American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot

When I started to read this book I was not aware of the emotions it would bring to me. I have also read Between the Bridge and the River and fell in love with that book too. Ferguson proves himself to be a really good author and I hope we see more coming from his pen. His story is told in a matter-of-fact way, very candidly, no excuses and I know too few people who can make that happen. But as you read, you can see the emotions just beneath the surface. I laughed, I cried and I want to read more from this guy! Bravo, Craig Ferguson. I applaud you.

...the funniest, most entertaining and by far the most appealing of all these guys (Letterman & Leno included)--maybe of all the guys I've ever encountered in real life--shines through every page of this unputdownable, occasionally harrowing, tenderly hilarious memoir. It's all here: Ferguson's playful wit, his utter lack of pomposity, his willingness to laugh at his own farty (as he might put it) humanity along with everyone else's, and his endearingly chivalrous streak apparent even when he's at the abyss of bad behavior (which he captures in all its rawness). If you're not a fan yet, you will be. So buy the book and change your bedtime...or at least set your TIVO. In this case, Scotland's loss is most definitely America's gain.

The idea of a little boy growing up far across an ocean and eyeing the gleaming shores of this country has been tarnished of late by our misadventures as a superpower. And now, suddenly and with the power that only a good writer can summon, it's back. Odd, isn't it, that America never looks so good as through the eyes of someone who wasn't born into the privilege of this particular Democracy? I read this book in a single sitting; starting the journey with a host who escorts us as easily through his life as he does through an hour of television every night. From the mean streets of a mean childhood, to the gilded halls of Washington, and through the backdoor that led him to television stardom ... with a long and poignant stopover in the haze of alcoholism. What an adventure! If you don't empathize with the man when he shakes his fist at the stars in the middle of the desert and chooses uncertainty just for the hell of it, you're not living right. WIth the gentle hindsight of a man who has come out the other side of that haze, Ferguson is kind to virtually all the people in this adventure ... and Lord knows, it's uncommon enough for someone who makes their living in Hollywood to act that way. This is a terrific read. Enjoy it.

"American On Purpose" is Craig Ferguson's no holds barred look at his own life. From his beginnings in a poor section of Glasgow, Scotland through his drug and alcohol use, Ferguson doesn't spare the details of how he has evolved into the host of the "Late Late Show." Ferguson is his own harshest critic, and his true wit shows through in his writing. The book is funny, fast-paced, and even has a happy ending! My final thought on the book is based on a line from the book at the end of Chapter 3: "... and the toys still talk." Read the book, watch his show, and you'll see that they do.

I've always loved Craig Ferguson as a comedian, but now I have a newfound respect for him as a person. American on Purpose delivers a funny and touching account of his journey from Glasgow to Hollywood. He is honest about about his alcoholism and drug use, his decision to become a US citizen, and everything in between. This is a surprisingly candid and literate memoir, a refreshing change from the usual celebrity tell-all.