#8: The Bonfire of the Vanities

The Bonfire of the Vanities is the second Tom Wolfe book that I have read. The first was I Am Charlotte Simmons, which although flawed, I enjoyed. Still, this book (along with two other Wolfe titles) sat on my shelf for quite a while, intimidating me due to its thickness, as I like books that I can read through quickly. When I finally began reading this one, I found that in spite of its length, I was able to proceed quickly.

The Bonfire of the Vanities is the story of three men. Sherman McCoy is a high-salaried bond trader living with his wife and daughter in a Park Avenue apartment. In spite of his job and status, he finds himself worrying about money as it flows out as quickly as it comes in. His obsession is being a "Master of the Universe." Sherman is also romantically involved with Maria Ruskin, the young wife of an elderly businessman.

Larry Kramer is an assistant district attorney working in the Bronx. He also lives his wife and young child, but his conditions are much different. His tiny apartment would fit into McCoy's living room. Kramer experiences a combination of envy and disdain toward other lawyers with high-paying jobs at big firms, as he would like their salaries, but feels he is on the moral high road as he helps serve the public.

Finally, there is Peter Fallow, an alcoholic British journalist for a tabloid. Fallow has been down on his luck, and his main goal each day is to find ways to get free meals. Fallow tries to dupe his boss into thinking he is being productive, and also desires a lifestyle beyond his means.

The thread that ties the three characters together begins when McCoy and his mistress are involved in an accident where he may have hit someone while driving in the Bronx at night. He is conflicted over whether to report it, while his mistress says to forget about it as they don't know if anything actually happened. It turns out that they hit a young black man from the projects who was living a clean lifestyle, leaving him in a coma. Community leaders put pressure on the police and legal system to go after the perpetrator. Fallow is the reporter who breaks the story, while Kramer is the ADA in charge of prosecuting the case. When witnesses lead the investigation back to McCoy, the case becomes about race and social class.

In telling this story, the author presents a vivid description of New York during the 1980's. Having never been there, I can't judge whether this description is accurate, but it added a lot to the story. Also, the characters are very well fleshed out. Each has his own flaws and virtues, which evolve over time. The arrogant McCoy and the idealistic Kramer from the beginning are definitely depicted differently at the conclusion.

Overall, this was a well-written novel, and I will be dusting off and reading A Man in Full and The Right Stuff (eventually).

Rating: ****