Edgar Lawrence "E.L." Doctorow, famous author of historical fiction works Ragtime and Billy Bathgate, died this Tuesday in New York at age 84.
His publisher announced the author's passing and Doctorow's son Richard elaborated that his father died from lung cancer complications.
"Through books of great beauty and power, and characters I'll never forget, he showed us America's great flaws and its astonishing promise, and our own," said Kate Medina, Doctorow's editor at Random House Publishing, after receiving news of the author's death.
Born in 1931 in New York, Doctorow was considered one of America's best novelists of recent years and is well-known for infusing his very accessible novels and short stories infused with American history.
Even Pres. Barack Obama's life has been profoundly touched by the author's works, prompting the president to tweet the following upon receiving the news of the author's passing:
E.L. Doctorow was one of America's greatest novelists. His books taught me much, and he will be missed.
— President Obama (@POTUS) July 22, 2015
The author's most well-known novel, the 1975 classic Ragtime, set in New York City of the early 1900s, has often been referred to as one of the best English-language novels of the last century. Doctorow did here what he did best: masterfully weaving real and imagined events and characters together into a grippingly unique story.
E.L. Doctorow received a number of prestigious awards for his writing, during his long and prolific career as a novelist. Some of the most well-known of these awards are the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Awards and two PEN Faulkner Awards.
On top of being a cherished and celebrated author of historical novels, short stories and essays, Doctorow was also a professor, holding the position of Loretta and Lewis Glucksman Professor of English and American Letters at New York University until his death.
One of America's great voices of historical fiction has passed away. His stories though will go on to inspire generations to come.
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