Billy Bathgate

In 1930s New York, Billy Bathgate, a fifteen-year-old highschool dropout, has captured the attention of infamous gangster Dutch Schultz, who lures the boy into his world of racketeering. The product of an East Bronx upbringing by his half-crazy Irish Catholic mother, after his Jewish father left them long ago, Billy is captivated by the world of money, sex, and high society the charismatic Schultz has to offer. But it is also a world of extortion, brutality, and murder, where Billy finds himself involved in a dangerous affair with Schultzs girlfriend.Relive this story through the title characters driving narrative, a childs thoughts and feelings filtered through the sensibilities of an adult, and the result is E.L. Doctorows most convincing and appealing portrayal of a young boys life. Converging mythology and history, one of Americas most admired authors has captured the romance of gangsters and criminal enterprise that continues to fascinate the American psyche today.

Categories: Romance