Ragtime

Ragtime
by E. L. Doctorow

Ragtime
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Book Summary Information

Author: E. L. Doctorow
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Published)
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 1997-05-01
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 288
Publisher: Plume

Book Reviews of Ragtime

Book Review: sketches of a time and place
Summary: 3 Stars

The last two books I read before picking up 'Ragtime' were Gore Vidal's '1876' and 'Empire', both historical fictions set at least partly in New York between the Civil War and the First World War. With interwoven historical and fictional characters these books substantively have much in common with 'Ragtime', but from a stylistic perspective they differ markedly. Whereas Vidal's characters, both real and imagined, are elaborately (and often hilariously) brought to life, Doctorow tells us little. His historical characters are often mere outlines filled in with the most elementary of biographical detail. An example of this is Booker T. Washington, whose appearance seems as unfulfilling and unnecessary as a celebrity TV cameo - certainly we learn nothing about the man that we did not know before. Harry Houdini, who is presented as a tragic character, is one of the few exceptions, and here Doctorow succeeds in presenting more than the facts found in a one-volume encyclopedia.

Another major point of divergence is in the writing style. It has been said that the short simple sentences of 'Ragtime' echo the rhythms of the music itself. Maybe my rhythm is off, but I found them to be a distraction that impeded the flow of the writing. Fortunately the style improves as the novel moves on - whether this is meant to signify a change in the music of the time, I don't know, but it came as a relief.

There are some great chapters in this book. Indeed, for the first half of the book they almost seem like separate vignettes bound together by a time and place. Given the contrived way they are eventually bound together, I almost wish they had been left alone, ala 'Winesburg, Ohio'. There is still much to like in this book, no doubt, but it disappointed this reader.

Summary of Ragtime

Doctorow's big bestseller, made into a major movie and now repackaged, was first published in mass market paper by Bantam.

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