The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece: A novel
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • From the legendary actor and best-selling author: a novel about the making of a star-studded, multimillion-dollar superhero action film...and the humble comic books that inspired it. Funny, touching, and wonderfully thought-provoking, while also capturing the changes in America and American culture since World War II.
"Wild, ambitious and exceptionally enjoyable." —Matt Haig, best-selling author The Midnight Library, The Humans and Reasons to Stay Alive
Part One of this story takes place in 1947. A troubled soldier, returning from the war, meets his talented five-year-old nephew, leaves an indelible impression, and then disappears for twenty-three years.
Cut to 1970: The nephew, now drawing underground comic books in Oakland, California, reconnects with his uncle and, remembering the comic book he saw when he was five, draws a new version with his uncle as a World War II fighting hero.
Cut to the present day: A commercially successful director discovers the 1970 comic book and decides to turn it into a contemporary superhero movie.
Cue the cast: We meet the film’s extremely difficult male star, his wonderful leading lady, the eccentric writer/director, the producer, the gofer production assistant, and everyone else on both sides of the camera.
Bonus material: Interspersed throughout are three comic books that are featured in the story—all created by Tom Hanks himself—including the comic book that becomes the official tie-in to this novel’s "major motion picture masterpiece."
"Wild, ambitious and exceptionally enjoyable." —Matt Haig, best-selling author The Midnight Library, The Humans and Reasons to Stay Alive
Part One of this story takes place in 1947. A troubled soldier, returning from the war, meets his talented five-year-old nephew, leaves an indelible impression, and then disappears for twenty-three years.
Cut to 1970: The nephew, now drawing underground comic books in Oakland, California, reconnects with his uncle and, remembering the comic book he saw when he was five, draws a new version with his uncle as a World War II fighting hero.
Cut to the present day: A commercially successful director discovers the 1970 comic book and decides to turn it into a contemporary superhero movie.
Cue the cast: We meet the film’s extremely difficult male star, his wonderful leading lady, the eccentric writer/director, the producer, the gofer production assistant, and everyone else on both sides of the camera.
Bonus material: Interspersed throughout are three comic books that are featured in the story—all created by Tom Hanks himself—including the comic book that becomes the official tie-in to this novel’s "major motion picture masterpiece."
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
This book is amazing. Itâs in my opinion Tom Hanksâ attempt at âmethodâ writing. The book is written by a âcharacterâ (in quotes because heâs not really a character but is introduced at the beginning of the book). But then you also get to experience each actual characterâs experiences right along with them.
Hanks wrote the comics, he wrote the screenplay, he wrote the book. There is no one better equipped to explain how movies are made.
As a mystery lover, I had a very large suspicion that some of the early story was going to wrap around and connect with the later story; but Hanksâ story telling exceeded my expectations in making that connection even deeper than expected.
He created some fantastic characters. I found myself wishing for a sequel, just to wrap up some loose ends, but there wonât be one. This book reads like real life because it was written to imitate real life. âThe blurâ actually occurs while/after reading this book. You donât find out what happens as a result of specific storylines because they happen after the movie was wrapped and you (the reader) are no longer part of the charactersâ lives when things are resolved.
Simply put, I loved it. I look forward to reading it again in the future to see if I pick up on any small details I may have missed the first time.
Hanks wrote the comics, he wrote the screenplay, he wrote the book. There is no one better equipped to explain how movies are made.
As a mystery lover, I had a very large suspicion that some of the early story was going to wrap around and connect with the later story; but Hanksâ story telling exceeded my expectations in making that connection even deeper than expected.
He created some fantastic characters. I found myself wishing for a sequel, just to wrap up some loose ends, but there wonât be one. This book reads like real life because it was written to imitate real life. âThe blurâ actually occurs while/after reading this book. You donât find out what happens as a result of specific storylines because they happen after the movie was wrapped and you (the reader) are no longer part of the charactersâ lives when things are resolved.
Simply put, I loved it. I look forward to reading it again in the future to see if I pick up on any small details I may have missed the first time.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.