Riding the Elephant: A Memoir of Altercations, Humiliations, Hallucinations & Observations

Ferguson, the former host of CBS’s Late Late Show, charms in his third book (after American on Purpose). Using what he calls “a collection of recollections and observations that... don’t fit in any other format’s than this book’s,” he shares stories that include growing up in 1970s Scotland, accidentally eating dog in Sri Lanka, and meeting Princess Diana (he recalls how “easy it was to make her laugh”), as well as instances of his successes and downfalls both big (alcoholism) and small (a bad case of teenage acne, which he describes in hilarious detail). Throughout, Ferguson takes pride in his marriage to Megan (his third wife), his two sons (from two different marriages), and becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2008. The memoir’s title is a reference to being high on marijuana, something Ferguson swore off along with alcohol when he became sober in 1992. Readers might expect the memoir of a funnyman to be endless laughs, but Ferguson doesn’t hesitate to show his serious side in sections on his mother’s death and finalizing a divorce. Ferguson’s fans will certainly turn out for this smart, humble, and witty memoir. Agent: Mel Berger, WME. (May)