Rating: 
Summary: Searching for cell phones and laptops...
Review: Perhaps the thing that struck me most about this novel was the fact that even if it was a "period" piece of the 1980s, it was shockingly similar to the society of the turn of the 21st century, right before the tech-bubble burst. In 20 years, it amazes me how much--and at the same time how *little*--has really changed. One might almost expect Sherman McCoy to pull out a miniaturized cell phone to bid on some shares of Enron rather than the Giscard bonds he was involved with. I felt, reading this book for the first time in the 21st century, that it might as well be the society of today under Mr. Wolfe's satirical scrutiny.The racially, politically charged media circus surrounding his arrest is perhaps now an even more familiar phenomenon than it would have been in the 1980s--something to which we as a society are becoming increasingly numb to. As the situation grows, and spirals further out of control, Mr. Wolfe makes it increasingly harder on the reader to land squarely on one side or another--on one hand we have the unjust death of a promising Bronx student, and on the other, we have the case being used by various people trying to further their public careers. One even begins to feel sympathy for the calculating, womanizing Sherman McCoy as his perfectly ordered life comes completely unraveled. And then we as readers become repulsed by such feelings--which is truly the "right" feeling in a situation like this? There is no black or white here (yes, that remark is meant on many levels)--only a confusing, boundless field of grey. And that seems to be at the core of Mr. Wolfe's purpose in writing this...it is an unflinching look at a society that seems to verge upon the completely amoral. With regards to its "unflinching" nature, some readers may at first be put off by the extreme bluntness with which Mr. Wolfe tells his story. Epithets and "outdated" social and cultural attitudes abound, and Mr. Wolfe doesn't shy away from the harshest, ugliest possible terms for them. And this very bluntness is perhaps what makes The Bonfire of the Vanities so compelling to me as a reader. We live in a society that has smothered itself by political correctness--a society where despite seeming openness, the lines of communication are really quite tightly controlled by that strange convention. To see the veneer of civilization completely ripped away from the society of the 1980s (and, one might imagine, from the very society in which we live now) is at once a repulsive and refreshing experience-- this is perhaps one of the best modern novels I have ever read, fully deserving of its 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: An irrepressible moral vacuum
Review: Is Bonfire of the Vanities a period piece? When reading a book from a previous time period, one might begin to ponder that very legitimate concern? It is, but it isn't. Allow me to elucidate. Bonfire garners irrepressible staying power as a scathing, sardonic, and witty treatise exposing the greed, glamour, decadence, and moral decay of the 80's not unlike The Roaring 20's of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. By no means is Bonfire in the same boat as Gatsby, but nonetheless, it's in the same ballpark, if you will. Having never read Tom Wolfe before, I must say that I came away quite impressed and entertained by his singular ability to instantaneously transfer from one character's perspective to another at the drop of a dime(e.g. going from Reverend Bacon in the decrepit racially-charged milieu of The Bronx to Sherman McCoy in the plush comfortable confines of Park Avenue). Wolfe's merciless satire and scathing cynicism lends itself to all of his eccentrically diverse motley cadre of characters. As a testament to Wolfe's eclectic acumen, the author definitively nails the veritable cornucopia of targets ranging the gamut from the sheltered luxury apartments, entre nous lavish fetes of the social elite X-Rays of Park Avenue, the high-pressure environment of Sherman's Wall Street, the dog eat dog baseness of Vogel & co. at The Bronx PD and jail, the unmitigated political pandering of Weiss and Kramer at the DA's office, the Machiavellian glibness of Peter Fallow of The City Light, and, last but definitely not least, the self-serving specious "racial activism" of Reverend Bacon. The vastly paradoxical upshot of it all is this my friends: Although this extraordinarily divergent melange of characters exists in strikingly unique socioeconomic environments, they all, however, undoubtedly contribute to the prodigious confluence of flagrant self-absorbtion, blatant egotism, deplorable moral degradation, pernicious greed, and the despicable venality that cryptically ties all of them together into one infinitely vacuous morally depraved vacuum categorically devoid of any semblance of moral absolutes. Ahh...the irony of it all! Wolfe's ingenious penchant for piquant characterization and witty dialogue makes for a smooth and fluid read that entertains as well as educates. Bonfire IS a period piece, but it remains just as provocative today as it was upon its release. Period(pardon the pun). "A liberal is a conservative who has been arrested."
- Sherman McCoy
Rating:
Summary: What would Savonarola think?
Review: This is probably *the* book of the 1980s - it explores the fragile, false world of Wall Street and Manhattan society with witty, cruel glee. A one-off freak accident lands Sherman McCoy in a world of trouble. McCoy switches from a life of unquestioned privilege and superiority, to fear and questioning when the facts and evidence come together to point the finger at him for a hit and run. Wolfe shows his brilliance as a writer with this book - his characters manage to be embodiments of stereotypes and complicated individuals at the same time. The reader feels sorry for un-likable characters. Little details build up - for example the male characters preening and deporting themselves in ways they think make them look strong, powerful and handsome, only when we are given another point of view we see that they just look silly and vain - the vanities of this book are many and varied (Savonarola, he of the original bonfire of the vanities, would probably be happy with the comeuppances this book provides). Ultimately, this book is a modern classic because it manages to successfully combine all the elements - explorations of society, equality and motivation that still manages to be a great story; sparkling and witty prose that is never really flippant. It is a book that makes you think and manages to entertain at the same time. It took me a long time to track down a copy of this book, but it was worth it - Sherman McCoy, his friends (so called), adversaries, and everyone in between, make a fascinating morality tale with a moral that manages to be blindingly clear and ambiguous at the same time.
Rating:
Summary: Will certainly become a classic
Review: First: the book is brilliant. It has some echoes of "The Great Gatsby" but a much larger canvas. Though it is very long and has some overblown descriptions it is absolutely engrossing. The focus of the book is Sherman McCoy, whom I found quite fascinating. He starts off quite unlikeable due to being an amazingly smug, arrogant snob. Then slowly one starts looling beyond these points. He is human after all and not all that bad. And that is true of all the other characters too, none is wholly good or bad. In a book about great moral issues, Tom Wolfe describes in great detail his characters' concern about their appearance, their social success and their finances. But for most people these superficial things ARE major concerns in life which influence their actions and destiny. Some of the earlier reviews have made a very interesting point. The themes of the book will never date but the plot as written could not have been set in the year 2003. Technology and media has changed so much in the last 20 years. But as an Indian who has never visited America I am not able to judge many things. Is American society as unequal and divided as portrayed here? India certainly is, and if the story was transported here it would ring true. The poverty in India is so extreme and wide-spread that the comparatively well-off are almost forced to make a habit of "insulation". Also: I dont for a moment think that Tom Wolfe could be racist. But it shows what a gap there must be between the races in America in that all the characters whose minds he explores are white. Non-whites are shown from the outside only. Similarly women are shown from the outside only. I understand that a male author may feel unable to speak about a woman's feelings. But are black males and white males so different?
Rating:
Summary: New York's Greatest Portrayal
Review: Tom Wolfe has a magical touch for breathing life into non-fiction, as in The Right Stuff, but in Bonfire of the Vanities, his skill as a novelist and a satirist is blatantly evident. This bleak and witty portrayal of New York life in the eighties is both hilarious and dark at the same time. Wolfe's characters represent the spectrum of human behavior, while his situations are riddled with ironies and paradoxes of truth about human existence. This book is most enjoyable, I would imagine, if you have at least some knowlege of New York, because much of its humor and depth stems from New York culture, but it is also true that New york is a micrchosm of american existence on a whole, so Bonfire of the Vanities may, in fact, be a universally American Novel. Whichever, it is worth reading if not only for the reason that it is funny, brilliantly written, and makes clear the fact that Tom Wolf's name belongs on the list of satirists that includes Jonathon Swift and Oscar Wilde.
Rating:
Summary: Still relevant in 2003
Review: Bonfire of the Vanities is one of the great page turners of the last half of the 20th century. Wolfe combines comedy with scathing social commentary, as a blue blooded Wall Streeter takes the wrong exit off the highway and two cultures collide with tragi-comic results. It was impossible to put this book down, even though it is quite lengthy. The beleaguered Bronx judge, the girlfriend, the Harlem reverend who thrives on playing the race card for his own greater glory and the slimy reporter are just some of the characters who ring true. For those who saw the movie, don't let that turn you off. The whole premise was changed and it was a typical Hollywood bastardization. Wolfe tried a similar sweep of the cultural landscape in "A Man In Full" but lost his way halfway through that book. There are no wrong notes in Bonfire; it's a snapshot of New York politcally and culturally in the late 80's, and it's amazing how little has changed in today's world.
Rating: 
Summary: This Book is on Fire
Review: This was my second Tom Wolfe book and I enjoyed it even more than the first, being "A Man In Full" It amazes me how Wolfe can introduce so many characters from so many places and then some how tie them all together. This book may anger certain readers with the frequent stereotypes used by Wolfe to show New York prejudice but they are essential in understanding New York city. I personally enjoyed the theme of how many whites were afraid of blacks and were scared to travel to what seems like another city in Harlem. Wolfe also addresses the situation within the poverty stricken ghettos of New York. This book paints an accurate picture of New York sex and class and the divisions within them.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read
Review: This book is one of the most enjoyable books that I've read. With great characters and descriptions, it is definetely a masterpiece. The characters in the novel are downright brilliant. Each has his or her flaws, and Wolfe shows those, but not with too much severity, instead showing that we are all equal in our flaws. The description in this book, though sometimes too much, too long, and repetitive, is generally very good and paints a beatiful picture of the scene in your mind. The plot is very involved, but not so much that it confuses you, and more than enough to keep you interested. The ending is very surprising and very riveting, and is a perfect ending to a already great book. Highly recommended to all.
Rating:
Summary: A magnificent masterpiece!
Review: Iam more than happy that I finally read the book, although I knew about it for a long time. during my free-time I read a lot and this book was a terrific read, one of the best books I ever picked up. it is about the fall of sherman mccoy, a wall street 'wunderkind'. one night, he and his 'foxy love' take the wrong exit of the freeway and find themselves 'trapped' in the bronx. by accident, they hit a joung black male. the hit-and-run causes them unthinkable trouble and from now on, everything goes straight downhill. simultaneously, many other people take advantage of their doom. foremost, the journalist p. fallow and rev. bacon. the book is full of interesting, funny, but also bad characters (especially mccoy itself who is indescribably arrogant, the english journalist as well as the slimy, sycophant kramer and the 'influencial' rev. bacon to name but a few) and wolfe provides an excellent description of ny in the late 80's. however, due to the fact that iam german I do not know whether everything is true or a slightly exaggerated description. but I perosnally think it doesn't matter at all because the message is clear: in an achievement-oriented society everyone is only interested in her/his own benefits and 'walks over dead bodies' to reach more and more. of course, it is stereotyping but I safely assume that this is true and undenieable at least to a certain degree. the bonfire of the vanities is a bitter-sweet, satiric, funny, dramatic, and enthralling novel everyone ought to read. maybe one of the finest american novels of recent times. what I liked most is the fact that there are no 'real heroes' and almost every character shows its dreadful, abhorrent side. of course, the book has its lenght but its worthwile to proceed because the pace is always high and so many amazing things occur although one might correctly guess what is supposed to happen next. moreover, wolf's writing is great, in particular the different linguistic details in terms of dialects, abusive language etc. are absolutely fabulous. with a clear conscience, I highly recommend this book...
Rating:
Summary: A Snapshot of a time and a place
Review: In retrospect, there is no better snapshot of New York City during the 1980's than THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES. This novel completely captures the energy, and even the euphoria, which crept into city life during a decade that now seems far removed. BONFIRE is an engrossing novel, interweaving all of the many aspects of city life, from the self-indulgences of the newly (very) rich to the struggles of the ghetto poor. Much like that proverbial first potato chip, once a reader gets a taste of this book, it is hard to stop reading until the final resolution. Wolfe writes a detailed and informative story in his typical lively style. Anyone who wants to remember New York City during the overheated 80's will find THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES to be a clear snapshot of that time and that place.
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