by Tom Rachman
First published 2010
Kathleen Solson drives herself relentlessly as Editorial Chief of an English-language international newspaper based in Rome. Her ambition consumes her days while colleagues around her struggle with their own desires and disappointments. Arthur Gopal writes obituaries and carries the weight of being a world-famous journalist's son. Unlike his driven father, Arthur wants nothing more than to finish his work quickly and rush home to spend time with his beloved daughter Peanut. Each chapter reveals another employee's private world, from their professional frustrations to their personal longings. The newspaper office becomes a stage where dreams collide with reality, where some chase success while others seek escape. These interconnected lives create a portrait of people trying to balance work and love, duty and desire, in a city where ancient history meets modern ambition.
Genres: literary-fiction, contemporary, journalism, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-study, interconnected-stories
Setting: Rome, Italy
Period: 21st-century
348 pages · Paperback · Plata