In the words of the great Fonz, “Ayyy.” Anyone who grew up in the 70s or the 80s, or has parents who did, probably know about Fonzie, the Cunninghams, and Al’s Diner courtesy of the TV show Happy Days. While this is the role that shot Henry Winkler to stardom when he was in his late 20s, his path to The Fonz was not an easy one. Undiagnosed dyslexia and all the difficulties it brought along with it placed a lot of obstacles in Henry’s path, but he overcame it all thanks to his heart, his kind nature, and his determination to do what he loves–acting–and he hasn’t stopped, showing the world that while he may always be known as The Fonz, he is actually so very much more.
I’m not typically a fan of memoirs; there are few that I have read and really enjoyed. Being Henry: The Fonz…and Beyond is one of those that I truly took pleasure in reading. I, like many people, grew up watching reruns of Happy Days and thought that Arthur Fonzarelli was the definition of cool with this leather jacket and magical jukebox abilities while being completely unaware of the challenges he was facing. I truly appreciated Winkler’s honesty in this novel–about himself and others–and the ways in which he turns his tales of struggles into an inspirational story highlighting his perseverance. At times it’s humorous, at other times it’s sad, but it always shows that if you have a dream and you work towards it, any obstacle can be overcome if you want it and if your heart is in the right place, and while you might not always succeed in the way you originally intended, things happen for a reason and you can always learn and grow from your experiences.
I highly recommend Being Henry: The Fonz…and Beyond.
I’m not typically a fan of memoirs; there are few that I have read and really enjoyed. Being Henry: The Fonz…and Beyond is one of those that I truly took pleasure in reading. I, like many people, grew up watching reruns of Happy Days and thought that Arthur Fonzarelli was the definition of cool with this leather jacket and magical jukebox abilities while being completely unaware of the challenges he was facing. I truly appreciated Winkler’s honesty in this novel–about himself and others–and the ways in which he turns his tales of struggles into an inspirational story highlighting his perseverance. At times it’s humorous, at other times it’s sad, but it always shows that if you have a dream and you work towards it, any obstacle can be overcome if you want it and if your heart is in the right place, and while you might not always succeed in the way you originally intended, things happen for a reason and you can always learn and grow from your experiences.
I highly recommend Being Henry: The Fonz…and Beyond.