The Fonz himself, AKA Henry Winkler, is releasing his first official autobiography this coming October. He took to Twitter to tease the cover. “This is an incredible moment in my already wonderful and full life,” he wrote alongside the publisher’s Tweet featuring the cover image. The cover simply features Winkler grinning wide at the potential reader.
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This is an incredible moment in my already wonderful and full life https://t.co/ZxECKjZWs5
— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) March 6, 2023
Being Henry: From The Fonz to Beyond is the title of this 320-page volume. The veteran actor revealed that a family member put him up to the task. Winkler also tweeted that “our youngest son, Max, for years, has said, ‘Dad, you should write an autobiography.’ And here it is.”
“I am both excited and nervous to contemplate writing a memoir, because it’s hard for me to remember what happened the day before yesterday,” Winkler told People Magazine. “But here I go!”
Henry Winkler has an extraordinary and intricate connection with the written word. As a child, he was unaware of his dyslexia which produced feelings of worthlessness and resentment in him due to frequent punishments for educational failures. It wasn’t until his stepson Jed got tested that Winkler himself discovered this learning inability at age 30. Even as an adult, it hindered him during his studies at Yale School of Drama or when memorizing lines for roles.
Henry Winkler is already an accomplished author
With his experiences and knowledge, he crafted a collection of books that represent kids like him: “Here’s Hank.” This series follows the life of its protagonist, Hank Zipser – an inspiring dyslexic. The 29-book set is accompanied by co-writer Lin Oliver’s “Alien Superstar” trilogy to enhance readers’ comprehension and entertainment.
Winkler has already tackled the realm of autobiography in his previous work, “I’ve Never Met an Idiot on the River: Reflections on Family, Photography and Fly-Fishing” which is a collection of essays about his time spent fly fishing. His newest venture into this writing style will be more comprehensive than ever before though—a true official autobiography.
“Being Henry” will explore the effect of dyslexia on the adolescent years of the Happy Days star. It will also uncover his journey in navigating through becoming a celebrated actor and managing an iconic role that has taken its own life. Furthermore, it documents how he persisted to maintain success as an actor after such fame with roles in Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation – which ultimately earned him his long-awaited Primetime Emmy Award for Barry in 2018.
The blurb describes Winkler as “widely regarded as the nicest man in Hollywood”. It goes on to call the memoir “a meaningful testament to the power of sharing truth and kindness and of finding fulfillment within yourself.”