Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks

Author : Tom Hanks
Title : Uncommon Type
Published : 2018
Publisher : Arrow
Pages : 416
Genre : Short Stories

     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.

     I have been a fan of Mr. Hanks's film for as long as I can remember, you know what you get when you sit down to one of his films. So I was curious when I heard that he had written a book. Before going into this book I was aware of his love of typewriters and the very impressive collection he owns. As far as I am aware he wrote this book on at least one from his collection. In this day and age, I feel this takes a special kind of person, In the age where laptops a king to sit and write on something that doesn't allow for errors takes a certain kind of person. 

     As for the stories themselves, there is a certain kind of magical rhythm that runs through all these tales. For me, it is not often that I hear the authors own voice as I pass through there books. But with every word I could hear his voice as if he was sat next to me spinning a yarn. That feeling you get from watching one of his films passes from the screen and down onto the written page. He brings a certain kind of comfort to the time you spend with him. I would easily say that his proficiency in writing is up there with many others. I would say that the collections of shorts stories are not my favorite things to read. I tend to find that just as I starting to get into the plot it's all over and done with. But here Hanks manages to make these tiny little capsules of worlds that are enjoyable to dip into if only for a little while. 

     I do favor some stories more than others and with each one, it evokes a different emotion in the reader. Not all of these are happy stories some bring melancholy other a wisp of curiosity and one or two puzzlement.  Within these pages, my interest was peeked to know what it would be like if he had written a continues novel. For my two cents, I think he could pull it off. But for the most part, I'm sure you can find one or two stories within these pages that you will cherish. I would say that there is little here that will truly surprise you kind of get what you think you would fro the author. This is not necessarily a bad thing there are other authors out there pouring the very blood onto the pages and trying to change and surprise us as readers. 

    If you are looking for an enjoyable book to spends a few hours with on an afternoon then I feel Hanks delivers what you want.