From the Publisher
Inside the book…
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Calling my first agent. I couldn’t get him on the line. |
Memorizing Peer Gynt at Emerson College was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. |
Just before jumping the shark. |
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Making The Waterboy with Adam Sandler. We always had a pasta bar at lunch. |
I would not have won my Emmy for Barry without Bill Hader and Alec Berg (cocreator). |
Our girls Maisie and Sadie. |
MikeV –
Here’s a quick and short review….Amazing book written (dictated??) by a living legend. Full stop, enjoyed reading from beginning to end. Mr. Winkler did not jump the shark with this one……
ElyLibrarySec –
I learned so much about Henry Winkler. Things I never knew, people he came into contact with, and his family life. He went through a lot and I like that he didn’t hold back in letting the reader know about a life that may, or may not, be similar to what you went through growing up. If you like reading books about people you watched on TV, or in the movies, I would add this book to your list.
Brian Bahnsen –
If you ever read a book, and you find yourself sad that you are almost done…and consider holding off to keep the “read” going; well, then you know you’ve got a good one! This was exactly that for me! I grew up with Happy Days, and always admired the Fonz. However, I truly admire Henry Winkler and the challenges he was able to overcome to achieve his success and happiness. While I’m sure I will not ever meet him in person, I feel I “know” him after reading this autobiography. A must read that you will NOT want to set down!!
L. Ramsey –
I didn’t want it to end so I made myself read a couple chapters at a time. I have always found him to be an actor I enjoy watching from the Fonz to Royal Pains and beyound – he has a picture in his book of him and the guys from Better late than Never – My husband and I found that show very funny. Surprised that Mr Winkler didn’t mention that tv show or working with those guys in his book. Would definitely recommend.
Fvocalist –
What an excellent read. I’ve been reading lots of biographies lately, and I never thought this would be one of my favorites, but it was. A wonderful story about a legend. He lets you see his faults, you learn about his dyslexia and how much it impacted his life, and how he overcame his struggles. A great, fast read. Highly recommend.
Charles F. Gobel –
Henry Winkler is a great writer, and he has an amazing story which he shares with us. I’ve read many autobiographies during and since the pandemic and this book just may be the best. I found myself smiling most of the time while reading about Mr. Winkler’s life, which is a good thing considering that our world today has given us less and less to smile about. He also includes a lot of stories and side-observations of the many people he worked with (especially at Happy Days), which I think most readers will find very interesting. A very easy read.
Garytal –
I applaud Henry Winkler for writing his memoir. He definitely has a story to tell about his rough upbringing and his sudden rise to incredible stardom and subsequent inability to get an acting job after Happy Days ended. I enjoyed reading his experiences going on the Mary Tyler Moore show early on during his stay in Hollywood and how quickly he moved from that to Happy Days. It is worth noting that he originally turned down the role of the Fonz because he didn’t want to be stuck on a series. I wish he would have shared more about his co-stars on Happy Days. A story about Ron Howard admonishing him about some diva-ish behavior he did on set was very telling.I remember seeing him in a movie called The One and Only from 1978 and he was really quite good in that but no mention of that in the book.He skipped over a lot of the career highlights and possible juicy stories and focused more on his insecurities and fear of not working again. Henry loved to work and acting was his passion.It was good to hear from his wife Stacey periodically throughout the book. She seems very grounded.
Sandi D. –
Henry’s story is one of constant challenge! How he was able to succeed with parent’s who were so negative, derogatory and just cruel is amazing by itself.I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to be involved with the movie “Heroes” because my Uncle Laurence’s race car was used in the movie. It was filmed in Petaluma, CA and we were all allowed access to the filming and as extras. It was a wonderful experience I will always remember fondly.My admiration for Henry Winkler has grown by a 1000%. He has overcome so much and become a much better human. Henry and his wife Stacey are giving back to their community in many ways without hesitation. They are a beautiful couple doing what they can to improve the world around them.This biography is one of overcoming adversity, learning “on the job” (life) and doing better with the experience to help and benefit those around you unconditionally. An excellent read and lessons for us all. Thanks Henry Winkler (and Stacey)!! The world needs more like the two of you!!
James Mellor –
I really enjoyed getting to know about Henry Winkler, the person beyond the characters he portrayed. Mr. Winkler’s life story is very fascinating. He shares all the struggles and successes that forged the man he is today. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading honest and insightful stories, regardless if you are a Henry Winkler fan. And if you are, it makes it even more endearing.
Mark C Lavallee –
Review based on the audiobook, for which I highly recommend…I expected nothing less than an enjoyable memoir from such a talented artist. What completely took me by surprise was the pacing and random nature of the stories. Just like Samuel Clemens taking the stage in a one-man show, starting with a topic and meandering through his life only to bring it back to the starting topic at the end, that’s exactly what Mr. Winkler did in each chapter. Sure, there was a general over-arching chronological timeline, but each chapter took us on a wonderful ride, with surprises along the way.It can’t be missed that Stacey reading her parts created a real sense of authenticity to the book. Her candid and at times painful experiences brought the realism of married life and children growing up back into focus. This wasn’t intended to be a puff piece to self-aggrandize the author but to show true vulnerability and anguish.I’ve already recommended this novel to a number of my friends and will go back and reference verses in the future. Excellent writing from the wrongly anointed dummer Hund who is a real gem of a person and a role model for those looking to fight through lifelong personal struggles.