Uncommon Type
NATIONAL BESTSELLER - A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: NPR, USA Today - A collection of "first-rate" short stories (The New York Times) that explore--with great affection, humor, and insight--the human condition in all its foibles. A small-town newspaper columnist with old-fashioned views of the modern world. A World War II veteran grappling with his emotional and physical scars. A second-rate actor plunged into sudden stardom and a whirlwind press junket. Four friends traveling to the moon in a rocketship built in the backyard. These are just some of the stories that Tom Hanks captures in his first work of fiction. 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 these stories, Hanks gracefully reaches that typewriter-worthy level. By turns whimsical, witty, and moving, Uncommon Type establishes him as a welcome and wonderful new voice in contemporary fiction.
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Community Reviews
Really enjoyed the short stories. I like Hanks’ theme of typewriters throughout his writing. It is definitely one of his real life loves and it shows.
This was a fun read! Hanks has been a favorite actor of mine for years (as I am sure he is of many others) so it was a no brainer to want this work to see how his outing as an author would turn out. While, like many works, there are areas for improvement, these stories are heartwarming, charming, and wonderful.
One story in particular (The Past is Important to Us), left me appropriately disturbed and yet bothered that there was no further explanation for the ending (though, none was needed which is what made this story so disconcerting).
It is also no secret that Mr. Hanks is an avid collector and lover of typewriters. Therefore the use/purchase/notice of a typewriter makes an appearance in every story in some form or fashion. His love of typewriters is especially apparent in "These are the Meditations of My Heart" - a charming story of a young woman who is starting over in a new place.
I cannot recommend this enough to anyone who is a lover of short fiction or of Mr. Hanks himself. If you have followed his career or have listened to any personal interviews, these stories simply seem to fit his character and personality. Like any author, he pours himself into the words and you almost feel as if some of these stories are slightly autobiographical in nature (those about time travel and space exploration notwithstanding of course).
As much as I love his work on screen, I do hope that he will continue to publish more of these charming stories for us to enjoy.
One story in particular (The Past is Important to Us), left me appropriately disturbed and yet bothered that there was no further explanation for the ending (though, none was needed which is what made this story so disconcerting).
It is also no secret that Mr. Hanks is an avid collector and lover of typewriters. Therefore the use/purchase/notice of a typewriter makes an appearance in every story in some form or fashion. His love of typewriters is especially apparent in "These are the Meditations of My Heart" - a charming story of a young woman who is starting over in a new place.
I cannot recommend this enough to anyone who is a lover of short fiction or of Mr. Hanks himself. If you have followed his career or have listened to any personal interviews, these stories simply seem to fit his character and personality. Like any author, he pours himself into the words and you almost feel as if some of these stories are slightly autobiographical in nature (those about time travel and space exploration notwithstanding of course).
As much as I love his work on screen, I do hope that he will continue to publish more of these charming stories for us to enjoy.
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