Edinburgh bookshop owner hailed as 'hero' by Tom Hanks

The owner of an Edinburgh bookshop has been hailed a ‘hero’ by Hollywood actor Tom Hanks over their passion for typewriters.

Tom Hodges, who runs Typewronger Books in the capital, typewrote a letter to Hanks in the summer.

They were amazed when the double Oscar-winning Hanks wrote back in a letter praising their work and passion for the craft of typewriting.

Tom said: “It was a warm and lovely message that really brightened up my week. I was about a third of the way through his reply when I realised it was him.

“I had read on various forums that Tom Hanks does reply to people who write to him from a typewriter. He is a famous collector of typewriters.”

Tom said they had invited Hanks to attend the National Museum of Scotland’s typewriting exhibition in Edinburgh.

They said: “I have an exhibition on at the moment and figured there would be a good chance of a response if I typewrote to him.

“He called me his hero a couple of times, which is not very good for my ego and it will be harder for me to get through narrow doorways now.

“I have seen a couple of his films but my main interest lies in the fact that he does so much to promote typewriters and promoting it as a physical culture, that is the main thing.”

Hodges was also impressed that Hanks uses ‘x’ to rectify mistakes, rather than using TipEx.

Tom Hodges received typewritten letter from Tom Hanks. Tom Hodges

“Typewriter makers hate Tip-Ex, we want it banned,” they said.

Hanks’ letter was typed on paper from the set of his latest film – the upcoming biographical musical drama about Elvis Presley directed by Baz Luhrmann.

“He (Hanks) wants to see typewriters make a comeback and they are making a comeback.”