The Tom Hanks Enigma: The Biography of the World's Most Intriguing Movie Star

by David Gardner

In a career spanning 25 years, Tom Hanks has cemented his position as one of the finest actors of his generation. With an array of stunning performances in blockbusters as diverse as Big, The Da Vinci Code, Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, and Saving Private Ryan to his name, he has an outstanding reputation as one of the world's greatest leading men. Yet behind the many roles lies an intensely complex figure. This wonderful portrait of a dedicated family man and professional explores Tom Hanks' fractured childhood, the breakdown of his first marriage, his friendship with Princess Diana, his relationship with Bill Clinton, his moral and political stances, his family life, and the highs and lows of his stellar career.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

Unknown Binding

First published April 1, 2000

About the author

Librarian note:
Ther is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always liked Tom Hanks as an actor, and he generally seems like a pretty nice guy so I was interested to read more about him. This book confirms that he's an all-around nice guy, although I don't think he would be a pushover - I get the sense that he can be pretty blunt and tell it like it is if when he needs to be firm.

I thought it was interesting that Tom agreed to take a percentage of the gross takings for Forrest Gump (rather than an upfront payment - the movie was a bit of a gamble) and ended up more than $40 million better off. I also found it interesting that he has stayed overnight at the White House three times (a little like his Forrest Gump character - although he only met the President rather than staying overnight).

At first, I felt a little bit as though the author had dragged up anyone who had even a remote interest in Tom's past who was willing to say they remembered him, and it felt a little cheap, but after moving past Tom's childhood, this improved. On the whole, I thought it was well written, for a biography, and it was an enjoyable read - 3.5 stars.

[Szugar7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pierwsza biografia, którą przeczytałem i chyba dobry początek. Pół książki jest dość monotonne, opisana jest droga Toma na sam szczyt, niestety z nieustannym masłem maślanym. Potem gdy autor przedstawia szczyt wszystko robi się jakieś takie przyjemniejsze, czyta się o wiele łatwiej. Co do samego wydania boli mnie tylko rozmiar czcionki, który jest wielkości jak to lubię nazywać... mróweczek. ;_;

[Jelenka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ostatnio miałam ogromną przyjemność przeczytać biografię Toma Hanksa autorstwa Davida Gardnera. Zatopiłam się w niej na długie godziny i to była fascynująca, poruszająca i inspirująca lektura.

Toma Hanksa nie trzeba nikomu przedstawiać, jednak w mainstreamie jest o nim stosunkowo niewiele. Owszem, można znaleźć podstawowe informacje, ale nic poza tym. W tej biografii Hanks daje się poznać nie tylko jako aktor. Daje się poznać jako człowiek, po prostu. W żadnym razie nie jest to laurka czy hymn pochwalny. Autor opowiada o trudnym i burzliwym dzieciństwie aktora, krętej i wyboistej drodze do aktorskiej sławy czy zawirowaniach w życiu prywatnym. O tym co go ukształtowało, co miało wpływa na myślenie i postrzeganie świata, co sprawiło, że podążył tą a nie inną ścieżką.

"Enigma" to też ogrom smaczków z życia zawodowego aktora, o których nigdzie indziej nie można przeczytać. A już największą frajdą była dla mnie zamieszczona na końcu filmografia, z mnóstwem zakulisowych ciekawostek.

Polecam przeogromne! Szczególnie jeśli cenicie sobie twórczość filmową i aktorską Toma Hanksa. A może macie ochotę na biografię, na inspirującą i niezwykła historię...

[Mediaman · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's nothing very special about this career biography of the star--British writer Gardner essentially quotes from a whole bunch of books, magazines, and newspapers to focus on Hanks' early career. By the time the author gets to Tom's most successful decade of the 1990s, the chapters get shorter and summaries are much less detailed. So some of your favorite films are barely even mentioned.

There are a few good insights into Hanks' childhood, which is a real surprise with him being juggled around by different evil stepmothers and stepsiblings. Gardner even talks with some former family members. While the story of his dad's remarriages are interesting, it doesn't make Hanks look good later on when the actor admits that he has never seen any of his stepfamily since high school.

There is a fascinating section on Tom's born-again Christian faith when he was 15 to 19, becoming a fundamentalist believer, participating actively in his church's youth group and even living with a church family for his senior year. But then he oddly drops it all when he heads off to college and goes into theater, saying that he becomes a skeptic like his father. If there is any true "enigma" as the title says, it's this: how did a conservative evangelical Christian teen turn his back on his faith and family, eventually join the Greek Orthodox church of his second wife, and go on to become a Bill Clinton-supporting liberal (even praising and financially supporting Clinton after the president was caught having sex with an intern in the White House)?

Otherwise the book doesn't truly address the enigma idea; it's just a gimmicky title. Hanks is about the least mysterious actor in Hollywood, beyond why he picked some real turkeys to star in. Gardner overpraises Hanks throughout, even bragging that the guy only has had sex with seven women in his lifetime, but goes even more overboard when it comes to wife Rita Wilson. Can't quite figure out why she gets so much attention in this and why there wasn't a balanced view of their sometimes-rocky marriage or more about Tom's children.

The author's steam runs out at the wrong time--just when you want depth about Cast Away or The Terminal or even Toy Story, he only gives short summaries as he speeds up to a hasty conclusion, failing to do the real work to uncover the secrets of Tom Hanks private life and complete career.

[Dona · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book about Tom Hanks but I don’t think it was an authorized book. Most of the information seemed to have been gleaned from magazine interviews and articles. Granted my viewpoint was tainted by the fact that I listened to an audiobook and the reader was terrible! I am a great admirer of Tom Hanks and I did learn quite a lot about his life and the making of his movies. I think I would have enjoyed an autobiography read buy Tom much more though. 😊

[MeskaKsiazka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oczekiwałem od książki dużo więcej, gdyż liczyłem na wypowiedzi i nawiązania do osiągnięć i przeżyć z przeszłości przez samego Toma, a doczekałem się raptem patrzenia na wszystko z boku. Tom jest moim ulubionym więc książka była dla mnie bardzo fascynująca i wciągajaca, lecz nie zmienia to sytuacji że jest to tylko zdanie kogoś innego na życie Toma Hanxa.

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

[Oliwia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jestem zachwycona. Tom jest cudownym i ciepłym i życzliwym człowiekiem. Wzór do naśladowania.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was OK

[James Loftus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked it. Read a bit like an extended celebration of Tom, how wonderful he is. He can act. His story from who-is-he to being HIM! Rags to riches always works in the right hands. A talented journalist wrote this, and looking at his sources, people like Tom. Comes across as a good guy. And, as we all know, he can act like a bloody champion.

Saw Philadelphia again the other day. He is gifted! Absolutely.

Loved, his, That Thing You Do!

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was a good book.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book about Tom Hanks' life from his birth to The Da Vinci Code. I liked that the author is English and uses quirky English phrasing.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt like I was invading thee privacy of one of the best actors of all time. Didn't learn a lot new.

[Joy H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

(I listened to the audio version via audible.com.)
Hear sample here:
http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_p...

[barbara]

tom hanks is an incredible man and this is a great read of his life

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good bio though confusing at times, back & forth in time.