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Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani tonight presented the Museum of the City of New York's "$24 Award" to the novelist E. L. Doctorow at a ceremony held at the Museum in Manhattan. The award is presented every year on May 6th, the date in 1626 when Peter Minuit purchased Manhattan island from Native Americans in exchange for goods worth $24.
"For the past quarter century, the $24 award has been given to individuals who have made lasting contributions to the lives of the people of New York City," Mayor Giuliani said. "I cannot think of a man more deserving of this honor than E. L. Doctorow, a man whose talent and creativity reflect the spirit of New York City at its best. His novel "Ragtime" -- which has been transformed into a Broadway musical that was nominated this week for 13 Tony Awards -- is more than a great work of historical fiction, it is a tribute to the remarkable spirit of the City.
"Its about the legacy of immigration and the lengths new immigrants and their families took to build a better life for themselves and their children. And it is a story that still holds great relevance today," the Mayor concluded.
Born and raised in New York City, E. L. Doctorow published his first novel, "Welcome To Hard Times", in 1960. In addition to "Ragtime," his other novels include "Big As Life," "The Book of Daniel," "Loon Lake," "Love of the Poets," "World's Fair," "Billy Bathgate" and "Waterworks".
Also in attendance at the ceremony were Museum Director Robert MacDonald, Museum Chair and author Louis Auchincloss, Museum President David Clapp, New York University President Jay Oliva, "Ragtime" Producer Garth Drabinsky and Random House Senior Editor Jason Epstein.