American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot

Craig Ferguson's autobiography is heartfelt, candid, insightful, and quite funny. He is brutally honest about his shortcomings and alcoholism and what it takes to manage it on a day to day basis. He describes many painful scenes from his life, starting with early childhood in Scotland, and continuing through the many twists and turns his life has taken since as a drummer, stand up comedian, actor, and late night tv show host. His choice between lamenting the pain or finding a way to laugh about it is what has allowed him to "continue to fail until he succeeded."

I enjoy Craig Ferguson's show and his sense of humor, so as I started reading American On Purpose I was pleased to find that it was funny but at the same time insightful and inspiring. It seemed like there was a bigger message in there about addiction, America, and life in general, and it reminded me of a combination of Bill Bryson's understated humor and Alan Alda's insightfulness.

At least that's what the first 1/4 of the book was like. After that, things unfortunately went downhill as it became what I thought was a rather dull recitation of practically every thing that ever happened to Mr. Ferguson. The humor of the first 1/4 of the book - which had me laughing to myself frequently and even out loud a few times - basically disappeared. The reader learns about every famous person he met, every woman he slept with, and every audition and job he had. And while that might make sense if it all came together into some kind of coherent message, it never did. Mr. Ferguson briefly and timidly dips his toe into a broader meaning or lesson toward the end of the book, but it doesn't amount to much of anything. I found that, by the end, I really didn't care about his story because he never made me feel sympathetic toward or inspired by him. Which is a shame, because I think the material is there for a much more effective and powerful story. He just didn't seem to know how to tell that story.

It also got old hearing Mr. Ferguson complain about how practically everyone in the entertainment industry other than himself is a complete idiot, and that everyone who meddled in any way with his vision of a character, a film, etc was a misguided fool. I actually started to dislike him after seeing that side of his personality. Even his later attempts at humor came off frequently as cruel instead of funny. And the self-deprecating humor - which I usually love - often seemed more like a disingenuous attempt to deflect attention away from his criticism of others.

On another note, Mr. Ferguson's constant use of run-on sentences by placing commas where there should have been periods or the occasional semicolon was downright aggravating. How did such poor syntax get past the editors? There are literally hundreds upon hundreds of this throughout the book, and it didn't take long before it got quite annoying.

So I guess I'm in the minority when I say this book didn't do much for me. I certainly began reading it with an eager and open mind, but I thought Mr. Ferguson fell flat, and in the end I was disappointed with it. It's a fairly quick and easy read though, so even if you agree with me you will not have invested a lot of time in it. And if, like most of the reviewers here, you like it a lot, that's great. I'm not trying to argue with anyone who disagrees with me; I just want to put my thoughts out there so people can decide for themselves whether they want to read it too.

From listening to folks talk about this book and Ferguson's life before he went sober, I expected a gruesome account of a broken down life with hardly any happy moments. Instead the book does not dwell on any dark spots or too much on the drinking and drug aspect. During Craig's time with addiction, he really had a pretty good life with a band and some TV shows in England and very meaningful relationships--at least that is the way I read it. It was enjoyable to read. I am not surprised that he is so successful today despite his past drinking because he has a strong sense of life and I don't think he ever lost sight of who or where he came from. He only went to that one rehab and he has never looked back.

Craig actually use to live next to my relatives in LA and I met him pulling out of his driveway one time.

He's very private off-camera. But thought I'd give the book a whirl to learn more about the neighbor.

It's as entertaining as you would expect it to be, with wittyness and color. What's unexpected is the all-to-real traumatic experiences
that would have made any other story into a drama adventure.

The fact that Craig fully discloses in a tongue-in-cheek manner, was an inspiration. Loved reading how he could turn things around and look at his challenges with a spin...if only we could all do the same.

As an insight to Craig Ferguson, this is an interesting and amusing read. Only if you're a fan of his antics on TV, however.

If you don't know Craig's work on tv and pick this book up, you're going to find a rather rambling autobiography that, while having some fun anecdotes, doesn't tie together into a cohesive expression at any point in the narrative. Without having 1st hand knowledge of Craig's personality traits and mannersims, the narrative really doesn't have alot of punch.

But if you are a fan, pick up this book as a good supplement to his personality.

The Book Report: Scottish prole grows up in emotionally chilly, physically cold as hell Glasgow, turns to drugs and alcohol to fill gaping emotional void, screws over a variety of people as all alkies do, and one day wakes up to learn he doesn't like himself, his life, or his future. Rehab, restitution, success, and true love follow.

My Review: I herewith confess: If Craig Ferguson was even a teensy hint queer, I'd be on a plane to Cali and camped on his doorstep with flowers, candy, and a leg iron. He amuses and impresses me even more after reading his pretty darned candid memoir.

I'm a complete pushover for a man in a kilt anyway, but when he can act and tell jokes the way this man can...! Ferguson, the host of "The Late Late Show," made me laugh so hard I cried when he said of his son's mother: "No, really, she's a lovely woman. For legal purposes." I heard nothing of his show for the next five minutes because I was shouting with laughter, and Mr. Man was a little put out that I kept referring to that line (okay, I shamelessly stole it, and I still use it, and unless I get a cease-and-desist letter I'm gonna keep right on) to the point of having a jealous fit. (Thanks, Craig!)

I am also a sucker for men who come to the USA with dreams of success and end up in love with our amazing, incredible, flawed, imperfect, conservatism-ridden paradise. Ferguson fell in love with the USA in its warty glory, and he rightly credits this astonishingly open society with a goodly measure of his own success. His talent plays an acknowledged role, but he makes sure to tell his readers that his life wouldn't be possible anywhere else. It's very heartening to me, and it's an instructive reminder that, problems and blemishes be damned, the rest of the world rightly and justly thinks we're on to something here.

Lastly, but far from least, I'm a complete sucker for a good story told by a good storyteller, and this book most certainly is that. Ferguson can't resist telling tales, no doubt polishing them up a wee bit, but not always in his own favor. He can't resist making light of things that sink many an alkie person's life, and sank his own, and thus takes the ponderousness out of the idea of recovery. I've read a fair bit of recovery literature but I'm always fatally put off by the earnest, well-meaning "Amazing Grace"-ness of it all. A person's personal spiritual awakening is, and should remain, just that: Personal. In other words, BELT UP ABOUT JESUS. Ferguson not only does, he makes it clear that he has a BIG problem with religion. *swoon* My lands, just when I thought he couldn't get more magnetically, hypnotically gorgeously attractive!

So should others read this? Yes. It's fun, funny, and touching; it's honest and it's gritty; and in the end, it's a pleasure to get to know Craig Ferguson as well as if he were the bloke on the barstool next over.

Seems there's little Mr. Ferguson can't do. Apart from being a darn good memoir - charming, funny, smart and poignant -- this book is one of the best books on addiction I've read in some time. Well done!

I happened to buy this book at the same time I bought the Penn Jillette "Go No! ...", and the link between the two is how brutally honest the authors are about themselves (or at least seem to be). The difference is Craig Ferguson is contrite about what he got up to!

As expected, he covers his life from early days in Scotland (his hometown itself an interesting side story) to the books publication. It included the "full version" of the stories he has hinted about or glossed over on his Late Night talk show. He talks about the things that inspired him, both to greatness (like his dream of living in New York) and his failures (the drinking culture of his formative years).

The book has several stand out aspects. First is the way he blends humor into the story, even into some of the darker sections, to keep the book moving and from become... well... to gloomy. Some really bad things have happened in his life, worse than most of us will face.

Another is that he is able to "explain" the crazy logic (often alcohol inspired) that drove many of his decisions that "normal" people would otherwise not understand. This is a tricky thing to do.

Lastly, I would like to mention how "non-preachy" the book was. Although any reader should be able to draw obvious life lessons about the dangers of alcohol and some of the things Americans take for granted, he does so without specifically condemning. I particularly liked a section where he talked about addictions - that although he took drugs, he is really "just" an alcoholic - the drugs were not for a high, they were to let him drink more, or hide it better.

It's hard to call a person who had such a rough time and who lost so much "lucky", but I think he would be the first to agree.

If you buy the book to learn more about Craig Ferguson, you will end up trying to convince your friends who don't know who he is (and that's most of them, I mean, he is on CBS for Christ's sake) to read the book, because his is an impressive story.

I did buy his fiction story, Between the Bridge and the River, but have not had time to read it except chapter 1 as a teaser, and I am already hooked.

This hobo stopped in for a chicken dinner, but stayed to read "American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot" by Craig Ferguson, host of The Late Late Show.

Hobo? Chicken dinner? Just a couple of things Craig tosses about on his show. I watch his show fairly often. I am a late night person and want something to occupy my mind while I sew. Dave and Craig and Jerry are my entertainers. For a good while I've been convinced that Craig ad libs his monologue. His book puts that question to rest: He does. It puts to rest a number of other thoughts I've had about Craig.

He is much more accomplished than I thought. Who is this Craig Ferguson who became host on a late night show in America? How did he get the job? Not that I had any idea or interest in the others. I like this guy with the attractive accent dressed in an attractive, mischievous, flirtatious, sometimes repulsive and annoying demeanor. But he's nearly always entertaining.

I don't often read memoirs or biographies, but thoroughly enjoyed this one. I don't even remember why I ordered the book. I can say, however, that he writes the most eloquent chapter about what it is to be American and why he became American. He's most assuredly worth quoting: Interesting. I cannot find a single sentence I want to quote out of context. It's the context that makes his praise of becoming American so touching, while simultaneously recognizing and appreciating his Scottish roots.

One thing he thanks America for is a second chance at becoming more than a failure, as he deems himself for so many years, first in Scotland, then in America. Alcohol and drugs made him a rotten stink of a man on many occasions. However, this book becomes a rousing story of overcoming the odds of addiction and is worth promoting on that basis alone.

He rarely unfairly treats anyone. He speaks ill of only a handful of people, but has the decency not to name them. To the women he loved, he is uncompromisingly appreciative and kind, behavior refreshingly welcome and surprising in a memoir.

The book is so well-written (I don't mean a literary classic) that I wondered if it was ghosted or co-"written," but discovered he has also written a novel. A person who can write a novel can write his own memoir. Nothing should be surprising about this man's vast pool of talent or unrelenting need to work and create.

If you know nothing about Craig Ferguson, look at the picture on the cover of his book. That quirkiness pretty much sums up his personality and the rare treat you will get for reading "American on Purpose."

(Note: Be forewarned that he sprinkles the f-bomb throughout, enough to notice but not so much that the reader wants to toss the book in the trash.)

I believe one of the main reasons this book has been reviewed so highly is because it's the perfect book for a casual reader. Very short chapters with one and two syllable words. I won't go as far as saying it's more like a pilot for a series but the structure feels similar at times. In conclusion, if you're feeling the urge to read something lighthearted, funny and cute go for it.