645. The Book of Daniel

The Book of Daniel
E.L. Doctorow
1971
Around 320 pages

Man, the books have been really disgusting lately. I'll be quite happy if we can get through a novel without a description of somebody's anus. But B.S. Johnson is next, so I think this is just a pipe dream.

Basically, we get a fictionalized account of the lives and trials of the Rosenbergs (who are represented in the novel as Paul and Rochelle Isaacson). Their son Daniel is writing his doctoral thesis on his parents' history. The novel flip flops between the "present" (1967) when Daniel is married with a baby, and flashbacks to the early 50s. 

So I absolutely despised Daniel, who is an abusive psycho. At least Doctorow shifts perspective so we aren't entirely stuck with him for the entire time. Doctorow makes many choices to distinguish the events in his novel from real life, and the result is not very interesting. We get stuck with some annoying original characters, and I think I would have preferred a more factual story.

I just never seem to click with this guy, I don't find his style funny or shocking. 

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Adapted into a film in 1983 directed by Sidney Lumet.

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