Books

Newly Relevant: Bonfire of the Vanities

In the 80s Wall Street was riding high while the rest of New York was riddled with crime and racial tension. Tom Wolfe set out to capture the moment, observing court cases and tagging along with police in the Bronx. Wolfe, who has always had a knack for writing a book defining the zeitgeist of an era, (Electric Kool Aid Acid Test, The Right Stuff) recognized the inequalities plaguing New York City. Using characters from the whole social spectrum, Wolfe chronicles the downfall of an out-of-touch investment banker who finally gets his comeuppance. The distance between Wall Street and Main Street was just as vast 20 years ago as it is today.