I seem to be reading a lot of Doctorow these days and have a good response to Loon Lake. Like World's Fair and Billy Bathgate, Loon Lake is set in New York in the 1930s. The story is a complex and intense reflection on the dark side of the American Dream, a kind of updated version of Dreiser's An American Tragegy. Dreiser's greatness aside, I think Loon Lake is a more interesting treatment of the working class outsider in America. The protagonist, "Joe of Paterson" is an archetypal drifter. As such, he joins the millions of depression era displaced but finds his own version of the American Dream, which seems to be largely unattainable in its essence. Vividly and complexly narrated, it is a strong and enjoyable book, especially if you like Doctorow's forays into American history.
For a review of Loon Lake from the NY Times, click here: http://www.nytimes.com/specials/ragtime/loon.html
For a review of Loon Lake from the NY Times, click here: http://www.nytimes.com/specials/ragtime/loon.html
