Ragtime
by E.L. Doctorow
Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow holds a well received rating of 3.88 out of 5, based on 26.8K reader ratings. First published in 1974. The book spans 320 pages.
About Ragtime
Published in 1975, Ragtime changed our very concept of what a novel could be. An extraordinary tapestry, Ragtime captures the spirit of America in the era between the turn of the century & the First World War. The story opens in 1906 in New Rochelle, NY, at the home of an affluent American family. One lazy Sunday afternoon, the famous escape artist Harry Houdini swerves his car into a telephone pole outside their house. Almost magically, the line between fantasy & historical fact, between real & imaginary characters, disappears. Henry Ford, Emma Goldman, J.P. Morgan, Evelyn Nesbit, Sigmund Freud & Emiliano Zapata slip in & out of the tale, crossing paths with Doctorow's imagined family & other fictional characters, including an immigrant peddler & a ragtime musician from Harlem whose insistence on a point of justice drives him to revolutionary violence.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | E.L. Doctorow |
| Published | 1974 |
| Pages | 320 |
| Genres | Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classics |
| Average Rating | 3.88 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 26,815 |
Reader Ratings & Analysis
Rating Overview
How It Compares
Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is Ragtime?
Ragtime is categorized as Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classics. Its primary genre classification is Historical Fiction.
Is Ragtime worth reading?
Based on 26.8K reader ratings, Ragtime has an average score of 3.88 out of 5.00, which is considered "Well Received."
How many pages is Ragtime?
Ragtime has 320 pages.
Who wrote Ragtime?
Ragtime was written by E.L. Doctorow. It was first published in 1974.
What is the ISBN for Ragtime?
The ISBN-13 for Ragtime is 9780812978190.0.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
