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.
E.L. Doctorow
E.L. Doctorow was an American novelist known for his masterpiece "Ragtime," blending historical figures with fictional characters to explore complex themes of power and identity. His distinctive style combined vivid storytelling with a deep social consciousness, making him a key figure in modern American literature.
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