We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(3) Base camp
The language in Ragtime is exceedingly simple, like a story being told by a grandfather at the dinner table. And while the ideas are more complicated—centering on ideas of civil rights, socialism, industrialism, and the growth of America in one of its most turbulent periods— Doctorow brings them to life through the struggles of his characters.
Plus, unlike grandpa, Doctorow leaves out all the boring stuff and doesn't repeat himself!