‘Rise to the Surface’ by Lenny Henry, published by Faber & Faber
This isn’t Henry’s first rodeo when it comes to writing autobiographies – his first was titled Who am I, again? (£5.29, Amazon.co.uk), which explores his early years in the west Midlands with his Jamaican parents. The title was praised for being raw and touching, so, this latest release is eagerly anticipated.
Rise to the Surface starts where its predecessor finishes off with Henry as a teenager. It explores his experiences of grueling stand-up gigs, as well as his TV comedy career in the Eighties and Nineties, and his involvement in Comic Relief. It also touches on his relationship with his former wife Dawn French – their first meeting he describes as being a “meeting of minds”.
Tracking his personal highs and lows, it’s likely to be a very emotive, yet informative read. And if you want to read it on its release date, you can pre-order it now ahad of its publication day on 1 September.