Ragtime, which literally means "torn, shredded tempo," was a popular musical genre in the United States from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. It originated from the African-American community and was characterized by the juxtaposition of two different rhythms. One was regular and obsessive, while the other was varied and syncopated.

Here, it is appropriate to cite a significant and exemplary passage: "He was standing between two cars of the milk train bound for New Rochelle. He thought of throwing himself under the wheels. He listened to their rhythm, their continuous beat, like the left hand of a rag. The squeaking and clanging of metal against metal at the joint of the two cars was the syncopation of the right hand. It would have been a suicide to the rag."

What Doctorow describes, moreover, beyond the musical genre itself and its metaphorical value, is the "ragtime era" in its entirety. It was an era of America's frenzied technological progress, supported by a booming capitalist economy, in which social and racial oppositions became more intense. Doctorow reconstructs the era and its themes well by mixing fantasy, set free in multiple intertwined stories, with historical reality. Thus, fictional characters are combined with those who actually lived, well-known yet reinterpreted in their own way. The whole is effervescent and pleasant, with a more serious base, often beneath the surface, of criticism and civil engagement.

*Maybe we'll write a little bit about the story if you're not sensitive to spoilers*

In this story, a significant amount of time is dedicated to the subject of immigration and, to a greater extent, to the topic of racism. In the book, real famous individuals are placed alongside fictional ones to give shape to the story. The main focus is on three families. One family consists of a man, a woman, and their daughter. Due to poverty, the woman turns to prostitution, and the father and daughter are forced to immigrate for a better life. Another family has a relatively good financial situation, including a father, a mother, the mother's brother, and so on. And there is an almost black family, and the main burden of the story lies on the two men of this family. The wife and the coffee-colored child of theirs live with the second family. The black man, due to the injustice he experiences regarding himself and his wife, takes matters into his own hands and declares that he won't stop his actions until two of his demands are met, and so on. In the end, the first and second families encounter an event together, and....

The story is very fluid and engaging, and it also has a very good translation.

My initial encounter with this book was rather unappealing. The cover had an old-fashioned design.

When I opened the book, I saw that it was just a reprint from the 1990s, with an old page layout and font.

However, we shouldn't judge a book by its cover!

The beginning of the story was extremely captivating. It was as if the author was sitting on a throne, describing what he saw on the ground. For example, Mr. "A" went and saw Mr. "B". Then, it seemed that his attention was focused on Mr. "B", and he started telling us about Mr. "B" and continued this way. After introducing all the characters in the story who initially had no connection with each other, the story sort of began. The characters lived in different parts of life and in some parts, they passed by each other, or maybe their lives intertwined.

I loved it. It was very unknown to me before, and it was very lovable and appealing!

Thanks to my dear friends who recommended it.

This is indeed one of the most outstanding American historical novels ever penned. Doctorow masterfully recreates the tumultuous atmosphere of the early 20th century. He does so through a cast of remarkable characters, both historical figures such as Emma Goldman, Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and Henry Ford, and numerous memorable fictional ones like Coalhouse Walker.

The book delves into America during a period of growing prosperity, yet also great poverty, racial inequality, immigrant sacrifice, and the path towards the First World War. It offers a vivid and detailed portrait of a nation in flux.

Arguably, E. L. Doctrow's finest work, Ragtime stands as an important and highly enjoyable piece of American fiction. It not only entertains but also provides valuable insights into a crucial era of American history.

Ragtime is a period novel that attempts to tell the story of America from 1903 to 1915 both fictitiously and through real characters. What it tries to do is actually quite interesting. The existence of real characters and their intersection with the fictional world adds another dimension to the matter. The author, while presenting a general period picture, also makes nice critiques regarding the brutality of the newly emerging capitalism, the sharpness of class differences, nationalism, immigration, and racism. One can better understand how we got from those days to today and the cause-and-effect relationships between events. For this reason alone, I think it is quite readable. The only criticism is in the direction of being too American. Since I didn't know some names and places, I had to stop and research while reading. Of course, this was a bit tiring, but it wasn't that much of a bother considering the pleasure of reading. It was the first book I read from the author, and I will definitely read at least one more of his books.

This novel offers a unique perspective on a significant era in American history. It combines fictional elements with real events and characters, creating a rich and engaging narrative. The author's critiques of various social issues are thought-provoking and add depth to the story.

Although the American-centric nature of the book may pose some challenges for readers who are not familiar with American history and culture, it also provides an opportunity to learn and expand one's knowledge.

Overall, Ragtime is a well-written and interesting novel that is worth reading for anyone interested in American history, literature, or social issues.

"Ragtime" is a very powerful novel that vividly presents life in America in the early years of the 20th century!

The title comes from the eponymous musical style that was popular during those times and is a predecessor of jazz. In the book, the stories are presented in a very interesting way, both of ordinary and poor people, as well as of some of the most influential personalities of the era, such as John Morgan and Henry Ford. The legendary Harry Houdini also has a place among the pages of "Ragtime".

The plot is by no means idyllic, as the divisions in American society that have existed since at least then can be seen in it, and the difficult problem of racial discrimination is also touched upon... If you are interested in what life was like in an already industrialized world before World War I, then the book will surely appeal to you.

The rhythmical narrative of "Ragtime" is in the form of early 20th-century America.

The useful explanations by Najaf Daryabandari at the beginning of the book leave few points unmentioned in the chapter of the book.

The point that caught my attention was the rhythmical narrative of the book, which never loses its rhythm.

But I think unfortunately, "Ragtime" by Doctorow has lost its novelty and style over time.

I can imagine that in the 1970s when the book was published and translated in Iran nearly a decade later, it was a novel and fresh account. But now, just like many cinematic works that lose their novelty and style over time, "Ragtime" is no longer so new and fresh.

Beyond that, the historical narrative and its connection to "fiction" is a great experiment (in the words of Najaf Daryabandari) that the author undertakes to explain the transition from an old era to a new (and of course modern in the philosophical and sociological sense of the word) century.

The author has been able to combine a set of fictional events and fictions based on historical events and some real historical personalities and draw a general roadmap of the history of early 20th-century America.

To some extent, he has also been able to show the transition from the old to the new.

The United States at the beginning of the 20th century. A young, ambitious, and confident country. But not innocent. It has never been innocent. A land where ancient nations have mingled and spilled the blood of other ancient nations to give birth to something completely new. Some might call it synergy, but Freud would say it is simply "the death of a decaying European civilization."

The characters in Doctorow's works dance their lives to the sounds of ragtime, the precursor to the decadent charm of the jazz age. Their movements are precise and unpredictable, just like the rhythm of the rag. Their tremulous and willful fates split for a moment, then gasp and push forward, carried away in their own tempo. Some of the characters are shrewd and possess entire empires, while others are just the nameless branches on the periphery of historical events. Henry Ford has recently been reclassified from a "tycoon" to an ideologist of the replaceability of people, just as the parts of automobiles are replaceable. J.P. Morgan explores his supposed divine origin and accuses Newton and Descartes of a "diabolical conspiracy aimed at destroying our sense of reality, our sense of the transcendence with which we are endowed." And somewhere there, in the dirty streets of New York, where the Hebrew letters look "like figures of bones," Red Emma Goldman incites a revolution against the rich. In this America, the cause of World War I is called "a common manifestation of violence, something ordinary for the Balkan countries."

"America is one big mistake, a huge mistake."

Perhaps throughout your entire life, you can proudly climb the Tower of Babel of success. When you reach the top, the words of others seem like a模糊的 murmur. Then the immigrants and the poor become a reminiscence of a past that you hope will never turn into the future. Because you yourself are "the immigrant who has always arrived at the shores of his own Asia." Or perhaps you remain at the foot with the hazy feeling that what is happening to you should be life. The injustice suffocates you, and there is no outlet for your pent-up restlessness unless you dig one yourself. And it's all a matter of transience. No matter what kind it is, in your skull, the question of whether you are doing what you should or, as Harry Houdini asks, are you dealing with stupid illusions that fill the vacuum between two heartbeats.

"He thought of throwing himself under the wheels. He listened to their rhythm, to their measured clanking like the tapping of a rag melody. The screeching and grinding of metal on metal, where the wagons were joined, resembled the syncopated rhythm of ragtime. This was the rag of suicide."

Someone said that if you stay still long enough, the whole world will pass you by. The world in Edgar Doctorow's American realism comes with its dripping thoughts and passes before your eyes like a film strip, like a "cinema show," as they were called then. Aging prostitutes with sad eyes, determined like elegant lovers, and blacks who are not afraid to push the detonator. Revolutionaries of lost causes, children with big serious eyes, and eccentric capitalists. Mother, Father, and Uncle. A parade of marionettes on a tightrope, whose future "lies at the end of two parallel rails." A confused, suffocating, pre-war era, rushed towards its own future, because all eras are confused, suffocating, and pre-war. There is always a little fatalism in the human equation. There are always lives wagered on cards and unattainable goals. It couldn't be otherwise. What remains is the music, the ideals, and at least a little love.

"And the era of ragtime had already passed with the gasping pulse of the motor, as if it were just one musical phrase under the fingers of a pianist."

It was very good.

The way of storytelling and asking questions from one character to another and getting involved in the lives of different people was extraordinary.

The story seemed to unfold in a seamless manner, captivating the reader's attention from the very beginning.

The characters were well-developed, each with their own unique personalities and motives.

The author did an excellent job of creating a vivid and engaging world that the reader could easily immerse themselves in.

Overall, it was a truly enjoyable read that left a lasting impression.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book.

On one hand, the content is really good. It features stories about a diverse group of people from the early 1900s, including Harry Houdini, J.P. Morgan, Evelyn Nesbit, Sigmund Freud, Emma Goldman, and Henry Ford. I love history and learning about historical figures that aren't widely known.

However, on the other hand, the collection of stories didn't come together as one amazing book for me. There was no common thread, and while the author clearly knew a lot of cool information about each character, weaving them together was a mess. The commonalities felt forced.

I also didn't like Doctorow's descriptions of sex and bodies, especially of the little girl. It felt dirty and creepy, and added nothing to the historical part of this historical fiction book.

I know my opinion isn't popular, as this book is a classic and was chosen by Modern Library as one of the 100 Best Novels of All Time. But I just expected more of a coherent story instead of a collection of shorts. So in the end, I'm left feeling a bit disappointed.

But I do have to admit that there were some interesting parts, and I did learn some new things. So it wasn't a total waste of time.

The plot in this novel is amazing.

It weaves a captivating story that keeps the readers hooked from the very beginning.

The author has masterfully crafted a world filled with interesting characters and unexpected twists.

Each turn of the plot brings new excitement and anticipation, making it impossible to put the book down.

The details are so vividly described that one can easily imagine oneself within the story, experiencing every moment along with the characters.

Whether it's the thrilling action scenes or the emotional relationships between the characters, everything is presented in a way that makes it truly engaging.

This novel is a must-read for anyone who loves a good story with a great plot.

Patriotism was a reliable sentiment in the early 1900's. Teddy Roosevelt was President. The population customarily gathered in great numbers either out of doors for parades, public concerts, fish fries, political picnics, social outings, or indoors in meeting halls, vaudeville theatres, operas, ballrooms.

This relatively short novel, "Ragtime," is jam-packed with a myriad of characters – some fictional and some real-life individuals. It is a grand undertaking that introduces us to the events and people of early twentieth century America, of New York in particular. For any reader interested in a panoramic view of the times, it definitely delivers. However, anyone that savors an in-depth character study may find this book lacking. In fact, several major characters are without names throughout. Instead, we meet Mother, Father, Younger Brother, and the boy. I had a hard time connecting with them as they were not only nameless but also remote, and I felt detached from them emotionally. A handful of imaginary characters are given names, like Tateh, Sarah, Coalhouse Walker Jr. The poverty and injustices suffered by this group are shown in stark contrast to the affluence and social standing of those unnamed. It was quite interesting when a variety of prominent historical figures wandered into the plot. Harry Houdini, Henry Ford, Sigmund Freud, J.P. Morgan, Booker T. Washington, Emma Goldman, and even the Archduke Franz Ferdinand are weaved into this story. At times, the stories of the real and imaginary intersect in a curious manner.

This was my second E.L. Doctorow work. I enjoyed it but perhaps not as much as my first, "Homer and Langley." I think it was an excellent endeavor and was clearly well-researched. I learned a little bit about a lot of folks. It was a bit too sweeping in such few pages for my taste and at times it was confusing as the plot jumped around. What I found to be the most stimulating was the story of Coalhouse Walker, Jr. From ragtime musician to outlaw, he was undoubtedly the most fascinating of fictional characters here. An interchange between this man and Booker T. Washington was one of my favorites in the entire novel. 3.5 stars.