Uncommon Type - Tom Hanks

Description

A collection of seventeen wonderful short stories showing that two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks is as talented a writer as he is an actor.

A hectic, funny sexual affair between two best friends. A World War II veteran dealing with his emotional and physical scars. A second-rate actor plunged into sudden stardom and a whirlwind press junket. A small-town newspaper columnist with old-fashioned views of the modern world. A woman adjusting to life in a new neighborhood after her divorce. Four friends going to the moon and back in a rocket ship constructed in the backyard. A teenage surfer stumbling into his father’s secret life.

These are just some of the people and situations that Tom Hanks explores in his first work of fiction, a collection of stories that dissects, with great affection, humour and insight, the human condition and all its foibles. The stories are linked by one thing: in each of them, a typewriter plays a part, sometimes minor, sometimes central. To many, typewriters represent a level of craftsmanship, beauty and individuality that is harder and harder to find in the modern world. In his stories, Mr Hanks gracefully reaches that typewriter-worthy level.

Known for his honesty and sensitivity as an actor, Mr Hanks brings both those characteristics to his writing. Alternatingly whimsical, moving and occasionally melancholy, Uncommon Type is a book that will delight as well as surprise his millions of fans. It also establishes him as a welcome and wonderful new voice in contemporary fiction, a voice that perceptively delves beneath the surface of friendships, families, love and normal, everyday behaviour.

Review

I'm going to have to admit upfront that I just love Tom Hanks - everything he does and he seems like a great guy too. I also love typewriters. So, unbiased review - really!

I did put this book at the top of my TBR pile and then read it in between another book. I don't like reading a whole set of short stories in one go, but I am a little sad now they are all read. BHowever, I've found out that the audio version of the book is read by Tom Hanks - I think I need to get it and hear them now too.

On that note, I did have Tom Hanks voice in my head whilst reading. Specifically his voice from "You've got Mail" (which also featured typewriters briefly) where he does read aloud a lot. This seemed to suit the timbre of the stories which are also very American, with some terms from way back that I have to admit I was not familiar with.

One character does crop up a couple of times, but otherwise each story is about a different person and situation. Some of them I found the typewriter connection to be a little tenuous and one I had to scan re read as I couldn't remember anything about a typewriter. 

I have two faves in this set of stories. One is a lady who buys an old typewriter for £5 bucks and her journey to get it fixed. The other combined into the mix another of my fave themes - time travel. I definitely could read this story over and over and it reminded me of Jack Finney's work.

In another story the typewriter takes the character back to recollections at hearing different parts of the typewriter, and as I read it, so did I - it was so spooky. Things I had not thought about for years - another one I would love to re-read. This book has got me hankering after getting an old typewriter - just like one I trained on years and years ago before my career went in another direction. I admit to having had a look online - oh Tom Hanks what have you started.........

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars and my thanks go to netgalley for an advance copy of the book for review.