Welcome to Hard Times: A NovelHere is E. L. Doctorow’s debut novel, a searing allegory of frontier life that sets the stage for his subsequent classics. Hard Times is the name of a town in the barren hills of the Dakota Territory. To this town there comes one day one of the reckless sociopaths who wander the West to kill and rape and pillage. By the time he is through and has ridden off, Hard Times is a smoking ruin. The de facto mayor, Blue, takes in two survivors of the carnage–a boy, Jimmy, and a prostitute, Molly, who has suffered unspeakably–and makes them his provisional family. Blue begins to rebuild Hard Times, welcoming new settlers, while Molly waits with vengeance in her heart for the return of the outlaw. Praise for Welcome to Hard Times “A forceful, credible story of cowardice and evil.”—The Washington Post “We are caught up with these people as real human beings.”—Chicago Sun-Times “Dramatic and exciting.”—The New York Times “Terse and powerful.”—Newsweek “A taut, bloodthirsty read.”—The Times Literary Supplement “A superb piece of fiction.”—The New Republic |
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ain't alright Angus Archie D arms Avery began Bert Billy Bathgate blanket Blue Book of Daniel buckboard cabin Chinagirl dead dirt dollars door dress drink dugout E.L. Doctorow eyes face Fee's feeling fire flats fool Fountain Creek frand front gave girl ground hand Hausenfield head Helga horse Indian inside Isaac Maple Jack Millay Jenks Jessie Jimmy Fee John Bear knew ladies laughed letter listen looked Maple's Mayor melodeon miners Miss Adah Molly Molly's morning mule NATIONAL BOOK AWARD never night pony porch pulled Ragtime ride rocks running Russian saloon screamed shack shouted sight Silver Sun sitting sleep smiling someone standing stepped stood street Swede talk tell tent things thought told took town trail travois turned wagon waiting walked wanted watching whiskey windmill woman Zar's place