Book review: “American on Purpose” by Craig Ferguson
From Sunday’s Life section of The Oklahoman.
“American on Purpose” is humorous, poignant, uplifting
Craig Ferguson demonstrates the same easy intimacy he often uses on his late-night TV show and never lets silly jokes get in the way of strong storytelling in his humorous, often heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting memoir “American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot” ($25.99, HarperCollins).
With a knack for descriptive details, the comedian/musician/writer/TV personality first chronicles his tough childhood in his native Scotland, where he grew up in the Glasgow suburb of Cumbernauld. He disputes a recent ranking of the town as the No. 2 worst in the United Kingdom because there’s no way the top-rated city on the list could possibly match his hometown for sheer badness.
With a steady pen, the 47-year-old recounts his topsy-turvy life’s journey: his phase as a punk-rock drummer, ill-fated adventures in alcoholism, stand-up comedy debut as the oddly named character Bing Hitler, failed marriages and affairs, successful stint in rehab, TV breakthrough on “The Drew Carey Show” and his unlikely 2005 casting as the host of CBS’ “The Late Late Show.” He handles each topic with such wry frankness, it’s hard to imagine he’s held much back.
Along the way, Ferguson, who became a U.S. citizen in 2008, shares his fervent love for America, a passion that started in childhood, when NASA responded to his letter about becoming the first Scottish astronaut with a book and two posters of outer space.
Ferguson knows how to forge a connection with his audience, whether telling fondly of his “Gunka” (Uncle) James taking him on his first outing to a real record store or relating the Christmas story in which alcohol abuse drove him to plot his suicide, but then prevented him from following through, since he got too drunk to leave the bar that holiday eve.
And he knows just how to share his adoration for his adopted homeland — which he refers to as “the land of the second, third, and 106th chance” — with a sincere pride that many native-born Americans could stand to adopt as well.
— BAM
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