Al Franken, Giant of the Senate

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During stressful times, comedy can nurture like a cozy warm blanket on a chilly winter morning. Al Franken, Giant of the Senate manages to find humor, sarcasm, and optimism (yes, optimism) in a political climate that grows more intense with each passing day. Sure, Senator Al Franken is a funny guy, but I really wasn't expecting such an enjoyable read with so many laugh-out-loud moments.  Recommended By Corie K-B., Powells.com

Today I read that the man who swore to preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States declared that same constitution bad for the country (sigh). I'm glad I just finished Al Franken: Giant of the Senate. Franken is whip-smart (read the book, you'll laugh), outspoken and a transparent, unapologetic, democratic lover of America. It's Al Franken! Of course the book is hilarious. Of course it contains a number of anti-Republican rants. It also pulls the curtain back on actual legislative processes and explains what being a senator really means both in daily action and in big picture aspiration. Franken spends time on his battles with self-censorship and how he struggled to keep his funny, smart mouth shut in order to best serve his state and his country. Lucky for the reader he shares many of the snappy replies that he swallowed in this book. I laughed loudly many times. I commiserated with the rage. I appreciated the insider look at an institution that becomes more bizarre by the moment. In the end though, Senator Franken had me in tears (for two chapters actually). Senator Franken has hope. He loves his country. I love my country, too.  Recommended By Kathi K., Powells.com

It's rare to read a book that manages to be funny, well-written, and very informative about the inner workings of the United States Senate. I consider it my civic duty to tell you to read this book: it's a brief light in the very dark tunnel of American politics. Recommended By Ashleigh B., Powells.com

From Senator Al Franken — #1 bestselling author and beloved SNL alum — comes the story of an award-winning comedian who decided to run for office and then discovered why award-winning comedians tend not to do that.

This is a book about an unlikely campaign that had an even more improbable ending: the closest outcome in history and an unprecedented eight-month recount saga, which is pretty funny in retrospect.

It's a book about what happens when the nation's foremost progressive satirist gets a chance to serve in the United States Senate and, defying the low expectations of the pundit class, actually turns out to be good at it.

It's a book about our deeply polarized, frequently depressing, occasionally inspiring political culture, written from inside the belly of the beast.

In this candid personal memoir, the honorable gentleman from Minnesota takes his army of loyal fans along with him from Saturday Night Live to the campaign trail, inside the halls of Congress, and behind the scenes of some of the most dramatic and/or hilarious moments of his new career in politics.

Has Al Franken become a true Giant of the Senate? Franken asks readers to decide for themselves.

"This is a great book about politics. No joke...Compulsively readable [with] laugh-out-loud lines in every chapter." Booklist (Starred Review)

"In this excellent, insightful memoir, comedian turned senator Franken recalls his unlikely path to public service...Franken is quite a raconteur, and he tells the story of his remarkable life and times with a sense of humor that is always irreverent and often self-deprecating." Publishers Weekly

From the #1 bestselling author - the story of an award-winning comedian who decided to run for office and then discovered why award-winning comedians tend not to do that.
AL FRANKEN, GIANT OF THE SENATE is a book about an unlikely campaign that had an even more improbable ending: the closest outcome in history and an unprecedented eight-month recount saga, which is pretty funny in retrospect. It's a book about what happens when the nation's foremost progressive satirist gets a chance to serve in the United States Senate and, defying the low expectations of the pundit class, actually turns out to be good at it. It's a book about our deeply polarized, frequently depressing, occasionally inspiring political culture, written from inside the belly of the beast. In this candid personal memoir, the honorable gentleman from Minnesota takes his army of loyal fans along with him from Saturday Night Live to the campaign trail, inside the halls of Congress, and behind the scenes of some of the most dramatic and/or hilarious moments of his new career in politics.

Senator Al Franken has represented Minnesota in the United States Senate since 2009. Before entering politics, he was an award-winning comedy writer, author, and radio talk show host. He's been married to his wife, Franni, for 41 years-many of them happy. They have two children, Thomasin and Joe, and three grandchildren. Senator Franken graduated from Harvard College and received his doctorate in right-wing megalomania studies from Trump University.