Ragtime (1261)

Rating:
Summary: Great, but be sure to read Von Kleist!
Review: This is an excellent novel which cobbles together disparate elements of history and fiction to create the best fictional portrait of the turn of the century that I have seen. One of the elements Doctorow uses for his construction is the plot of a wonderful short story by the German writer, Heinrich von Kleist, "Michael Kohlhaas." The whole plot of the "Coalhouse Walker" sequence is lifted from von Kleist. This story is a work of genius! Make sure to read it as well!

Rating:
Summary: There's no time like Ragtime!
Review: This is an absolutely amazing story, full of life, detail, and sensation. Written in a convergent style, the first half introduces the characters, and the second half draws the story together in a sequence of powerful events. This book is so powerful it left me stunned after I had finnished. One simply cannot catch all of the subtleties Doctorow entertwines into the story the first read-through. This is not your typical historical fiction. The style is remarkably fresh, and leaves the reader with the feel of the 20's inside of them like a brand on the heart. But most importantly, the themes presented in the novel transcend time and space, reaching the very heart of human nature and behavior. If you want to experience an unparalleled example of interwoven destinies, you must read this book!!!

Rating:
Summary: Facinating; brilliantly written`
Review: When I first read this book, it was assigned for a college course I was taking. After the first chapter, I was enthralled with angle the author used to develop the characters and was unable to put the book down. I recommend this book without reservation to anyone interested in the Age of Ragtime.

Rating:
Summary: A Tapestry Which Captures the Musical Rythm of an Era
Review: Ragtime is a music which appears to be tightly controlled but under the surface is wild and improvisational. So does Doctorow portray the period of Ragtime in American History, after the turn of the Century and before WWI as a time where a man such as Father could believe his life to be under his control while all around him events spin out of control. Doctorow's novel deftly weaves fiction and fact in an ironic deftly stacatto tone which is itself reminiscent of ragtime music. His stylistic convention of failing to give names to the main fictional characters, simply referring to them as Mother, Father, Little Boy, Younger Brother etc. is simply another effective way of showing the way in which the larger social and political events of this century overwhelm these people. What makes the novel particularly great is its lack of a political judgment. Doctorow is clearly making a biting comment on the injustices of the day, but unlike the protest novel's of that era such as "The Jungle" Ragtime is evenly balanced and really has nothing better to say for socialism, anarchism or anything else. In fact, in keeping with the modern era in which it was written, Ragtime takes a fatalistic approach. Events simply seem beyond the control of the main characters. I recommend this book to anyone who likes novels.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful portrayal of a time that is somewhat well known
Review: I am in the summer before my junior year of high school reading this book for historya as a summer reading book. I am not technically forced to read this book but I do have to read a book so this is the one I chose. Normally, I am very unhappy with the books on this list but I found myself loving almost every minute of this book. I had just finished US History 1 in my sophomore year so I knew all about this time period and its people,i.e., Cargnegie, Rockefeller...etc. I found this book to be a great depiction of every day life for the three different classes of people and really felt like I was in the room with each of these people when reading the book. I felt in the room with Emma Goldman at her rallies and in Coalhouse's car when he was stopped on the street. All of these events are written so well that you can't help but feel the way Doctorow describes the character's feelings before he actually describes them. This is one of the few historical fiction books I've read that I've enjoyed as well as raved about.

Rating:
Summary: This book is good for readers of any levels
Review: This book has some characters that are not need some they play into a main character role but they aren't. It dose skip around alot and may be hard to follow but anyone of any inteligents should be able to read this book

Rating:
Summary: A shocking display of the hidden evils of society
Review: I had first seen the musical Ragtime a few months before I read the book, and when I read the book it shocked me. The book deals with sadomasichism, sexual immorality, vengeance, and love all woven together into a grand tapestry of a great book. I especially liked the way that Doctorow placed real life people into the lives of the simple people, a Jewish peddler, a WASP family, and a vengeance enraged pianist from Harlem. In conclusion, I believe that this is one of the best books I have ever read.

Rating:
Summary: Ragtime is a blueprint of modern US and I realy liked it.
Review: Anyone who is Interested in studying American history should read Ragtime,because it is a blue print of modern America ,it tells how America was and how it evolved to the present America by portraying people frome all levels and races who paved the way to their present successors.Ragtime is about a white middle class family frome NewRochel,NewYork,a musician from Harlem and an Immigrant family from east Europ and their reaction to situations and changes facing them in their daily life. I like the way it is written because it seems so natural that he puts the words just like an ordinary American citizen would put them.It is like a true story nothing in the stories seems fiction. In ragtime there are plenty of themes but the one that I found so clear is that the struggle to change.

Rating:
Summary: Ragtime - an invigorating beat of music and also character
Review: An awakening through passion, justice and rebelliousness - E.L. Doctorow's Ragtime sets the story of a turn-of-the-century America of people losing their innocence in pursue of ambition. A beautiful ex-chorus girl journeys away from a sex-symbol life of glamour and admiration, a young man resists his middle-class up-bringing and a black musician uproars in an attempt for justice. Every page in this book reflects Doctorow's mastery as a writer using style, depth and symbolism as he interelates the lives of these characters with other real-life characters also in a search of freedom. Be encaptured by the author's colourful techniques and feel the story's tales of assertion through society's imprisonments.

Rating:
Summary: AMERICA IN 20TH CENTURY.
Review: RAGTIME, is the story about American history when the immgrants where flowing like a sream in the ports of New York City. And when other's were trying to get their freedom as citizens of America. This novle teachs us the three magre events of the American history, immgration, the life style of rich, and the sruggl of Black Americans. E.L. Doctorow put this piece of history combing with immagination where modern life begins and continued with out big diffrence. I recommand this book to anybody who is intrested in American history.