Being Henry
The Fonz . . . and Beyond, A Deeply Personal Memoir
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- 5,99 €
Publisher Description
The instant New York Times bestseller.
Henry Winkler was catapulted to worldwide fame as The Fonz in hit TV series Happy Days. When it ended, he could hardly find work. Through highs, lows and the roles that have won him a new generation of fans, this is his funny, insightful and moving account of an extraordinary life.
Widely-regarded as the nicest man in Hollywood (though he would be the first to tell you that it’s simply not the case, he’s really just grateful to be there), Henry Winkler shares the disheartening truth of his childhood, the difficulties of a life with severe dyslexia and the path forward once your wildest dream seems behind you.
He describes how his career slumped after Happy Days ended, makes us laugh as he reveals some of the highlights (and low moments) from his directing career, including being fired from Turner and Hooch and failing to impress Burt Reynolds on Cop and a Half, and takes us behind the scenes on Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation and Barry, where he’s shown himself to be an actor with immense depth and pathos.
Charming and heartfelt, Being Henry is about so much more than a life in Hollywood and the curse of stardom. It is a testament to the power of sharing truth and kindness and of finding fulfilment within yourself.
'Revelatory' – The Guardian
'Entertaining' – Daily Mail
'Loveable' – The New York Times
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this winning memoir, former Happy Days star Winkler (I've Never Met an Idiot on the River) discusses his career, long-undiagnosed dyslexia, and lifelong struggles with self-esteem. He begins with his academic failures as a child in 1950s New York City, which caused regular clashes with his father, a stern Jewish refugee who wanted Winkler to take over the family lumber business. Drawn to performance as a means of coping ("I used humor to cover everything I couldn't do—which was most things"), Winkler pursued theater instead, nursing dreams of a Hollywood career while he attended the Yale School of Drama. Shortly after Winkler decamped to California in the early 1970s, those dreams came true when he booked the role of Arthur Fonzarelli on Happy Days. He was often unable to participate in cold-reads, however, because of his dyslexia (for which he wouldn't receive a diagnosis until he was 31). Winkler is candid about the ways such experiences stunted him emotionally, and at one point allows his wife, Stacey, to weigh in: "I have to admit there were times when I thought, ‘What the fuck? Now I have another child?' " Though Winkler includes plenty of inside-Hollywood fare, the book's frankness sets it apart from standard-issue actor memoirs. The result is a heartfelt chronicle of learning to love one's self, shortcomings and all.
