hard questions to people as diverse as James Carville and George W. Bush, Susan Sarandon and Laura Schlessinger. His insights of, and exchanges with, these individuals are found in THE NO SPIN ZONE. Similarly, those who have declined his invitations to sit and chat --- Hillary Clinton, Al Gore and Jesse Jackson, among others --- are spotlighted in his book as well. O'Reilly is sunlight and his questions are disinfectant; there are those who can stand his questions and those who scurry for the baseboards. THE NO SPIN ZONE can help you sort out who is who, if you don't already know.

THE NO SPIN ZONE is a quick read. O'Reilly's style is conversational to a fault; one can almost hear his voice as each sentence is read. The chapters can be perused in any particular order, depending on the reader's interest. While it is doubtful that even the most vociferous observer of current events will find everything in here interesting, it is a near-certainty that everyone will find at least something worth reading here. And while the flavor of the show does not always translate well to the printed page, THE NO SPIN ZONE, like its predecessor, will no doubt encourage those unfamiliar with O'Reilly to check out his television show at least once. If that is O'Reilly's purpose in publishing THE NO SPIN ZONE, he has accomplished it.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub