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This is an odd book, and I mean that in the best possible way. It is not really plot driven - there are several disjointed stories linked together. It is not really character driven -- unless you consider the Ragtime era (roughly 1900-1917) to be the main character. It mixes historical figures and events along with fictional ones -- but in a way that you learn a lot about the real history and zeitgeist of that era. But it all somehow works spectacularly -- i was engrossed in the book and read it very quickly. The writing is amazing -- very clear, concise sentences that work together to be vivid thought provoking. it was written 50 years ago about a time 125 years ago..but it is extremely current and relevant as it is about culture going through great changes.

This was the first book I have read by Doctorow, and now I want to read his others.

9 reviews November 18, 2024 This is an odd book, and I mean that in the best possible way. It is not really plot driven - there are several disjointed stories linked together. It is not really character driven -- unless you consider the Ragtime era (roughly 1900-1917) to be the main character. It mixes historical figures and events along with fictional ones -- but in a way that you learn a lot about the real history and zeitgeist of that era. But it all somehow works spectacularly -- i was engrossed in the book and read it very quickly. The writing is amazing -- very clear, concise sentences that work together to be vivid thought provoking. it was written 50 years ago about a time 125 years ago..but it is extremely current and relevant as it is about culture going through great changes.

This was the first book I have read by Doctorow, and now I want to read his others.

I wish every American would read this book.

I recall hearing about the Rawandan genocide in the 90s with the Tootsies and the Hutus ethnic groups (and also in neighboring Burundi). It was something that seemed horrific yet something remote and having little to do with my life in America.

This book is not a history book - it is a true story about one young man who lived through it and miraculously escaped and ended up as in illegal refugee in New York city. It covers multiple stories: - how foreign immigrants are mistreated and despised in America - how a the leaders of some colonial Aftrican country carried out many of the divisions and oppressions practiced earlier in order to maintain power - how unjust societies can "suddenly" erupt into insanity - how a society can try to heal itself - how a few acts of kindness by strangers can help an individual and how that can have enormous dividends down the road

It is a reminder that you can never really know what someone has or is going through and have some empathy and reserve some judgement until you know more. Also -- when there is societal pressure to demonize other groups, you should be very suspicious that there is a coordinated effort to demonize.

I avoided this book for a long time. I suppose because I judged it based on some of the authors interactions in interviews. But a friend of mine convinced me to read it. He said it was funny. I also read reviews that said none of the characters are sympathetic.

Those things are only half true. There are funny parts, but they are almost always uncomfortable funny parts - the laugher is nervous because it reminds you of things you or someone close to you has done. All of the characters have some awful selfish behavior ... but the reason they are that way is the brilliant part of the book. They usually recognize when they rare behaving poorly, cannot "correct" them, and then tear them selves up about it. In fact, this might be one of the saddest books I have read. The family is dysfunctional in he way that most are: people hiding their true inner selves out of pride/ego/embarrassment. They are searching for "corrections" when what they really need are "connections".

Overall the writing is excellent. There were some passages that felt a little too clever, but many passages which were so devastatingly clear describing a character's inner turmoil.

I do not really like depressing books, but I think books that help you become more self aware, and sympathetic to others who are struggling are good investments. This book does that.

While the book is specifically about Government IT iniatives, it is more broadly about how large organizations made of constituent with different incentives are badly hampered from serving their users.

Politicians make policies to further their agenda, and then leave it to implementers to sort through all the ambiguity, inconsistencies and deliver something useful. Failure is almost assured at the outset. Much of the description rang true to me as a software developer in the private sector -- I experience the same sort of issues but perhaps at a smaller scale.

But the most interesting thing to me was Pahlka's argument that the impact of failed process is much worse than a bad user experience, a budget overrun, or a delay ... it is undermining trust in Government.

If you work in software/IT you will greatly enjoy this book. And if not, you will still find the sociology and a look at how the sausage gets made enlightening.