Uncommon Type - Tom Hanks

I read this book in early March and was a little unsure whether to write a review on it, because, honestly, it didn't leave a massive impression on me and I wasn't sure how much I'd have to write about it. But I feel like the majority of my reviews are about books I really love (most of the books I read I really enjoy because I like so many genres and try to find the wonderful elements of all literature), and thought that an honest review of a book I didn't love quite as much would be welcomed too. Don't get me wrong, Tom Hanks is a fantastic writer, which was to be expected really, and I found myself reading the novel in the voice of Sam Baldwin from "Sleepless in Seattle" (one of my faves). But I've never been a huge sucker for a short story collection - I'm the sort of reader who likes to get really emotionally attached to a character, which is pretty tough to do in less than 20 pages! When I first picked up the book in Waterstones I didn't even realise it was a short story collection, admittedly - I just saw the name Tom Hanks and was reeled right in! 

The collection of 17 stories has a theme of typewriter imagery, which explains the name and cover of the collection. Some stories only utilise the theme in passing, whilst others explore the machinery of the typewriter in great detail, such as "These Are The Meditations of my Heart", about a girl who purchases an old typewriter and falls in love with the charming medium of writing with it. I feel, however, that with such short narratives it is difficult for any of them to be really memorable. That being said, most of these stories are really gripping - annoyingly they don't last very long and often are left open-ended. I find it frustrating that characters are left undeveloped, and relationships unexplored. That's just how short stories go across the board really! But some of these had real potential, and could have made good full-length novels. 

A particular favourite of mine was "Who's Who?", a 24-page story which tells the tale of an aspiring but struggling actress, Sue Gliebe, living in a cramped and damp apartment in New York City and feeling totally depressed. After a terrible experience navigating the rainy, bustling city looking for work, living off her dwindling savings and hurriedly dressing in the tiny, freezing bathroom of her apartment every morning, she is on the brink of giving up hope entirely. That is until her old friend Bob Roy spots her sobbing in the street and takes her under his wing, bringing her to his flat and helping her to reinvent herself. Nothing that a hot bath and hot meal couldn't fix, plus an afternoon spent writing out a new résumé on Bob's antique black metal typewriter and a brand new Hollywood stage name for Sue Gliebe. This was my favourite story of the collection, but as I finished it I felt dissatisfied and underwhelmed - what happened to Sue next?! Did she get more acting work?! Did she move into a less stuffy and cramped apartment?! These are the frustrations of short-story reading. 

I suppose there's a sort of charm and mystery about a short story - you can fill in the blanks, invent the characters in your own mind and even continue the story for yourself, so in that way I think the reader is given great power. But I can't help but feeling dissatisfied - I don't think I'll be reading short stories on the regular! But one thing that can be appreciated is Hank's ability to write about simpler times, with a quaint and somewhat old-fashioned style of true American writing, which is very charming! Certainly a good pick for those who like to dip in and out of books without committing to a whole novel, and definitely worth a read!