E. L. Doctorow

Edgar Lawrence "E. L." Doctorow (January 6, 1931July 21, 2015) was an American author. He was best known for his works of historical fiction. He was mostly known for his books The Book of Daniel, Ragtime, and Billy Bathgate.

Early life
Doctorow was born in The Bronx, New York City. His mother was Rose Doctorow and his father was David Doctorow, both of Jewish descent.www.newsweek.com He studied at Kenyon College and at Columbia University. In 1953, he married Helen Esther Setzer. They had three children.

 Academic career 
Doctorow taught at several universities. He was professor of English and American letters at New York University.

Awards
Doctorow won many writing awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award for Ragtime, National Book Critics Circle Award for Billy Bathgate, National Book Critics Circle Award for The March, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal for Fiction. 

President Barack Obama called him "one of America's greatest novelists"."US novelist EL Doctorow dies at 84", BBC, July 22, 2015

Death
Doctorow died of lung cancer on July 21, 2015, aged 84, in Manhattan. His wife Helen and their three children were still alive.

References

Other websites

"The Limits of Optimism: E.L. Doctorow and the American Left" by Joseph G. Ramsey http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/07/28/the-limits-of-optimism-e-l-doctorow-and-the-american-left/






Category:1931 births
Category:2015 deaths
Category:American novelists
Category:Cancer deaths in New York City
Category:Deaths from lung cancer
Category:Jewish American academics
Category:Jewish American writers
Category:Writers from New York City
Category:Educators from New York City