What our writers love this week

TV

Craig Ferguson

On "The Late, Late Show," host Craig Ferguson gives the late-night talk-show format an unpredictable twist. One night he will do a hilarious celebrity lampoon (Prince Charles, Michael Caine, J.K. Rowling), then seriously interview an author. Then he'll turn around and devote an entire show, quite movingly, to his recently deceased mother. Come on, give it a try. (12:35 a.m. weeknights, CBS)

Doug Knoop, Seattle Times calendar editor

Books

"Mrs. Astor Regrets"

There's something unavoidably mesmerizing about watching wealthy people come to grief. "Mrs. Astor Regrets: The Hidden Betrayals of a Family Beyond Reproach" (Houghton Mifflin) unspools like a slow-motion train wreck, as wealthy socialite Brooke Astor's family members fall out over how to care for the aging, infirm centenarian (and her money). This story is told with sympathy and balance by Meryl Gordon.

Mary Ann Gwinn, Seattle Times book editor

Movie books

"Victor Fleming"

On the set of "The Wizard of Oz," stars Ray Bolger, Jack Haley and Bert Lahr were known as "Smith Premium Ham." In "Gone with the Wind," Clark Gable had to carry Vivien Leigh up the staircase five times before they got the shot. Leslie Howard, as Ashley, hated his role and kept forgetting his lines. These are just a few of the tidbits in Michael Sragow's "Victor Fleming: An American Movie Master" (Pantheon), both a biography of the acclaimed director and a fascinating history of movies.

Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times movie critic