Listen free for 30 days
-
Riding the Elephant
- A Memoir of Altercations, Humiliations, Hallucinations, and Observations
- Narrated by: Craig Ferguson
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $20.40
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
You may also enjoy...
-
American on Purpose
- The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot
- Written by: Craig Ferguson
- Narrated by: Craig Ferguson
- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In American on Purpose, Craig Ferguson delivers a moving and achingly funny memoir of living the American dream as he journeys from the mean streets of Glasgow, Scotland, to the comedic promised land of Hollywood. Along the way, he stumbles through several attempts to make his mark - as a punk rock musician, a construction worker, a bouncer, and, tragically, a modern dancer.
-
-
Really enjoyable.
- By Denise Paulsen on 2020-08-08
Written by: Craig Ferguson
-
Between the Bridge and the River
- Written by: Craig Ferguson
- Narrated by: Craig Ferguson
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two childhood friends from Scotland and two illegitimate half-brothers from the deep South suffer and enjoy all manner of bizarre adventures that, it turns out, are somehow interconnected and, even more surprisingly, meaningful. The eclectic cast of characters features Socrates, Carl Jung, and Tony Randall, along with an ex-television evangelist with a penchant for booze, prostitutes, and uncomfortable knitwear who gets mugged in Miami by an almost pure-blooded Watusi warrior - and sets off on a road trip in a stolen motor home.
-
-
not good
- By Denise Paulsen on 2020-09-11
Written by: Craig Ferguson
-
Windswept & Interesting
- My Autobiography
- Written by: Billy Connolly
- Narrated by: Billy Connolly
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his first full-length autobiography, comedy legend and national treasure Billy Connolly reveals the truth behind his windswept and interesting life. Born in a tenement flat in Glasgow in 1942, orphaned by the age of fourth and a survivor of appalling abuse at the hands of his own family, Billy's life is a remarkable story of success against all the odds.
-
-
Amazing Story
- By Heather on 2021-10-22
Written by: Billy Connolly
-
So, Anyway...
- Written by: John Cleese
- Narrated by: John Cleese
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The legendary writer and performer of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame takes listeners on a grand tour of his ascent in the entertainment world John Cleese’s huge comedic influence has stretched across generations; his sharp irreverent eye and the unique brand of physical comedy he perfected now seem written into comedy’s DNA. In this rollicking memoir, Cleese recalls his humble beginnings in a sleepy English town, his early comedic days at Cambridge University (with future Python partner Graham Chapman), and the founding of the landmark comedy troupe.
-
-
excellent, as expected.
- By Zenith VCR on 2019-11-13
Written by: John Cleese
-
A Life in Parts
- Written by: Bryan Cranston
- Narrated by: Bryan Cranston
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bryan Cranston landed his first role at seven, when his father, a struggling actor and director, cast him in a United Way commercial. Soon Bryan was haunting the local movie theater, memorizing and reenacting favorite scenes with his older brother. Acting was clearly the boy's destiny - until one day his father disappeared. Suddenly destiny took a backseat to survival. Seeking something more stable, perhaps subconsciously trying to distance himself from his absent father, Cranston decided on a career in law enforcement.
-
-
Loved it!
- By Marie on 2020-08-11
Written by: Bryan Cranston
-
Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama
- A Memoir
- Written by: Bob Odenkirk
- Narrated by: Bob Odenkirk, Steve Rudnick, Leo Benvenuti
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bob Odenkirk’s career is inexplicable. And yet he will try like hell to explicate it for you. Charting a “Homeric” decades-long “odyssey” from his origins in the seedy comedy clubs of Chicago to a dramatic career full of award nominations - with a side trip into the action-man world that is baffling to all who know him - it’s almost like there are many Bob Odenkirks! But there is just one and one is plenty. Featuring humorous tangents, wild characters, and Bob’s trademark unflinching drive, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama is a classic tale told by a determined idiot.
-
-
Perfect listen for any fan of alternative comedy
- By Adam on 2022-08-17
Written by: Bob Odenkirk
-
American on Purpose
- The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot
- Written by: Craig Ferguson
- Narrated by: Craig Ferguson
- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In American on Purpose, Craig Ferguson delivers a moving and achingly funny memoir of living the American dream as he journeys from the mean streets of Glasgow, Scotland, to the comedic promised land of Hollywood. Along the way, he stumbles through several attempts to make his mark - as a punk rock musician, a construction worker, a bouncer, and, tragically, a modern dancer.
-
-
Really enjoyable.
- By Denise Paulsen on 2020-08-08
Written by: Craig Ferguson
-
Between the Bridge and the River
- Written by: Craig Ferguson
- Narrated by: Craig Ferguson
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two childhood friends from Scotland and two illegitimate half-brothers from the deep South suffer and enjoy all manner of bizarre adventures that, it turns out, are somehow interconnected and, even more surprisingly, meaningful. The eclectic cast of characters features Socrates, Carl Jung, and Tony Randall, along with an ex-television evangelist with a penchant for booze, prostitutes, and uncomfortable knitwear who gets mugged in Miami by an almost pure-blooded Watusi warrior - and sets off on a road trip in a stolen motor home.
-
-
not good
- By Denise Paulsen on 2020-09-11
Written by: Craig Ferguson
-
Windswept & Interesting
- My Autobiography
- Written by: Billy Connolly
- Narrated by: Billy Connolly
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his first full-length autobiography, comedy legend and national treasure Billy Connolly reveals the truth behind his windswept and interesting life. Born in a tenement flat in Glasgow in 1942, orphaned by the age of fourth and a survivor of appalling abuse at the hands of his own family, Billy's life is a remarkable story of success against all the odds.
-
-
Amazing Story
- By Heather on 2021-10-22
Written by: Billy Connolly
-
So, Anyway...
- Written by: John Cleese
- Narrated by: John Cleese
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The legendary writer and performer of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame takes listeners on a grand tour of his ascent in the entertainment world John Cleese’s huge comedic influence has stretched across generations; his sharp irreverent eye and the unique brand of physical comedy he perfected now seem written into comedy’s DNA. In this rollicking memoir, Cleese recalls his humble beginnings in a sleepy English town, his early comedic days at Cambridge University (with future Python partner Graham Chapman), and the founding of the landmark comedy troupe.
-
-
excellent, as expected.
- By Zenith VCR on 2019-11-13
Written by: John Cleese
-
A Life in Parts
- Written by: Bryan Cranston
- Narrated by: Bryan Cranston
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bryan Cranston landed his first role at seven, when his father, a struggling actor and director, cast him in a United Way commercial. Soon Bryan was haunting the local movie theater, memorizing and reenacting favorite scenes with his older brother. Acting was clearly the boy's destiny - until one day his father disappeared. Suddenly destiny took a backseat to survival. Seeking something more stable, perhaps subconsciously trying to distance himself from his absent father, Cranston decided on a career in law enforcement.
-
-
Loved it!
- By Marie on 2020-08-11
Written by: Bryan Cranston
-
Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama
- A Memoir
- Written by: Bob Odenkirk
- Narrated by: Bob Odenkirk, Steve Rudnick, Leo Benvenuti
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bob Odenkirk’s career is inexplicable. And yet he will try like hell to explicate it for you. Charting a “Homeric” decades-long “odyssey” from his origins in the seedy comedy clubs of Chicago to a dramatic career full of award nominations - with a side trip into the action-man world that is baffling to all who know him - it’s almost like there are many Bob Odenkirks! But there is just one and one is plenty. Featuring humorous tangents, wild characters, and Bob’s trademark unflinching drive, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama is a classic tale told by a determined idiot.
-
-
Perfect listen for any fan of alternative comedy
- By Adam on 2022-08-17
Written by: Bob Odenkirk
-
Room to Dream
- Written by: David Lynch, Kristine McKenna
- Narrated by: David Lynch, Kristine McKenna
- Length: 15 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An unprecedented look into the personal and creative life of the visionary auteur David Lynch, through his own words and those of his closest colleagues, friends, and family - adapted by David Lynch from the print book especially for this audio program. In this unique hybrid of biography and memoir, David Lynch opens up for the first time about a life lived in pursuit of his singular vision, and the many heartaches and struggles he’s faced to bring his unorthodox projects to fruition.
-
-
it's good
- By Nicholas Smith on 2019-01-30
Written by: David Lynch, and others
-
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
- A Sortabiography
- Written by: Eric Idle
- Narrated by: Eric Idle
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We know him best for his unforgettable roles on Monty Python - from the Flying Circus to The Meaning of Life. Now, Eric Idle reflects on the meaning of his own life in this entertaining memoir that takes us on an unforgettable journey from his childhood in an austere boarding school through his successful career in comedy, television, theater, and film.
-
-
It's Eric Idle. Enjoy.
- By Zenith VCR on 2019-05-23
Written by: Eric Idle
-
Rick Mercer Final Report
- Written by: Rick Mercer
- Narrated by: Rick Mercer
- Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rick Mercer can always be relied on to provoke a strong reaction - but what he said one fall day in 2017 truly shocked Canada. In a rant posted on social media, the great Canadian satirist announced loud and clear that the 15th season of the Rick Mercer Report - the nation's best-watched and best-loved comedy show - would be the last. This volume brings together never-before-published rants from the last five seasons of the show, plus a selection of the very best rants from earlier years.
-
-
A newer, truly Canadian satirist.
- By GDokk on 2018-11-13
Written by: Rick Mercer
-
Still Foolin' 'Em
- Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys
- Written by: Billy Crystal
- Narrated by: Billy Crystal
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Billy Crystal is 65, and he's not happy about it. With his trademark wit and heart, he outlines the absurdities and challenges that come with growing old, from insomnia to memory loss to leaving dinners with half your meal on your shirt. In humorous chapters like "Buying the Plot" and "Nodding Off," Crystal not only catalogues his physical gripes, but offers a road map to his 77 million fellow baby boomers who are arriving at this milestone age with him. He also looks back at the most powerful and memorable moments of his long and storied life.
-
-
The Best
- By Anonymous User on 2021-01-22
Written by: Billy Crystal
-
Yearbook
- Written by: Seth Rogen
- Narrated by: Seth Rogen, full cast
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hi! I’m Seth! I was asked to describe my audiobook, Yearbook for websites and shit like that, so...here it goes!!! Yearbook is a collection of true stories that I desperately hope are just funny at worst, and life-changingly amazing at best. (I understand that it’s likely the former, which is a fancy “book” way of saying “the first one.”) I talk about my grandparents, doing stand-up comedy as a teenager, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish summer camp, and tell way more stories about doing drugs than my mother would like.
-
-
hilarious
- By Leanna on 2021-05-15
Written by: Seth Rogen
-
All About Me!
- My Remarkable Life in Show Business
- Written by: Mel Brooks
- Narrated by: Mel Brooks
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At 95, the legendary Mel Brooks continues to set the standard for comedy across television, film, and the stage. Now, for the first time, this EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner shares his story in his own words.
-
-
What a thrill
- By Kindle Customer on 2024-02-19
Written by: Mel Brooks
-
Everyone You Hate Is Going to Die
- And Other Comforting Thoughts on Family, Friends, Sex, Love, and More Things That Ruin Your Life
- Written by: Daniel Sloss
- Narrated by: Daniel Sloss
- Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Daniel Sloss' stand-up comedy engages, enrages, offends, unsettles, educates, comforts, and gets audiences roaring with laughter - all at the same time. In his groundbreaking specials, seen on Netflix and HBO, he has brilliantly tackled everything from male toxicity and friendship to love, romance, and marriage - and claims (with the data to back it up) that his on-stage laser-like dissection of relationships has single-handedly caused more than 300 divorces and 120,000 breakups.
-
-
Brilliant
- By Sophie K. on 2023-12-10
Written by: Daniel Sloss
-
The Lives of Brian
- A Memoir
- Written by: Brian Johnson
- Narrated by: Brian Johnson
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brian Johnson’s memoir from growing up in a small town to starting his own band to ultimately replacing Bon Scott, the lead singer of one of the world biggest rock acts, AC/DC. They would record their first album together, the iconic Back in Black, which would become the biggest selling rock album of all time.
-
-
Things I didn’t know about is I didn’t know about Brian Johnson
- By Anonymous User on 2023-01-30
Written by: Brian Johnson
-
Born Standing Up
- A Comic's Life
- Written by: Steve Martin
- Narrated by: Steve Martin
- Length: 4 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the mid-70s, Steve Martin exploded onto the comedy scene. By 1978 he was the biggest concert draw in the history of stand-up. In 1981 he quit forever. Born Standing Up is, in his own words, the story of "why I did stand-up and why I walked away".
-
-
Wonderful Memoir
- By Joelle on 2018-01-27
Written by: Steve Martin
-
The Chris Farley Show
- A Biography in Three Acts
- Written by: Tom Farley, Tanner Colby
- Narrated by: Therese Plummer, L. J. Ganser, Mark Boyett
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The New York Times best-selling biography of an American comedy legend. After three years of sobriety, Chris Farley's life was at its creative peak until a string of professional disappointments chased him back to drugs and alcohol. He fought hard against them, but it was a fight he would lose in December 1997. Farley's fans immediately drew parallels between his death and that of his idol, John Belushi. Without looking deeper, however, many failed to see that Farley was much more than just another Hollywood drug overdose. In this officially authorized oral history, Farley's friends and family remember his work and life.
-
-
Awesome
- By affleck on 2018-08-15
Written by: Tom Farley, and others
-
In the Weeds
- Around the World and Behind the Scenes with Anthony Bourdain
- Written by: Tom Vitale
- Narrated by: Tom Vitale
- Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the nearly two years since Anthony Bourdain's death, no one else has come close to filling the void he left. His passion for and genuine curiosity about the people and cultures he visited made the world feel smaller and more connected. Despite his affable, confident, and trademark snarky TV persona, the real Tony was intensely private, deeply conflicted about his fame, and an enigma even to those close to him. Tony’s devoted crew knew him best, and no one else had a front-row seat for as long as his director and producer, Tom Vitale.
-
-
A good book
- By Tracey on 2022-01-06
Written by: Tom Vitale
-
The Comedians
- Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels and the History of American Comedy
- Written by: Kliph Nesteroff
- Narrated by: Kliph Nesteroff
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Comedians, comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff brings to life a century of American comedy with real-life characters, forgotten stars, mainstream heroes and counterculture iconoclasts. Based on over 200 original interviews and extensive archival research, Nesteroff's groundbreaking work is a narrative exploration of the way comedians have reflected, shaped, and changed American culture over the past 100 years.
-
-
More information than you thought you needed.
- By Chip on 2024-01-06
Written by: Kliph Nesteroff
Publisher's Summary
From the comedian, actor, and former host of The Late Late Show comes an irreverent, lyrical memoir in essays featuring his signature wit.
Craig Ferguson has defied the odds his entire life. He has failed when he should have succeeded and succeeded when he should have failed. The fact that he is neither dead nor in a locked facility (at the time of printing) is something of a miracle in itself. In Craig’s candid and revealing memoir, listeners will get a look into the mind and recollections of the unique and twisted Scottish American who became a national hero for pioneering the world’s first TV robot skeleton sidekick and reviving two dudes in a horse suit dancing as a form of entertainment.
In Riding the Elephant, there are some stories that are too graphic for television, too politically incorrect for social media, or too meditative for a stand-up comedy performance. Craig discusses his deep love for his native Scotland, examines his profound psychic change brought on by fatherhood, and looks at aging and mortality with a perspective that he was incapable of as a younger man. Each story is strung together in a colorful tapestry that ultimately reveals a complicated man who has learned to process - and even enjoy - the unusual trajectory of his life.
Katie Falkenberg/Los Angeles Times/Contour by Getty Images
What the critics say
"Ferguson is a natural storyteller, sharp-witted and acutely observant of his surroundings. He's capable of maintaining a light touch yet his stories often transcend whatever humorous incidents may occur. Collectively, they serve as often poignant meditations on the long journey toward his late-middle-aged self. An entertaining memoir by a humorist who has gained enlightening insight into living an authentic life." (Kirkus Reviews)
“Humorous and heartfelt (often on the same page), Ferguson is a great story-teller, whose signature irreverence and comedic timing translates perfectly to print.” (Library Journal)
“A smart, humble, and witty memoir.” (Publishers Weekly)
“[Ferguson] has mastered the skill of self-examination. Fortunately for us, the lad’s willing to share it, and his evocative writing makes it worthwhile.” (The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
More from the same
Love Books? You'll Love Audible.
Transform your day
Replace endless scrolling with endless listening. Chores can be fun.
Listen everywhere
Download titles to listen offline, wherever you are in the world.
Carry your entire Library
Your stories go where you go. Audiobooks don’t weigh a thing.
Listen and learn
Discover stories that can change your mind, your well-being, and your life.
Reach your reading goals
You can’t turn pages while you drive—but you can press play.
Find your niche
WIth thousands of titles to explore, there’s something for everyone.
What listeners say about Riding the Elephant
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lisa
- 2019-08-28
Funny
I found myself laughing out loud at some inopportune times. Sometimes a bit too insightful,
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Emma D.
- 2022-04-17
Beautiful
I thoroughly enjoyed Craig Fergoson's storytelling in this book! Such an insightful, charming and sympathetic insight on his life, I warmly recommend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- meg
- 2023-09-21
Craig is pure joy!
I laughed! I loved Craig’s reflections and comical unapologetic musings.
Highly recommend this audiobook to anyone.
I truly enjoyed it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 2022-11-29
riding the elephant
I couldn't have loved it more!!! Craig, please write more books and read them to me
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Yvon Malenfant
- 2019-08-22
very interesting!
Craig is a wonderful storyteller and entertainer! I want to highly recommend this book to everyone!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Daryl
- 2020-02-03
Definitely worth a listen
Loved the voice. Fan of the character. Share many of his opinions. A great insight into the man.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- Luc Grandmaison
- 2020-08-03
Great and humble
Great and humble ,is my way of describing this human autobiography. Thank you Mister Ferguson! You make my life sweeter...and yess ,more bearable . Tank's again
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jared
- 2021-07-19
Thoroughly entertaining!
Very much enjoyed this. Entertaining guy, great voice work, and interesting life lead to a very enjoyable listen. A very good example of hearing it through Craig's voice and his perspective that brings it to life, rather than reading the book myself.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Johanne St-Onge
- 2020-07-16
A most witty and endearing memoir
I love Craig Ferguson, his humour, his take on life and people and his honesty . I’ve never met him mind you, but I trust that I wouldn’t be disappointed, just as I wasn’t disappointed by this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dark Alley Dan
- 2024-05-24
Well worth repeated listenings.
Craig Ferguson is a very talented storyteller and funny as hell. That's very much on display here. But this collection of stories also reminds us that he's very human and exceedingly open. This is like spending an evening with a much-loved and respected uncle. My only quibble is that I wish the book was longer.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!