By Jack Linshi
E.L. Doctorow, the celebrated American author of historical novels including Ragtime and The March, died on Tuesday in New York City. He was 84.
Doctorow’s son, Richard, said the cause of death was complications from lung cancer, the New York Times reports.
Published in 1975, Ragtime followed three families over the course of the early 20th century as they lived their daily lives, often interacting briefly with famous Americans.
It was included on a list of 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century by the Modern Library in 1999 and on a list of the 100 greatest English-language novels since 1923 by TIME magazine in 2010.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- L.A. Fires Show Reality of 1.5°C of Warming
- Home Losses From L.A. Fires Hasten ‘An Uninsurable Future’
- The Women Refusing to Participate in Trump’s Economy
- Bad Bunny On Heartbreak and New Album
- How to Dress Warmly for Cold Weather
- We’re Lucky to Have Been Alive in the Age of David Lynch
- The Motivational Trick That Makes You Exercise Harder
- Column: No One Won The War in Gaza
Contact us at letters@time.com