The Italian Teacher

Loved this story, well structured, excellent pace, brilliantly told. Great ending.

Exactly as expected

Tom Rachman's skills draw you in to this engaging tale of the art world, and the life of a son trying to find his place in the shadow of a successful, over-the-top father. At times humourous, at times very sad, the book moves through London, Rome, Toronto and elsewhere, and grips you from start to finish. It was a true pleasure to read and follows Rachman's other must-buy/must-read works.

I found this unengaging and it never improved for me. The idea of artists, Rome, 1955 all piqued my interest but part of the problem is that it does exactly what so many books about modern art and artists do: we have the selfish, egotistical, monomaniacal artist himself, his less successful ceramacist wife, and the child who looks on, adoring his father and wanting to be him. With themes which call into question how modern art is valued, issues of authenticity and 'forgery', plus a coming-of-age son story and a whip through times and places from 1955 up to the present - this isn't actively bad, just (for me) dull and done-before. Fabulous cover, though!

"Every day, Bear drives to his barn in North Salem to paint, come hurricane, war, or the visit of a child."I very much enjoyed this novel. The story travels through time and around a variety of locations, all of which ring true. It's theme is obsession, especially in the vision and dedication of the main character's father, Bear, who is a painter. The effect his obsession has on his wife, his son and others forms the core of the book. Bear is a character similar to the Marquess of Bath - rooted in his own unorthodox lifestyle, churning out works of art, and to hell with what anybody thinks. His obsession - and the obsessions he engenders in others - lead us through an entertaining and straightforward read.