HAM

“A vividly crafted series of essays…a charmingly candid collection.” — Publishers Weekly

“[Harris] has the writing chops to tell a good tale…entertaining and occasionally moving tales from the wilds of showbiz.” — Kirkus

Introducing Ham: Slices of Life (Gallery Books; On-sale: January 14, 2014; Hardcover; $26.00) by Sam Harris — the first winner of “Star Search” whose diversified career has since run the gamut from multi-million-selling singer and songwriter to Tony-nominated actor to writer, director, and producer.

Writing with a wry style evocative of David Sedaris and David Rakoff, Harris shares sixteen stories from his life, from growing up gay in the buckle of America’s Bible belt (Sand Springs, OK) to performing on Oprah’s first show after 9/11.

In a review of one of Harris’s musical performances, The New York Times called his stories “New Yorker-worthy,” and he further proves himself as a natural humorist in HAM.

Chapters include:

• “Promises” – A front-row account of his best friend Liza Minnelli’s infamous wedding to “the man whose name shall go unmentioned.”
• “Drilling Without Novocain” – Harris details the sequence of losing his childhood home to a fire, his family’s temporary trailer home being destroyed in a tornado, and their newly constructed replacement home also burning down — all within the course of a year.
• “I Feel, You Feel” – Harris opens for Aretha Franklin during a blizzard.
• “I Know, Baby. I Know” – Harris visits Liza Minnelli in rehab for Family Week and walks away realizing the extent of his own alcohol addiction.
• “Liver” – The self-examination of his compulsion to smother grim reality with blind optimism.
• “Comfort Food” – It’s September 11, 2001 and Harris has just moved from New York to LA the day before. In the days following, Oprah calls and invites him to perform in her “Music to Heal Our Hearts” show.

Taking on issues as diverse as addiction, fame, and parenting with his hilarious and deeply human voice, Harris’s entertaining tales trace an arc of personal triumph that is universally accessible and inspiring.

ABOUT SAM HARIS

Sam Harris’s diversified career has run the gamut from multi-million-selling singer and songwriter to Tony-nominated actor to writer, director, and producer. After winning over a weekly audience of more than 25 million viewers as the first winner of “Star Search,” Sam has toured extensively in concert. He resides in Los Angeles with his husband and their son.