We love a good celebrity memoir around here, (Why do I keep saying ‘we’ when this is very much so a one-woman-band around here? lol.) so I was pretty pumped that Celadon sent me an advanced copy of Henry Winkler’s memoir, Being Henry. The timing made it even more exciting because Henry was at a convention I was attending that week, and I was able to get him to sign it, making it the first copy he signed.
Anyways, on to the book.
In Being Henry [Buy Bookshop Amazon LibroFM], we get a firsthand account of Henry Winkler’s life before, during and after he appeared on the iconic classic TV show, Happy Days. Henry opens up about his rocky relationship with his parents, how he ended up on the show, and the struggles he went through trying to get another role after playing the Fonz.
Henry writes like he’s telling you the story in person. I listened to part of the audiobook and it really makes his writing come alive in that way. It is infused with his bubbly personality, which makes it fun for both reading and listening. The audiobook becomes even more special of an experience once you read Henry talk about his battle with dyslexia and how hard both reading and writing are for him.
My only critique of Being Henry is that I wish he would’ve leaned into the tough topics a little more. It feels like he glossed over the hard stuff in order to keep a lighter tone, which is fine, but I feel like the anxiety, undiagnosed dyslexia, and rough parental relationships are among the things that could really help some readers know they aren’t alone and it’s a missed opportunity. I’m not saying people only read celebrity memoirs for the tea and grit, but those are definitely things readers look for.
Overall, Being Henry is a solid read, especially for those who enjoyed any part of his acting or directing career.
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Literary HypeWoman 