I need to make it clear here. I have not bought O’Reilly’s new book. I have not read his new book. I did stop by the bookstore and look through the index. So this is a review of the index of his new book. Not totally fair, but telling none-the-less.
There is absolutely no mention of Oak Ridge, Tennessee in the index. Nothing. Now O’Reilly’s book is about the last year of World War II in the Pacific theater. Certainly, it includes the story of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which in surveys of history professors, ranks as the most important events of 20th. century American history. It ranks near the top in world history surveys too. No disagreement from me there.
I am profoundly biased. No claim of objectivity at all. What happened in Oak Ridge is the greatest untold epic story of American history. And yes, I assumed that O’Reilly would spend some time on this amazing story. Nope. Nada. Nothing.
I sent a copy of my book, Ignored Heroes of World War II, to O’Reilly in late June. Haven’t heard a peep out of the man. Perhaps, one night, while his book sits at #1 on The New York Times bestseller list, he will pick up Ignored Heroes and realize there was an opportunity lost for him. Perhaps he might decide that this would be a perfect opportunity for him to talk about Oak Ridge on The O’Reilly Factor. In an accompanying letter with my book, I made the case.
Keep your fingers crossed.