Tom Rachman's New Novel Drops

Tom Rachman's literary career was launched by the international bestseller "The Imperfectionists" in 2010. The novel, set at an English-language newspaper in Rome, drew on his own experiences as a foreign correspondent for the Associated Press and the International Herald Tribune. His debut was widely praised for its witty and poignant portrayal of a group of flawed journalists, with Janet Maslin of The New York Times and NPR naming it one of the best books of the year. The book was longlisted for the Giller Prize, and its film rights were optioned by Brad Pitt's production company, Plan B. Rachman followed up with "The Rise & Fall of Great Powers" (2014), a novel that pieces together the fragmented past of its bookish protagonist, Tooly Zylberberg. This work continued to explore themes of identity and personal history through a complex, non-linear narrative that jumps between different decades and locations, from Bangkok to a small town in Wales. His 2018 novel, "The Italian Teacher," delved into the world of art and the complicated legacy of a famous, narcissistic painter and his son. The book was lauded for its sharp critique of the art world's hypocrisies and its moving depiction of a son's struggle to escape his father's shadow.