Saturday Night Live’s 50th season kicks off on Sept. 28, featuring hosts Jean Smart and Jelly Roll. The hype is already huge for this historic season—and why wouldn’t it be with an upcoming presidential election, plus another interesting summer of pop culture? And on top of that, there’s a new movie, Saturday Night, arriving in theaters Oct. 11 that dives into the premier episode from 1975.

So with all that hype, it’s easy to see the beloved late-night sketch series isn’t slowing down anytime soon. If you’re a SNL fan, check out these recommendations on the Libby app to celebrate and learn more about the iconic show.

Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live by Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller
🎧 Audiobook

Every SNL fan needs to read or listen to this unbelievable oral history. The masters go into great depth on the history of the show, interviewing an endless amount of cast members, writers, TV executives, former hosts, and producers.

You’ll hear all the backstage stories, the show’s high points, the moments critics panned it, and gain a deeper understanding of what makes SNL truly special. I go back to this book every few years and learn something new.

Bossypants by Tina Fey
🎧 Audiobook

It’s impossible to tell the SNL story without Tina Fey. Her time at the show is legendary, from “Weekend Update” to her Sarah Palin impression.

Listening to the audiobook version feels like you’re sitting next to her as she tells you about working on set, balancing career goals with real life, and how 30 Rock and Liz Lemon came to be.

Yes Please by Amy Poehler
🎧 Audiobook

Another popular SNL bio, this collection of Amy Poehler’s stories, thoughts, ideas, lists, and haikus gives you insight into Tina Fey’s partner-in-crime. Plus you’ll hear great stories about her time with other great comedy troops, stories about Parks and Recreation, and again, balancing career goals and real life.

A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost
🎧 Audiobook

The “Weekend Update” anchors must love writing books, and this one by the current co-anchor Colin Jost is a great choice for your SNL reading list.

Growing up in a family of firefighters on Staten Island, Jost recounts commuting three hours a day to high school, “seeing the sights” (like watching a woman throw a stroller off the back of a ferry), and attending Harvard while Facebook was being created. Told with a healthy dose of self-deprecation, Jost shares how he has navigated the world like a “slightly smarter Forrest Gump.”

Born Standing Up by Steve Martin
🎧 Audiobook

While Steve Martin has never been a regular cast member, you can’t tell the story of Saturday Night Live without him. He’s hosted 16 times (most recently in 2022) with only Alec Baldwin beating that record.

Martin’s autobiography is about his early career as a standup, including his time at SNL in the 1970s. You won’t get any of the new stuff (sorry, Only Murders in the Building fans) but this book should give you a good idea of what SNL was like in its earliest days.

Wild and Crazy Guys: How the Comedy Mavericks of the ’80s Changed Hollywood by Nick de Semlyen
🎧 Audiobook

Looking for stories about some of Saturday Night Live's early legends? Pick up this title from 2019. Learn the stories of the guys who started the movement—Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Steve Martin, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, and Eddie Murphy.

It starts with the fist fight at SNL between Chevy Chase and Bill Murray, and then goes in-depth on the shows and movies these former hosts and cast members starred in.

If your love of the show extends to National Lampoon's Vacation, Beverly Hills Cop, The Blues Brothers, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, this is a great choice.

Don’t miss the 50th season of SNL or these related reads on the Libby app from your library.

*Title availability may vary by library & region.