The Imperfectionists

The Imperfectionists 

by Tom Rachman

A Review

One of the best books I have ever read.  I literally got to the end and the first thing I thought was, “I need to read that again.”

The book takes place in Rome and is centered on the lives of an English language newspaper’s staffers and the foibles that characterize each of them.  Every chapter, or headline, as it is laid out, tells the story of one employee or reader of the paper.  As to be expected, the people are all linked to each other throughout the book, and you will find yourself understanding a character more and more as you read into each of their separate but interlaced lives.

Journalism, a career perceived to be so glamorous, is exposed for the grime and dirt that is accompanied with it.  More importantly, the journalists and readers in this novel are seen for what they are, humans- with fault.  Each facing his or her own "imperfections," they go through life facing what they must and making the best of what they have.  Interestingly, their jobs and their lives are at the mercy of the- stay with me here- newspaper’s founder’s grandson, who could not care in the least about the fate of the empire his grandfather built and believed in.

What makes this book unique and particularly enjoyable is its ability to capture the essence of human flaw and emotion.  It digs deep into the souls and pulls out insights of the psyche- a profound understanding of human nature that sometimes we cannot even grasp in our own thoughts and of our own minds. But, Rachman never makes his characters more than what they are- ordinary people.

At times, I found my heart wrenched in the despair and loneliness of a particular character.  Other times, I was laughing at the ridiculous and haughty nature of another.  The characters became important to me because they were real.  Relatable.  I saw bits of myself in each of them.

The Imperfectionists, filled with humor and sentiment, is a true gem, a must read.  A novel so good that when you get to the end you will think, "I need to read that again."