Michelle Tokarczyk examines E. L. Doctorow's 'politics of indirection' in his novels, exploring the connections between personal and historical events. She challenges the notion that all novelists are political novelists and delves into the complex interactions between public and private spheres in Doctorow's work. Tokarczyk's analysis offers a fresh perspective on Doctorow's commitment to politics and the role of fiction in exploring political issues.