Readers' Review: "The Bonfire of the Vanities" By Tom Wolfe
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-11-28/readers-review-bonfire-vanities-tom-wolfe
“The Bonfire of the Vanities” was Tom Wolfe’s 11th book and first novel. Inspired by Thackeray’s 19th century satire “Vanity Fair,” Wolfe set out to capture the essence of high and low society in 1980s New York. The story centers on Sherman McCoy, a wealthy bond trader and self-regarded "master of the universe." His life is destroyed when he and his mistress make a wrong turn into the Bronx one night. Critics said Wolfe’s portrayal of urban class and race came as close as fiction could to breaking news. It’s the 25th anniversary of the novel, and this month’s Readers’ Review.
Guests
Kate Lehrer
author, most recently of "Confessions of a Bigamist."
Juan Williams
political analyst, Fox News.
William Cohan
contributing editor at Vanity Fair, opinion columnist for Bloomberg View, former investment banker and author of "Money and Power: How Goldman Sachs Came to Rule the World."
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Read An Excerpt
“Prologue: Mutt on Fire” excerpt from The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe. The Bonfire of the Vanities copyright © 1987 by Tom Wolfe. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of Picador and Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Comments
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I'll never forget the scene where Sherman is attending a child's birthday party, and the children start asking what the parents sitting around the table do for work. He tries to explain how he acquired a fortune by getting tiny commissions on multi-million dollar financial trades, using the analogy of crumbs falling off a piece of cake to symbolize his earnings. It suddenly sounds ridiculous to the children, and everyone else, and an activity that obviously provided nothing of use to the larger society. His child is envious of one of the other fathers, who simply builds furniture. It is as timely now as when it was written decades ago.
Tom Wolfe's non-fiction is far superior to his novels. Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test is one of the books I credit w. forming my consciousness when I was in high school. Thanks much. HLB
I wonder if your panelists are familiar with Lou Reed's 1989 album _New York_. It seems to travel much the same territory as _Bonfire of the Vanities_. This music is inhabited by many of the same kinds of characters and paints a strange and slightly unhinged portrait of New Yorkers and the bizarre world of New York in the 1980's
Duncan Porter-Zuckerman
Sandwich, NH
I loved this novel. Tom Wolfe captures the human frailties to the bone.
' I am Charlotte Simmons', a great novel empowering women.
He is a master wordsmith.
What is wonderful about Tom Wolfe is he recreates a generation better than anybody! With 'The Bonfire of the Vanities', he captured the 80's and with 'The Electric Koolaid Acid Test' he captured the 60s drug scene with 'The Right Stuff' he captured the race to the moon and finally with 'Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Steamlined Baby' he captured the muscle car and Vegas time. He just captures the essence of a time in history. I love his books!
If you enjoyed Bonfire...please pick up a copy of Sebastian Faulks' A Week in December. It's a current London based version of this very topical plot. The classism, racism, profit at all costs approach to life, the Master of the Universe mentality hasn't disappeared...as evidence the first hour of your show, Diane!
Wish that they could have had Wolfe in the studio!