Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

All you may need to learn something about Tom.
This is an updated "David Gardner Book" (see others on the amazon-list) about actor Tom Hanks which provides you with most important things to learn something about Tom Hanks' life. Easy-to-read style, in-depth research and even latest entries are accurate. The only "minor" thing which may disappoint some readers and fans is the fact of getting only a small number of black and white pictures in the book (therefore only 4 stars).
Nevertheless, strongly recommended.

Behind the screen
Tom Hanks is well known, famous even, for the wide variety of film roles he has played from Forrest Gump, to astronauts, to Army Captain Miller in Saving Private Ryan. Yet in spite of the large number of movies he has made, he remains a quiet and generally unknown person. He has managed to escape the wild publicity swings, multiple divorces, and generally outrageous behavior often found in Hollywood characters.

This book, by British author David Bardner tells the story of Tom Hank's life, the history of his films and of his family. It is written neither to glorify nor condemn, but seems to strike a fair balance of objective reporting.

It brings out how hard Tom Hanks had to work to hone his craft. His casual screen style is no accident but the result of a lot of hard work, and a wise selection of roles and directors. All in all, you are convinced that Tom Hanks is a really nice guy. ... Read more

Book Description

Baseball has witnessed more than 125,000 major-league home runs. Many have altered the outcomes of games, and some, swatted into the stands on dramatic last swings, have decided pennants and won reputations. But no home run has played a more significant role in influencing American society than Hank Aaron's 715th.

Customer Reviews (19)

Baseball History Comes Alive
In his usual, thorough and mesmerizing manner, Stanton takes us thru the times of one of baseball's true heroes.Aaron emerges at once a hero AND a normal man withwants, fears and determined expectations lived under the canopy of the race issue.This book is one that is easily read because Stanton makes the progression to the final home run go swiftly.But he includes statistics and surprises which make each page worth the close scruitiny required if a reader is to get the full meaning of Hank Aaron's life and his importance to America's Game.This is a book I'm saving for my young grandson to read and before he is old enough to appreciate it's impact, I'm going to enjoy reading it again!

Three reasons why it's the best
Early last summer, I walked out of a Vermont bookstore with a copy of Hank Aaron and the Home Run that changed America by Tom Stanton. I wanted to learn about Aaron and his quest to break Babe Ruth's all-time career home run record. About nine months later, I picked the book up and began reading it. I learned more about those two heart wrenching years than I ever thought I could. I also realized that I had just read one of the greatest sports books ever.
There are three main reasons why I consider this book to be one of histories greatest. The first is that it only chronicled the two years Aaron was chasing Ruth's coveted record. Most other sports books I've read, including Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy by Jane Leavy and Derek Jeter: The Life You Imagine By Jack Curry and Jeter himself both told of the life stories of the athlete the book portrayed. This book is one of the only sports biographies that doesn't tell about an athletes entire life. Although it did tell of Aaron's personal life during those two years, including his marriage to wife Billye Williams, and his childhood inspirations from Jackie Robinson in the first chapter, it is almost entirely about "the chase".
Another reason I enjoyed this book so much, is that it kept interviewing and talking to the same characters, including teammate Dusty Baker and manager Eddie Mathews. With this, not only were you connecting with and watching Aaron grow, but also you saw what happened to his friends throughout all of the two years. With other books, you'll be lucky to hear about a sub-character, or read an interview from the same person mabey on two pages tops.
The third and final reason this is the best sports novel ever is because it showed how hard it was to mentally survive the two record breaking seasons. It told of all the death threats, hate mail, and concerns Aaron had for his family. It also told about kidnappings that were going on at the same time that made him so cautious.
I hope by posting this book review that I have intrigued some of you sports fans to pick up a copy of Hank Aaron and the Home Run that changed America. After reading it you all will agree that this book is not only one of the greatest sports books ever, but one of the greatest books in history as well.

Solid, Readable Narrative
Author Tom Stanton provides a straightforward account of Hank Aaron's chase of Babe Ruth's home run record during the 1973-74 seasons.The book is partly about baseball but more about Aaron the man, plus his life under pressure from a combination of fan adoration, media crush, and racist hate mail.Imagine being constantly surrounded by adoring fans, and even having tour busses stop in front of your house.Imagine facing hordes of reporters before and after every game, or playing the outfield after receiving death threats.Most fans supported Aaron, but some responded in a vile manner. Like millions of other kids I watched his record-breaking homer on TV, and then was surprised to hear Aaron say moments later, "Thank God it's over."After reading this book, one can see why Aaron said that.

The author might have given more attention to U.S. life circa 1973-1974, the coming of free agency, and how most of the sellout crowd that night left the ballpark not that long after Aaron's fourth-inning homer.Still, this is a very readable look at one of baseball's most famous moments, and one of the game's most inspiring stars.

A good book, but not great
Three-and-a-half stars, actually.

Tom Stanton takes us back to 1973 (with a little of '72 and '74 thrown in, of course) to tells us the story of Hank Aaron and his record-breaking 715th home run to break Babe Ruth's record.We follow Aaron through the '73 season, tracking his progress and following the reaction of everyone to his home run.For the most part, the reaction is favorable, but there are many examples of hateful sentiments in the form of letters and catcalls.We also read background on Aaron's career and life, with emphasis on the unfortunate impact of race on not only Aaron, but also baseball in general.

Stanton's book was quite good, and I enjoyed reading it, but I couldn't help feeling like there was something missing.A good baseball book presents the story in a straightforward, professional manner that tells you what you need to know.A great baseball book, though, does that and then gives you more, a little bit of heart, something that takes the story beyond just what happened and gives you a feeling for the subject matter.Stanton just couldn't get to the level of great, he created a skillful portrait of Aaron and he effectively captured the time, but there was still something more he left out.I felt like everything turned out too sunny in the end, that there was more to the bad side (as much as many would not want to dwell on that) that would be key to capturing the story.

Despite my complaints, though, this was a good book and well worth any baseball fan's time.

Baseball's Greatest Record and the Man who Broke It!
Like author Tom Stanton, I was a little boy when Henry Louis Aaron was closing in on baseball's crown jewel record: Babe Ruth's 714 home runs.I lived in Forest Park, Georgia, about 12 miles south of Atlanta Stadium, and I had the good fortune to be able to see about a half dozen of Mr. Aaron's home runs in person.I played with the other boys in our neighborhood, and when the Braves were playing we always had the radio on.We could talk and joke and laugh through the rest of the game, but our voices would hush when Milo Hamilton would tell us "Aaron is on deck".Hank would come to the plate and our room would erupt with joy if we got to hear Milo's typical home run call."There's a long drive.... It's going back.... WAY back.... It's OUT of here! Home Run number 683 for Henry Aaron!"

Anyway - I had to begin this review by admitting what a HUGE hero Hank Aaron is in my life.

All that being said, this book is both very informative and disappointingly bland.It was good to hear the names of those Braves from the past - in particular Aaron progeny Dusty Baker and Ralph Garr.Darrell Evans and Davey Johnson who joined Aaron as the only 3 teammates in history to hit 40 home runs the same year. (1973, the year before historic #715).Eddie Matthews, who was once Hank's teammate, the two teammates with the most life-time home runs, then served as Hank's manager during the years that make up the bulk of the book.Hall of Fame teammates Phil Niekro and Warren Spahn.Hall of Fame opponents like Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver and Don Sutton.

Most enlightening were the details of the paths Hank followed behind Jackie Robinson as a ground-breaking African-American excelling in the National Pasttime.Most heart-breaking were the tales of hate mail and death threats that he received every day.To right-thinking people it is inconceivable that a man could receive death threats only because he was doing his job as well as any person had ever done it.

The four stars are because I didn't come close to receiving the same thrill that this same material could have given me if presented properly.Stanton is a terrific researcher, but his writing style feels clinically cold.If America is a country of "Tall Tales" and our best legends are the real living ones, then certainly Hank Aaron must be one of America's Greatest Heroes by any definition.Stanton says as much in this book, but there's what you say, then there's how you say it.Nonetheless, this is the best record I know of covering these events, and I'd call it "required reading" for anyone wanting to know about Hammering Hank. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

incomplete but good read
David Gardner can write, and he does express the anguish in Hanks' life and the good times well - he misses out some of the extra-film things Hanks does - not only his choices of charity work, but his comic work on Saturday Night Live which should fill out the career of this rounded entertainer - he leaves out earlier films that i discovered elsewhere. so, if he is marking out the territory to be the only biographer who knows it all, he should include more of the career. (Why did he and first wife adopt when they had a son already? what is it about Hanks and his wife that lead them to do this? but none of that is mentioned.) Maybe he was blocked, but he has not been a good journalist in doing what is essentially a cut-and-paste job that is very selective. Hanks' brilliance as an entertainer is of a particular American brand, and, here i am, an American based in Europe, and I'd like to have read about that a little. so, this is disappointing finally.

A Fascinating Look ata Wonderful Actor
I began reading this informative biography, thinking it was probably just the typical filmography most books done on Tom Hanks are.The author has done a tremendous amount of research and, although I thought I was awell-informed fan, learned quite a few revelations.Anyone who loves TomHanks will be thrilled with this book and those who are only curious willalso enjoy it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

entertaining but not too deep
Tom emerges as, of course, a decent man and a talented actor.The authordoesn't delve too much into Hank's psychology but it is still veryentertaining. ... Read more

Product Description
Entertainment magazine featuring Charlies Wilson's War with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, Titanic 10 Years Later, Diablo Code EW's newest columnist, Wesley Snipes on his bizarre downfall and upcoming trial and much more. ... Read more

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Any actor can become a star, but it takes a special kind of man to become an icon and a legend. Men like Clark Gable, John Wayne, Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, and Tom Hanks were possessed by a passion to be the best, a burning thirst for success transformed them into Gods of the Silver Screen. These men of action, romance, comedy, and drama have delighted audiences for generations. Hear the intimate details of their journeys to stardom. Explore their personalities, as divulged by those who knew them best. Listen to the secrets of their private lives in these revealing confessions. ... Read more

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Biography Magazine July 1998 Tom Hanks cover. Articles include Tom Hanks, James Starrs, Minnie Driver, Chang and Eng, Farrah Fawcett, Judy Garland, Monets Home and more ... Read more

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Shot by Shot: Rocky V. Feature article on the making of: "The Bonfire of the Vanities", "The Sheltering Sky", Joel Silver feature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must for all Tom Hanks fans!
From author David Quinlan, the respected film reviewer for Britain's TVTimes magazine, comes what is by far, the best--and most accurate--TomHanks biography to date.

The book is well written and easy to read.Itis also nicely illustrated with a large selection of film stills and candidphotos. There's plenty of information about Tom's personal life which issure to satisfy even the most curious fan.The only negative in the wholebook is that the author continually ridicules Tom's emotional Oscaracceptance speeches.

The book is divided into ten chapters, most of whichare named after Tom's films.These include:"Making a Splash"(documents Tom's successful movie debut in Splash), "Nothing inCommon" (Tom's failed marriage to Samantha), "Bosom Buddies"((Tom meets--and marries--his beloved Rita), and "A League of HisOwn" (Tom's"Sleepless in Seattle" success and subsequentOscar wins).There is also an index and detailed filmography whichconcludes with That Thing You Do! (The pending release of Saving PrivateRyan is mentioned in the final chapter). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

So close and yet so far
I am a die-hard Tom Hanks fan so any book about him and his awesome career belongs in my library. This is a good one, but there are some serious downfalls in it. I am not sure if the authors are just overly impossibly critical or what, but theyrefuses to see the good side of his work in the early days. I was depressing. If you know anything about actors you know that they are not all overnight success. Why can't they deal with that? I was able to forgive them this type of criticism until I read about Sleepless in Seattle. Where was the editor the day these pages came in? Sam Baldwin's sons name is Jonah, not Joshua! ... Read more

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Tom Hanks cover and feature-The King of Comedy. Oscar feature, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Kathy Baker, Robert Downey, Jr. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Siempre!, published by Edicional Siempre on January 10, 2001. The length of the article is 823 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Tom Hanks: Naufragio rumbo al Oscar.(breves notas sobre la farándula)(TT: Tom Hanks: a wreck on its way to the Oscars.)(TA: brief show business notes)(Artículo Breve)(Columna)
Author: Susana Moscatel
Publication: Siempre! (Refereed)
Date: January 10, 2001
Publisher: Edicional Siempre
Volume: 47Issue: 2482Page: 68

Article Type: Artículo Breve, Columna

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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Special 1000th Issue, August 2005 Reader's Digest, additional articles include: The Connected Home, Families and Faith, Do It Yourself Doctoring, Deadly Games, Utopia USA, Always On, They Know Who You Are, and much more ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Epoca, published by Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA) on December 3, 2004. The length of the article is 509 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Tom Hanks: realidad y apariencia.(Biografía)
Author: Fátima Uríbarri
Publication: Epoca (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 3, 2004
Publisher: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
Issue: 1029Page: 78(1)

Article Type: Biografía

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more