The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
At the beginning of the summer, members of the From Left to Write book club engaged in a fun discussion about our summer reading lists. The Imperfectionists
Rachman, a foreign correspondent, set his debut novel in Rome and weaves an intricate story of how this English-language paper came about, and how the lives of the various employees intersect. The overall feeling of this book is melancholic (albeit with a few chuckles thrown in). It could truly be real-life, which is refreshing. Each chapter reads as a stand-alone short story, focusing on one particular employee. Occasional chapters are thrown in giving the reader some backstory about the paper’s founder and original employees, and the group that runs it. Rachman writes this book flawlessly, with a depth of feeling and connection to the characters that is very impressive for a debut novel.
Each character is a real person, complete with flaws, issues, and hang-ups. No one person is a hero or extraordinary in any way; all of the characters simply work to put out a daily edition of this declining newspaper and none seem to be aware of the goings-on of their co-workers’ personal lives.
I read the 304-page paperback edition in just a couple of days – it is an engrossing novel. I look forward to reading more of the author’s work! Have you read The Imperfectionists
by Tom Rachman, which is a delight to read. The remaining books on my list seem promising as well.
by Deborah Harkness was absolutely delightful. So great, in fact, I’ve actually checked it back out of the library to re-read, even though I just finished it a couple of weeks ago. Harkness combined witches, vampires, demons, history, and romance in her debut novel (a quick read despite its 592-page length). Harkness also manages to produce an interesting discussion on the origin story of each type of creature, and what it means to the individuals to actually understand their beginnings and where their power comes from. This book really does have a bit of everything – good vs. evil, science vs. magic, desire vs. conformity. It’s a fantastic read! I won’t share any spoilers or recap it for you – I’ll save that for another post.
by Geraldine Brooks. Originally published at 384 pages in early 2008, it’s the story of an Australian rare book conservator, invited to report on the condition of the centuries-old Sarajevo Haggadah. While the book itself (the Haggadah) is real, the story Brooks wrote is mostly fictional. She seamlessly weaved a history of the book’s journey from its original artist to its present location. Readers follow the small pieces of evidence uncovered about the book back in time, and witness how and why the book was made. I read this novel in one sitting: it’s that engrossing. Brooks created not only a moving journey through time, but a great narrative of the human story – suffering, tragedy, perseverance, and the ability to overcome.
