Still Foolin’ ’Em: Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys?

If you have to choose between the print and audio editions of Billy Crystal’s memoir, know this: if the book is funny, the audiobook is drive-off-the-road hilarious. It opens with a live performance of the book’s first chapter at New York’s Cantor Film Center, with Crystal enjoying the audience as much as the audience is enjoying his reading. As he riffs on the unspeakable aspects of aging, the book comes alive with impromptu jokes and ad-libs. The subsequent chapters deal with his life and career, and are replete with funny and tender moments alike. Crystal deals with his bar mitzvah memories, his early stand-up career, and his film success (and failure), along with more poignant and personal stories, e.g., the sudden loss of his father when he was 15 and the abiding love he’s felt for his wife for more than four decades. Crystal also offers unforgettable interpretations of well-known public figures and recreates many of his more memorable comedic characters. Some lighter portions of the book switch back to a live performance, but more personal revelations are an intimate exchange between Crystal and the listener. A Henry Holt hardover. (Sept.)