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The Italian Teacher

By Tom Rachman
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3.66 goodreads logo

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Italian Teacher by Tom Rachman follows the life of Pinch, the son of a charismatic and world-famous artist. As he grows up under his father's shadow, Pinch grapples with finding his own identity and artistic voice. The novel explores themes of family dynamics, ambition, and the struggle for self-worth in a world dominated by larger-than-life personalities.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy intricate family dramas and exploring the complex dynamics between fathers and sons. Set against the backdrop of the art world, it beautifully weaves themes of identity and ambition, offering a deep dive into the life of an overlooked artist striving for his own place in the shadow of a larger-than-life parent.

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Tom Rachman's grand and moving family drama set against the pretention, prestige and pomp of the international art world, now in a new format edition

Tom Rachman's grand and moving family drama set against the pretention, prestige and pomp of the international art world, now available in a new format edition.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Conceived while his larger-than-life father, Bear Bavinsky, cavorted around Rome in the 1950s, the young Pinch learns that his father’s genius trumps everything else. After Bear abandons his family, Pinch strives to make himself worthy—first as a painter, and then as his father’s biographer, before settling, disillusioned, into a job teaching Italian in London.

And when Bear dies, Pinch hatches a scheme to secure his father’s legacy.

What makes an artist? With his signature compassion and humour, Tom Rachman conjures a life lived in the shadow of greatness. The Italian Teacher is a masterly novel about a son striving to make his own mark on the world.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Italian Teacher by Tom Rachman is widely praised for its engaging, heart-wrenching narrative that explores themes of art, family, and authenticity. Critics acclaim Rachman's ability to bring characters to life with emotional subtlety and his evocative depiction of different eras and settings. The novel is noted for its humour, nuanced psychology, and its insightful examination of the complexities of filial relationships and artistic genius.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781922268730

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 31 March 2020

Country: Australia

Imprint: The Text Publishing Company

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 384

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Tom Rachman

About the Author

Born in London and raised in Vancouver, Tom Rachman studied cinema at the University of Toronto and journalism at Columbia University in New York. His novels, all published by Text, include the bestselling The Imperfectionists, The Rise and Fall of Great Powers and Basket of Deplorables. He lives in London.

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  • The Italian Teacher
    Conceived while his larger-than-life father, Bear Bavinsky, cavorted around Rome in the 1950s, the young Pinch learns that his father's genius trumps everything else. After Bear abandons his family, Pinch strives to make himself worthy—first as a painter, and then as his father's biographer, before settling, disillusioned, into a job teaching Italian in London. And when Bear dies, Pinch hatches...
    By Tom Rachman
    Paperback
    $3400
    Elsewhere:
    $3700
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Basket of Deplorables
    A Manhattan party on election night. Liberal media types gather with big grins and high-end canapés to watch the Trump-Clinton results come in, expecting a smooth victory for Hillary. As the outcome shifts and they descend into panic, the host stands abruptly before her guests, confessing a shocking crime of years before. What follows is a series of witty, cutting,...
    By Tom Rachman
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  • The Imperfectionists
    The Imperfectionists is a novel about the peculiar people who write and read an international newspaper based in Rome: from the obituary reporter who will do anything to avoid work, to the dog-obsessed publisher who seems less interested in his struggling newspaper than in his magnificent basset hound, Schopenhauer. While the news of the day rushes past, the true front-page...
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    As Tooly strolled back downtown, she glanced at other buildings. No matter how she imagined their insides – parties veering out of control, kitchens with faucets running, angry couples playing cards for real money – the truth was always more peculiar. In a vertical city, cramped dwellings were the only territory unreservedly reserved, each home an intimate fortress. Yet they...
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