Sebastian Pitbull

Jess' Views, Reviews, and Some Blues

  • Books
  • Movies
  • Indies
  • Blues
  • Travels
  • Portfolio
  • Polaroids

The Function of Credibility

Becoming a journalist was one of my life’s ambitions. This was triggered when I watched All The President’s Men back when I was a college kid in the latter part of the 90’s. But pursuing such career was, without any regret, out of the question. I was already majoring in political science, a course I took because I loved practical law as my high school elective and it had the least number of math subjects. And I was never really a natural born writer. Perhaps I write to channel the spirit and wisdom of the stories and authors that I read and adore. Fortunately, my more than a decade-old career in development work allowed me to do some writing and introduced me to a few but extraordinary journalists.

This respect and awe of the world inhabited by professionals behind the news that reach the public were the reasons why I thoroughly enjoyed and quickly finished Tom Rachman’s spectacular debut, The Imperfectionists. Set in Rome, mostly in the newsroom of a struggling international newspaper, the novel enlarges the lives of correspondents, editors, executives, and readers as they keep themselves afloat, professionally and personally. Structurally, The Imperfectionists is divided in eleven chapters, each functioning as a short story that adequately stands on their own. And in between chapters, Rachman smartly infused retrospectives on the rise, impending fall, and then genesis of the unnamed newspaper.

Tom Rachman - The Imperfectionists

The Imperfectionists is captivating, tightly constructed, sensitively written, and genuinely human. In the novel’s fourth chapter, the character of Herman Cohen, the newspaper’s corrections editor, emphasizes the function of credibility of every individual working in a news agency. But human as they are, the topsy turvy lives and complicated choices of the reporters, editors, and executives in the story challenge the same core value their profession require them to unfailingly uphold. Published in 2010, The Imperfectionists further provides commentaries on the traditional delivery of news in the age of technology. Read The Imperfectionists and be delighted!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ABOUT SEBASTIAN PITBULL

Jess Cubijano is a native of Cebu, Philippines who relocated to the country’s Southern Tagalog region in pursuit of happiness and resilience outside his comfort zone. He is a development worker who has worked with rural communities and grassroots organizations. Beyond 5PM, he reads books, watches films, listens to the likes of Tori Amos, explores new places, whines about his weight, and writes his blues while dreaming of a better world.

Recent Posts

  • Solitude, Time, and Place: Jhumpa Lahiri’s Whereabouts
  • The Age of Umbrage
  • Ikigai: Working Towards Happiness
  • Music House: A Cebu Barter Story
  • On Racism: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah

Recent Comments

  • Luna on High School Never Ends
  • Why I Joined TBEX Asia 2016 - The Travelling FeetThe Travelling Feet on A Weekend at the Indies
  • Patricia on Discovering an Indie Film Sanctuary
  • Jakelopez on Fresh and gut-wrenching romantic comedy-drama
  • Tres on Hello from the Pitbull

Copyright © 2023 · Modern Studio Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok