We need relief from political drama, now more than ever. Al Franken delivers a dose in his Al Franken, Giant of the Senate. From the title alone, we understand the author, best known as a comic writer and performer for Saturday Night Live, will deliver his own style of “truthful hyperbole.”
Perhaps only in Minnesota, a state that elected a professional wrestler for governor, could the comedian Franken become a senator, albeit with the slimmest of margins against the incumbent. Then again, the whole country made the star of a reality show president, so who knows?
Franken won reelection six years later with a comfortable margin and felt more at ease revealing all in his new book. The revelations indicate a more appropriate book name to be Lamb of the Senate in that Franken’s expectations were turned on their collective heads by the reality of the Senate. Franken thought he must know each of the issues on which he voted in depth. Silly man. He has staff for knowing details. And speaking of staff, don’t give credit to staff for brilliant ideas. Those ideas are yours alone. That piece of wisdom came from a staffer.
The book is an excellent dive into the workings of the Senate from the perspective of a newbie and you can rely on Franken to keep the conversation light with a joke or two, most at his own expense.
I recommend you put political preferences aside and get this book. We need something light coming from Washington.