E. L. Doctorow

In this study of Doctorow's major works, Harter and Thompson examine the author's critical and popular success. They focus on the variety and versatility of his writing, the historical and cultural considerations that inform all of his fiction, and explicate the multiple connections between history, autobiography, and fiction in Doctorow's writings. The authors argue that at the center of Doctorow's art is his primary concern with his characters' consciences, rather than their ideology. They also cover the allegorical patterns and disarming realism that are important features of Doctorow's works. ISBN 0-8057-7604-4: $21.95.