The Imperfectionists

By: Tom Rachman

Narrated by: Christopher Welch

Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Set against the gorgeous backdrop of Rome, Tom Rachman’s wry, vibrant debut follows the topsy-turvy private lives of the reporters, editors, and executives of an international English-language newspaper as they struggle to keep it - and themselves - afloat. This hilarious and poignant look at the struggles of print news will establish Rachman as one of the 21st century’s most perceptive talents.

©2010 Tom Rachman (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"It would be hard to come up with a better narrator than Christopher Evan Welch for Tom Rachman's saga of the birth, life and death of a newspaper. By turns bitter, sweet, icily callous and very funny, the novel covers half a century and a large number of characters. Welch distinguishes between the characters mostly by mood and register, but so adeptly that he conveys personality and predicament as well as any thespian." ( Washington Post Book World)

“So good I had to read it twice simply to figure out how he pulled it off. I still haven’t answered that question, nor do I know how someone so young . . . could have acquired such a precocious grasp of human foibles. The novel is alternately hilarious and heart-wrenching.” (Christopher Buckley, The New York Times Book Review)

“Deftly written and sharply observed . . . Even if you’ve never set foot in a newsroom, The Imperfectionists proves a delight . . . It’s impossible not to like—this is masterful stuff.” ( The Philadelphia Inquirer)

disappointed

I usually love "linked" story collections, but would go with "Let the Great World Spin" or "Olive Kitteridge" instead.

Episodic narrative

If you could sum up The Imperfectionists in three words, what would they be?

Timely, interesting, episodic

What did you like best about this story?

Great characters whose stories connect in small and major ways. Also, an interesting look at the great changes in journalism.

Have you listened to any of Christopher Welch’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I enjoyed his performance and would listen to him again.

Does Every Story Have to be Depressing?

This book of intertwining stories about the staff of an international newspaper is well-written with interesting characters. Unfortunately, every single story is a downer. It got to be predictable. It was like the author kept trying to outdo himself in the ways he could make the characters miserable. The book would have fared better with a couple of happy stories thrown in.

Not good

Any additional comments?

If you have read good fiction, you will quikly reject this - it is full of clichés and weak characters and situations. At times, it sounds like a student's essay (in a bad way). Steer clear.

Bumper Sticker

This book could be condensed to a bumper sticker ... life's a bitch and then you die. While it is well-written and the newspaper background is somewhat interesting, the characters tend to be pathetic and the book moves plotlessly along at a snail's pace.

a good read

but the rise and fall of great powers was even better. just sayin. in case you're picking only one.

The Imperfectionists

I didn't like any of the characters in this book. I enjoy quirky people, but these folks were mostly downright unhappy and dysfuntional because of who they were. I read and heard favorable reviews so I had high expectations which sadly were not met.

Loved it!

A great debut by an author with a great sense of humor. Worth your time.

Confusing Short Stories

I liked how the last chapter tied everything together. The performance should have indicated the start of the newspaper article in each chapter. Perhaps there is a setting in Audible I was unaware of to make this happen. The numbered chapters didn’t line up with the book. The book didn’t have chapter numbers. A bit confusing

Masterfully done

Where does The Imperfectionists rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I for one, was very surprised to find out how young Tom Rachman is. His characters are so diverse and so convincingly narrated that I was convinced he must be a much older gentleman with years of life experience and writing experience behind him. I was quite touched by the multiple character threads and in the end, very impressed with how Rachman brought them all together tidily and convincingly. A very well done book with a solid performance by Christopher Welch.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It wasn't an emotional roller coaster for the most part, but there were a few moments that really got to me.