The Life of Dai

A deeply moving and profoundly uplifting story about living with joy, even in the face of adversity.


'Part memoir and part masterclass in finding hope and joy in the face of unthinkable challenges. This isn't a book about cancer, it's a book about living' – Jaquie Brown

Dai Henwood wanted to be a comedian even before he knew what a comedian was. He always knew there was something special in being able to make people laugh.

Over a 25-year career, the much-loved Kiwi entertainer and TV host has won every major comedy award in New Zealand. But in January 2023, Dai shared publicly that three years earlier he had been diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer.

Perhaps the ultimate teacher for what really matters, Dai's incurable cancer has shown him a new way of living that embraces small moments of perfection and cherishes things we often overlook.

As well as showing us how laughter can be a wonderful medicine – and there are many laughs in his book – Dai teaches us that often the gifts we've been searching for are right in front of us, if only we could see them.