Main / Authors

E. L. Doctorow - Biography

Biography by Edgar Lawrence Doctorow - The Life and Work of the Great American Novelist

Edgar Lawrence Doctorow was born on January 6, 1931 in the Bronx, New York, USA. His childhood was spent in the Depression era and he grew up in a poor area of New York City. This era and his own life experiences had a significant impact on his later work.

Doctorow attended Kennedy Senior High School in the Bronx and then attended Kennion College at Ohio State. At the university, he studied literature and received a bachelor's degree in 1952. In 1953, he began to serve in the US Army and during this service he worked in the literary field, which greatly influenced his late career as a writer.

Doctorow's first novel, Welcome to Hard Times, was published in 1960 and immediately attracted the attention of readers and critics. However, real success came to him with the novel "Ragtime," published in 1975. The book became a bestseller and was nominated for a National Book Award.

"Ragtime" proved to be one of Doctorow's most important works. The novel was inspired by historical events and figures of the early 20th century and explored topics of social injustice, racial relations and many other topical issues. The book was widely recognized for its deep characterization of the characters and complex moral dilemmas.

Edgar Lawrence wrote many works covering various periods and themes. His novel "Billy Bathgate," about a young guy drawn into the world of organized crime, also received recognition and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. "Daniel's World" ("The Book of Daniel") and "Death in the Summer" ("Death in the Summer") are two more important works that emphasize the variety of themes and styles of the Doctorow.