Ragtime by E.L. DoctorowMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is exactly the type of novel I enjoy most. If I wear to sum it up succinctly, I would say it was the precursor to Forrest Gump but with multiple protagonists intertwined with historical events from the beginning of the twentieth century until the end of the Great War. I did not read about E.L. Doctorow until I had finished his work, and it was no surprise to find he was a professor of history. The incorporation of Harry Houdini as a character was cleverly done, as was the use of the nondescript "Family", "Father", "Mother", "Mother's Younger Brother" to leave one guessing at the true historical characters they were inspired by. There is definitely some merit to reading more of Doctorow's work and Ragtime is easily one of my favourite novels.
View all my reviews