memoir begins on a Tuesday morning in October 1973, at his first audition for B次元官网网址淗appy Days.B次元官网网址� He was almost 28 B次元官网网址� quite a bit old for a high schooler B次元官网网址� and struggling with something he didnB次元官网网址檛 know had a name.

B次元官网网址淏eing Henry: The FonzB次元官网网址� and Beyond,B次元官网网址� released Tuesday by Celadon Books, is a breezy, inspirational story of one of HollywoodB次元官网网址檚 most beloved figures who became an unlikely TV screen icon and later a champion for those with dyslexia.

WinklerB次元官网网址檚 245-page book charts his course chronologically from the Fonz to B次元官网网址� and the frustrating fallow periods in between B次元官网网址� painting a portrait of a man trying to overcome a bitter, loveless childhood and a disability that made reading impossibly hard and simply trying to become a better man.

B次元官网网址淚 was, in my mind, always a little boy,B次元官网网址� he writes. B次元官网网址淢y real self was like a kernel of corn sheathed in yards of concrete B次元官网网址� as insulated as the nuclear material at Chernobyl.B次元官网网址�

He describes himself at the B次元官网网址淗appy DaysB次元官网网址� audition as B次元官网网址渁 short Jew from New York City with a unibrow and hair down to my shoulders, confident about next to nothing in my life.B次元官网网址� He had graduated from YaleB次元官网网址檚 drama school and bagged a few roles despite having difficulty reading.

The Fonz almost never happened for him: The fearsome then head of development for ABC, and future Disney CEO Michael Eisner were skeptical of Winkler getting the part. But writer-creator saw something.

Later, Winkler dishes, the immense popularity of the Fonz eclipsed anyone else on the show and the network secretly approached him with the idea of spinning off a show or changing the name to B次元官网网址淔onzieB次元官网网址檚 Happy Days.B次元官网网址� Winkler refused.

The end of B次元官网网址淗appy DaysB次元官网网址� brought its own stress for a man who admits that B次元官网网址渨orrying is my favorite indoor sports.B次元官网网址� He writes: B次元官网网址淚 was terrified of being a flash in the pan. A one-hit wonder. Was I?B次元官网网址�

Over the years, there were guest spots on shows like B次元官网网址淎rrested Development,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淩oyal PainsB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淧arks and RecreationB次元官网网址� until finally B次元官网网址淏arry,B次元官网网址� the show in 2018 that would prove a second tentpole to his career and produce

In 2003, Winkler branched out with Lin Oliver, writing about the adventures of Hank Zipzer, a young boy with dyslexia who overcomes many learning challenges.

The 28-book series B次元官网网址淗ank Zipzer: The WorldB次元官网网址檚 Greatest UnderachieverB次元官网网址� was based on WinklerB次元官网网址檚 own experience with undiagnosed dyslexia. B次元官网网址淎t the height of my fame and success, I felt embarrassed, inadequate,B次元官网网址� he writes.

The memoir is enlivened by an unusual move: Winkler includes long reaction passages from his wife, Stacey, who is pretty brutal about WinklerB次元官网网址檚 immaturity, his parenting, his own parents and a crippling fear of poverty. B次元官网网址淎 very big thing IB次元官网网址檇 learned about Henry was that when he wasnB次元官网网址檛 working, he was absolutely miserable. Adrift. Insecure. Anxious,B次元官网网址� she writes.

ItB次元官网网址檚 telling that Winkler B次元官网网址� who writes he has lately benefited from therapy B次元官网网址� includes a frank perspective from outside his own head.

There are fun moments throughout: How Winkler came to produce B次元官网网址淢acGyverB次元官网网址� and how he got fired from directing B次元官网网址淭urner & Hooch.B次元官网网址� ThereB次元官网网址檚 a hysterical section about trying to direct Burt Reynolds in B次元官网网址淐op & 1/2B次元官网网址� and, while Winkler is a nice guy, heB次元官网网址檚 still capable of throwing some shade at Michael Keaton.

He wonderfully captures the late Robin Williams B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址渨ithin 42 seconds, I knew, I was in the presence of greatnessB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� and how CBS made so mad during B次元官网网址淗appy DaysB次元官网网址� that he became a film director almost out of spite.

But one figure looms over this book and career B次元官网网址� the Fonz, whose moody expression fills the back cover. Winkler by the end has come to peace with his creation.

B次元官网网址淔or a long time after B次元官网网址楬appy Days,B次元官网网址� I was saddened that the world could only see me as the Fonz,B次元官网网址� he writes. B次元官网网址淏ut I never lost sight of what the character gave me B次元官网网址� a roof over my head, food on the table, my childrenB次元官网网址檚 education B次元官网网址� and how much it gave me in terms of introducing me to the whole world.B次元官网网址�

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