"Being Henry: The Fonz and Beyond" By Henry Winkler

When I was 12-years-old, I was walking down the breezeway at my elementary school and a little girl I hardly knew came up to me. She said, "Can I have a sleep-over at your house Friday night?" And i said "Why the heck would you want to do that?" And she said, "I want to go to the taping and meet The Fonz." I said, "Beat it," and never spoke to her again. It was then that I knew my life was changing, and my dad would never have a normal job like a dentist or lawyer. But it was then that the world was changing for Henry Winkler as well. He would become one of the most recognizable faces in television during his 11 seasons on the show, and become more famous than he ever imagined. My dad created the character the Fonz and imagined him as a 6-foot-tall blonde with a motorcycle. But when a darker, and shorter, graduate of the Yale School of Drama came in to audition brimming with talent and charisma, Winkler was cast as Arthur Fonzarelli. "Being Henry" is his heartfelt and well-written memoir about not only his years on "Happy Days," but the many years after he left the Cunningham's garage apartment. The book depicts his time on the long-running sitcom as truly idyllic, but the years after he struggled to find his next chapter, confused whether it should be as a producer, director or actor. With his lovely wife Stacey always by his side, he produced the cult classic TV show "MacGyver," but still wondered whether he should be behind the camera or in front of it. He developed a love of fly fishing, and parlayed his own diagnosis of dyslexia into a popular series of children's books about a character named Hank Zipzer with Liv Oliver. He continued to be recognized as the Fonz everywhere he went, but wanted more. He wanted to act again and be admired for playing more than just one character. He had children, and even grandchildren, traveled, had many wonderful dogs but clamored for another good role. Bill Hader made his dream come true when he cast him as the acting teacher Gene Cousineau in the HBO series "Barry." Finally, in this role, Henry was appreciated for another wonderful character, and even finally won his first Emmy, after several nominations. This book is as warm and friendly as Winkler himself, while at the same time honestly exploring the downside of fame, too. I loved every page of it, especially when he mentions my Pop. To meet Henry is to meet a Hollywood veteran who has navigated show business and come out on top. He is one of the nicest men I have ever met, so please go and read his book and enjoy every minute. To buy this book on Amazon click here.