Look, I'm a fan of Tom Hanks. So this review is biased. When I found out about this book of short stories, I knew I was going to buy it. I asked for it for Christmas. I didn't even read a description or a review. I just wanted it. I knew it might be a risk, because sometimes celebrities are bad writers. But I was committed.
First, I'll get to my rating--this book was really, really good. And that made me realize why I'm such a fan of Tom Hanks.
He's an amazing actor, receiving Oscars for his roles in Philadelphia and Forest Gump while also getting robbed for his roles in Saving Private Ryan and Apollo 13. And Castaway. And Road to Perdition. Basically I believe that Tom Hanks should have about eight Oscars, okay? And then there's classics like You've Got Mail and That Thing You Do.
Which brings me to the That Thing You Do soundtrack. It's also amazing, and Hanks produced it through his label Playtone, which is also his production company that produced hits like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Polar Express and the television series Band of Brothers.
This is my point--Tom Hanks produces nothing but quality. I'm sure he's had some misses, but overall, everything he does is first-class. This book, and these stories, are no different.
As for the title, every story in this collection involves a typewriter. Sometimes it is a minor part of the story, and other times it serves as the plot itself. Most of the stories revolve around average, working-class people experiencing a life-changing event or going through an interesting part of their life. A man has an exhausting three week romantic relationship with a friend. A recently divorced woman moves into a new neighborhood. A child goes for his first plane ride. Only two stories take place in exotic or fantastic places--an actor experiences sudden fame after being cast in the latest action blockbuster, and (one of my favorite chapters in the book) a billionaire goes back in time and falls in love.
The entire collection is steeped with Hanks' playful tone and occasional gravitas when the situation turns serious. Hanks seems genuinely interested in every character, never using them as tools to move the plot forward or as simple caricatures. It's almost as if he's just recording events he witnessed or experienced himself.
The best books make you wish they never ended. Uncommon Type does that, and I hope Hanks returns to the world of literature sometime soon.
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