E. L. Doctorow
E. L. Doctorow was born on January 6, 1931. See ranking, bio blurb, and everyone else born that day.
About E. L. Doctorow
Edgar Lawrence Doctorow (January 6, 1931 – July 21, 2015) was an American novelist, editor, and professor, known for his historical fiction. He wrote twelve novels, three volumes of short fiction and a stage drama, including the award-winning novels Ragtime (1975), Billy Bathgate (1989), and The March (2005). These, like many of his other works, placed fictional characters in recognizable historical contexts, with known historical figures, and often used different narrative styles. His stories were recognized for their originality and versatility, and Doctorow was praised for his audacity and imagination. Several of Doctorow's novels and short stories were adapted into films, including Welcome to Hard Times (1967) starring Henry Fonda, Daniel (1983) starring Timothy Hutton, Billy Bathgate (1991) starring Dustin Hoffman, Jolene (2008) starring Jessica Chastain, and Wakefield (2016) starring Bryan Cranston. The most popular adaptations were for the film Ragtime (1981) and its eponymous Broadway musical (1998), which won four Tony Awards. Doctorow was the recipient of numerous author awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award which he was awarded three times (for Ragtime, Billy Bathgate, and The March). Doctorow was shortlisted for the 2009 Man Booker International Prize. At the time of his death, President Barack Obama called him "one of America's greatest novelists".