The Bonfire of the Vanities

By: Tom Wolfe

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

This bitingly hilarious American satire will forever define late twentieth-century New York style.

Tom Wolfe’s bestselling modern classic tells the story of Sherman McCoy, an elite Wall Street bond trader who has it all: wealth, power, prestige, a Park Avenue apartment, a beautiful wife, and an even more beautiful mistress, until one wrong turn sends Sherman spiraling downward in a humiliating fall from grace.

A car accident in the Bronx involving Sherman, his girlfriend, and two young lower-class Black men sets a match to the incendiary racial and social tensions of 1980s New York City. Suddenly, Sherman finds himself embroiled in the most brutal, high-profile case of the year, as prosecutors, politicians, the press, the police, the clergy, and assorted hustlers rush in to further their own political and social agendas. With so many egos at stake, the last priority on anyone’s mind is truth or justice.

©1987 Tom Wolfe (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A big, bitter, funny, craftily plotted book that grabs you by the lapels and won't let go." ( New York Times Book Review)
"Sheer entertainment against a fabulous background....Often hilarious, and much, much more." ( Kirkus Reviews)
"Erupting from the first line with noise, color, tension and immediacy....brilliant." ( Publishers Weekly)

Wow

Why didn't I read this sooner? This is a fabulous story. It held my attention like few others.

Good but long

I have never seen the film so I came to this book without any preconceived notions. When I was looking for a new audio book, I read some of the reviews and saw reviews stating it was read well and the accents were believable. I am not sure where those people come from but I found the accents very annoying and not at all correct. Being from NY myself, the exaggerated accent made me almost embarrassed for the reader who seemed to be trying too hard. The main character's upper class snooty way of speaking was comical to say the very least. That being said, I did enjoy the story and will rent the film to compare. I would recommend this audio book even if it was a bit too long.

Terrific Read

I did not realize how broken I was until Wolfe showed me the light. It is important to be reminded that one cannot change human nature. And what about that narration!

Still works

Though the characters and their circumstances are a bit cliché, Tom Wolfe's observations have a real bite and still inform the current events of today, God help us... Listening to Joe Barret read is a marvel--loved his work on Owen Meany and this is even better!

One of the Greatest American Novels

First of all, forget the movie. The movie is a joke compared to the book. This book is quoted in Financial, Social History, New York, American, and Political literature because it is a awesome and compelling story. Wolfe is the best American novelist that I have read.

The narration is great too.

one of the finest stories and renditions

I loved the story and the incredible reading by Barrett I didn't want it. toend

Good narration Good story

Great narration minus several of the annoying voices read by Barrett for a 6 year old girl and a yelling judge. Those were like nails on a chalkboard.
The Story itself is long and the first half of the book is confusing to follow as it spends so much time doing character development.
But it’s a good story and although written in 1987 has a lot of bearing on today’s world in regard to racial issues.

Excellent

Utterly engrossing—both the story and the narration. Couldn’t turn it off. I recommend it highly.

excellent story

This is a very interesting book. It seems to explore the male psyche including sexual desire, machismo, pride and career reflection. Sherman McCoy goes through various phases of identity after life altering events occur in his life. He has various responses to events which change throughout the story as his inner core changes over time. I liked the self reflection he engaged with himself in the story. I see why it is considered a classic. It was well worth reading. The narrator did a very good job.

Hated the ending

After listening to one of the best narrators as he read this excellent piece of literature, I was hoping for a different ending.