Snarky, intellectual, and sarcastic, Al Franken and Tom Davis were veterans of the “Saturday Night Live” writing bullpen. While Franken has gone on to host a radio show, write books, and run for political office, Davis has been less visible. THIRTY-NINE YEARS OF SHORT-TERM MEMORY LOSS is Davis's memoir about his life with and without Franken and SNL. Davis reads the work himself, which fails as often as it works. When it fails, Davis rushes through as if the subject were someone else's life. He ends one story and immediately starts the next one without a pause. The structure is also problematic, as he jumps from years to year with no apparent pattern. Overall, the book is interesting, though more behind-the-scenes SNL stories would be welcome.
Pub Date: March 1, 2009
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
James Michener tells the real stories behind the man and his books. The recording is read with skill and consistency although the reader does little to enhance the robust, larger-than-life incidents related in the book. Due to the first-person narrative format, there is no opportunity for the narrator to change his voice. This makes some chapters monotonous as they go on and on in the typical Michener style. The listener may also become confused because the stories are not told chronologically. This is not a great choice for the audio format, but Michener fans may stick with it to the end.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In a quest for a sense of inner contentment and self-worth, Gloria Steinem brings the reader on a journey of investigation and discovery. Steinem reads the text herself in a straightforward and friendly, but not intimate, presentation which is so easy to listen to it invites repetition--thus ensuring the painless relearning of the lessons of the book. It's difficult to tell from the reading that this audiobook is abridged; each section can stand alone. Nonetheless, the listener wished the book were unabridged. Steinem left me wanting to learn more.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Dove Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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