Uncommon Type: Some Stories
A collection of 17 short stores by two-time Oscar winning actor Tom Hanks. A gentle Eastern European immigrant arrives in New York City after his family and his life have been torn apart by his country's civil war. A man who loves to bowl rolls a perfect game--and then another and then another and then many more in a row until he winds up ESPN's newest celebrity, and he must decide if the combination of perfection and celebrity has ruined the thing he loves. An eccentric billionaire and his faithful executive assistant venture into America looking for acquisitions and discover a down and out motel, romance, and a bit of real life.
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Community Reviews
This was not what I expected. But I don't know what I expected -- that Tom Hanks was going to go on and on about his love of typewriters??
A nice collection of short stories by America's favorite son. Is there nothing this man can't do?
A nice collection of short stories by America's favorite son. Is there nothing this man can't do?
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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