An English language newspaper based in Rome is staffed by a bunch of losers: men with four ex-wives, women with no self-esteem, Asian over-achievers with failing families, blah, blah, blah. Not only are all the characters sad and becoming more pathetic, but there is less plot than a sit-com. The book is supposed to be funny, at least all the critics thought so, but it is funny only in the same vein as watching a gorgeous bulimic toss up her dinner on a TV show would be funny.