Ragtime

I didn't dislike this but didn't like it either, so can't give it more than three stars. If I hadn't been listening to it, I probably would have given up on it. It's just too snapshot-y and I didn't feel like I really knew the characters. I also didn't like that things were completely made up about real people. It was fine.

Engaging historical fiction, full of verisimilitude and intriguing detail. I loved the incorporation of the personalities of “greats” of the time, like J.P. Morgan, Houdini, and Henry Ford–even if these personalities are entirely fictitious. By the end of the book, I was so engrossed that I wasn't able to differentiate between the factual historical events and the ones that Doctorow invented. Occasionally preachy, but a bitingly sarcastic social commentary on the wealthy class of the past (and even today).

This is the first Doctorow book I've read and I am astonished. He mixes together fact and fiction until they become one in a way that is incredibly readable and nuanced. You question if a character is a creation, or if they are based on an actual figure, but then realize that it doesn't matter; they all serve a purpose in the creation of an American story. The themes presented such as race, class and love are all nuanced and developed, but the true standout is the idea of fiction itself that Doctorow contemplates. By inserting his creations into real events, and pulling real people out of their historical places, he creates a sense of ebb and flow that brings into question the nature of truth as presented in our historical consciousness. The book is situated in a specific era, but it is an era that is key in understanding our present and possibly our future. The fact that Doctorow is able to structure a novel with a myriad of characters and plot threads in a way in which they all intersect and flow together as one is fantastic. The pure enjoyment of the book, stemming from the incredible prose, sense of humor, and engaging story is enough of a recommendation for anybody, the postmodern themes and ideas that underline the novel make it a required read.

Has there ever been a book lying around your office or house
and you have no clue how it got there? Well, this was one of those books. Turns out that it was actually a college ‘required read' of the wife's. So, I just HAD to read it. Not bad. But not great either. I'm sure the movie made this better.