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The Bonfire of the Vanities
The Bonfire of the Vanities
Author: Tom Wolfe
Sherman McCoy, the central figure of Tom Wolfe's first novel, is a young investment banker with a fourteen-room apartment in Manhattan. When he is involved in a freak accident in the Bronx, prosecutors, politicians, the press, the police, the clergy, and assorted hustlers high and low close in on him, licking their chops and giving us a gargantu...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780374115371
ISBN-10: 0374115370
Publication Date: 11/1/1990
Pages: 552
Rating:
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 4
4.1 stars, based on 4 ratings
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback
Members Wishing: 1
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

 MaskedPenguinAvenger avatar reviewed The Bonfire of the Vanities on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 21
Wickedly Funny!
DameEdna avatar reviewed The Bonfire of the Vanities on + 149 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Forget everything you know about the movie of this book - the book itself is absolutely great, a riveting read and classic Tom Wolf with his great prose style and insight on popular culture. The movie was horribly miscast and a total waste. Read the book!
CougarRed avatar reviewed The Bonfire of the Vanities on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Sherman McCoy is your hero. You just won't admit it.
reviewed The Bonfire of the Vanities on + 121 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This book and the movie based on it got blasted in the press. But, I thoroughly enjoyed it when it first came out. Don't listen to the critics on this one. It is an absorbing and interesting read.
reviewed The Bonfire of the Vanities on + 46 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
extremely quick, amusing read. i'm barely old enough to remember the '80s but this sensational roman a clef makes for a very entertaining story about the high life and the low life in new york city.
Read All 35 Book Reviews of "The Bonfire of the Vanities"

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 reviewed The Bonfire of the Vanities on + 16 more book reviews
Not nearly as much fun as anticipated. Dated, though unmistakable Tom Wolfe style. Finished it, but was gritting my teeth. Resigned simply to not be a Wolfe fan.
heyteacher-tpm avatar reviewed The Bonfire of the Vanities on + 35 more book reviews
I read this book the first time in high school as part of an extra credit project - I liked it them but freely admit I certainly didn't "get" most of it! Definitely a long read that is time-consuming, it is an interesting study of the 80s in New York City. I can't say that most of it is accurate as I have no idea, but it was an entertaining read with some social commentary that is unmistakable and some softer hints throughout.
PaulaB avatar reviewed The Bonfire of the Vanities on + 10 more book reviews
Though this story was a bit cynical and gritty at times, it was a satisfying read. It gives you a little taste of Wall Street in the 80's complete with a greedy stock broker who gets his comeuppance.
haddad avatar reviewed The Bonfire of the Vanities on + 23 more book reviews
Really excellent book. I've read it several times since it was originally published, and it has been a great read each time.
reviewed The Bonfire of the Vanities on + 17 more book reviews
It's a classic! You know you've been meaning to read it.... especially in hardcover format.
judykoep avatar reviewed The Bonfire of the Vanities on
Granted, it is a lengthy book, but Tom Wolfe has written a highly regarded novel -- one that, when published, changed the playing field for his contemporaries. Its message is simple: no matter how secure, smart or wealthy you think you are, life can unravel at the drop of a hat. This book includes a cast of characters: WASP, Jew, Black, poor, rich, desperate, conniving. The story takes place in New York City in the 1980s, but the scenario is reminiscent of today's uncontrolled Wall Street greed and corruption in the courts. Mr. Wolfe has an enjoyable writing style. It grabbed me from the beginning. As the book goes along, you long for justice. You just have to hang in there and get to the end to see if you will be satisfied.


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