Alda Searches For Life's Meaning

Actor Writes About It, And Important Times In His Life, In New Book

(CBS)  Alan Alda is famous for his acting, but his first book was a surprise best-seller, and now he's back with another.

In "Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself," Alda looks back at critical points in his life, as he searches for the meaning of it all.

Alda will always be best-known for his role as "Hawkeye" Pierce on the TV series "M*A*S*H." But he's also performed in movies, Broadway shows, other TV shows, and has taken home numerous awards -- six Emmys and six Golden Globes, and was nominated for an Oscar.

His first book, "Never Have Your Dog Stuffed," became a New York Times best seller.

In his second, Alda explores the questions many people ask themselves regularly: What's the purpose of life? What is it to be human? Am I living a good life?

Alda recounts many of his own life's experiences: nearly dying in Chile, bringing home his first child, time spent with his grandchildren, speeches he's given, historical events such as 9/11 -- and reflects on their meaning and place in his life.

He stopped by The Early Show Friday to chat with co-anchor Harry Smith.

Alda recalled that, after a surgeon in a tiny, very out-of-the-way town in Chile saved his life when a potentially fatal intestinal problem hit out of the blue, "I was just amazed and continue to be amazed at how much better life tastes now. And I thought I was really enjoying it before. And everybody I've talked to has gone (through) this. … It's amazing how much better it tastes. But the trouble with it is, I want that to go on and on. I'm very greedy. I want to really -- I not only want to taste it, I want to, at the end, feel that it was all worth it. So, I don't want to look back on it and say, 'Well, it was all that,' you know, or, 'Well, I have these trophies, so I guess I must have had a good life. I want to really feel it, you know? So that's what I'm looking for in this."

To read an excerpt of "Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself," click here.

[rgneufeld]

To bad he talks to himself when Jesus is only a prayer away.

[oakishpines]

'' ... i miss being three and six years old, and watching all my naked lazy ignorant profane blemished savage friends being made to disappear forever ... they should do a show about that ... ''


'' ... most folk most time don''t really dance porno get sick tax world get well feed world songs rallied round the tens millions sick beds drifting the tens millions farm trail groups ... ''



'' ... lazy naked ignorant profave blemished savage folk never really go away, they just get stuffed in a closet somewhere and never see the light of day ... ''


'' ... some mean girls with bombs came and said to the big men: give us all your lazy naked ignorant profane blemished savages or else, and the men shrieked: take them, their yours! ... ''


'' ... giving away free market share to entreprenuers for small tips is the ultimate capitalist adventure ... ''