When you work at a newspaper, you tend to think no one else sees the things you do. Not in the course of your duties, but in your workplace. No one works with weirder people. No one sees that kind of white-collar chaos and stress. No one has that many intermingled relationships. Only your newsroom is that odd.

Then you meet someone from another paper and find out that the characters are universal, the stories trite and the maniacal behavior fairly rote. That doesn’t stop everyone from having fun sharing their own version of these stories. That’s why I love “The Imperfectionists” by former newsman Tom Rachman.

Told through concurrent perspectives of the present-day staffers and a chronological history of the fictional English-language paper based in Rome, the story gives great insight to the madness of journalism. Whether it’s the rise and fall of the medium’s success or the curious habits of the guy who seemingly never leaves the newsroom, Rachman hits every note perfectly.

The book has had some nice success, receiving glowing reviews from many, many publications. This demonstrates that Rachman did a masterful job of not just speaking to the journalists who would buy the book, but to the general audience. Anyone can write about crazy people to entertain those who have lived through the same situation, but to craft this world through the twin lenses of now and what brought us to now required great skill.

Besides the familiarity of the workplace surroundings, I really enjoyed how Rachman made Rome an extra character in the book. I have never been there and would never think of working internationally like that -it may work for others, but the thought of moving so far away from family and friends at any age isn’t my cup of tea – so I enjoyed the depth that each different character’s experience in the city brought to the plot.

I hope Rachman continues writing books like this, not necessarily ones about newspapers, but smart, funny and insightful books that make us remember the fun and crazy things we have all seen in our lives.