This is one of those books that you can't put down. I bought it to occupy myself for many days and wound up reading it so often that I was done in two.

American on Purpose is written in the sort of down-to-earth and easy to read language that you might expect from Craig Ferguson. His life story, seemingly lifted from the pages of a novel, is a wild up and down of triumphs that make you want to cheer and long stretches of misery that make you sad and angry at the same time. American on Purpose, as the title suggests, does offer a unique view of America from the eyes of a foreigner. More than that, though, it is a thought-provoking look into alcoholism and addiction that has resonated more profoundly with me than any other book on the subject that I've read to date. ( )

I have to admit that after years of watching Craig Ferguson's talk show, he's come to feel like a friend... but I promise not to stalk him. I read his novel, Between the Bridge and the River, and enjoyed it, so have been anticipating this book. I enjoyed the book, though after listening to so many of his stories on the Late Late Show there isn't a lot of the book that is surprising. It is nice, though, to have it laid out as a coherent narrative rather than a story here and there.

Craig grew up near Glasgow, dropped out of school at 16 because he hated it in school so much - apparently it was a violent place not conducive to learning, though he has been an avid reader all his life. He spent a few years at this and that, and found what he wanted to do in comedy, after a while playing the drums in a few bands. However, he had also found the bottle and that it numbed his terrors.

Ferguson had wanted to live in America since his first trip to New York when he was 13. He made it, and here he went to rehab His life improved a lot after that. He got a job as a regular on the Drew Carey show, made a few movies, then got the job as host of the Late Late Show.

It is easy, after the painful years we've had in the U.S., to forget why people from other places aspire to come here:

"For me, becoming an American was not a geographical or even political decision. It was a philosophical and emotional one, based on a belief in reason and fairness of opportunity." (p. 268).

A friend of mine loves a saying, "God make me as good a person as my dog believes I am". So my new prayer is "God make this as good a country as our immigrants believe it is". ( )

American On Purpose is Craig Ferguson's story of how he traveled from a childhood in Scotland to a career in Hollywood, an American citizenship, and a descent into and recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. Though Ferguson is a comic, the story is mostly told with heartfelt, straightforward honesty. He comes across as a likable guy who made some mistakes along the way, but who never gave up on his dreams. The story offers some interesting and fresh insights into addiction and takes us behind the scenes in Hollywood movie production.

I enjoyed this book and ended it feeling like Ferguson is a regular guy I'd be happy to know. I especially liked the love and respect with which he describes both his friendships and his marriages. Ferguson is a regular guy who still managed to achieve his big dreams through persistence, surrounding himself with people who believed in him, and clear self-reflection.

I listened to the audio version of American On Purpose read by Craig Ferguson himself. He mentions in the book the positive affect his Scottish accent has on the ladies. Does it ever! The gorgeous Scottish burr is easy on the ears and hearing him tell his own story adds a nice depth and sincerity. I recommend listening to this book if possible. ( )

http://www.book-blog.com/2009/09/ferg... ( )