07-08-2010, 12:30
Been sitting on my shelf for a number of years. Big fan of Doctorow's best known work of Ragtime so I looked forward to this. Saw the movie years ago and wasn't too impressed, so that may be why I put the book off. As usual, the book is much better than the movie. Gangsters in the 30's is what it's about, focusing on the rise of Billy into that world, first as a go-fer and moving up in the ranks. Taken under his wing by lead mobster Dutch and shown the ropes. Billy is a quick study and soon takes Dutch's woman also. Of course the empire eventually crumbles. Movie starred Dustin Hoffman and Nicole Kidman so it couldn't have been that bad. Might have to catch it again, on the little screen.
Grade - B
next up - 1973 Nervous Breakdown by Andreas Killen

