The Bonfire of the Vanities [Audio CD]

However, this is a cross-section that is viciously sliced from the meaty flesh of New York society, leaving it gaping, bleeding and exposed, all in a highly satirical and humorous way.

The main story revolves around a high-powered broker and his mistress who are involved in a hit-and-run accident which leaves a young, black "youth" from the Bronx in a coma. The scandal sweeps the city as an epitomy of the racial, economic and cultural differences (and inequalities), as a mob builds up around the case. In terms of the actual plot, there's nothing complicated, rather, its the eye into the eschelons of high, middle and poor society New-York-style that makes this entertaining and enjoyable.

Wolfe exposes the massive slab of hypocrisy present in the society, from the DA who has idealistic tirades about his job (when it's really a vehicle for his extra-marital and political ambitions) to the British journalist who thumbs his nose down on all things American (while scurrying for his next free meal and alcoholic binge).

As mentioned by many reviewers, there's nothing essentially new in the book - as Wolfe said, some of it feels like it's been ripped from the headlines, but in reality much of it is art imitating life. What I liked about the book is its message of vanity and indulgence, and how quickly those superficial bubbles can be burst in a crisis to *make* a person "ordinary" again. True to an almost century-old tradition in books, there are no real heroes here. But still, despite all the horrible things the main character has done, I found myself feeling sorry for him and somewhat admiring him by the end.

Other complaints have been the superficial role of women in the book, but again, I think that's simply an extension of the superficiality of a section of society that spends more on a painting frame than a cop earns in 6 months.

Overall, a great book that speaks without being preachy and has a lot of very funny moments.

Wolfe captures all that here, albeit in a lighter tone, by following four separate tracks concurrently, and how they all come together: Financially successful but amoral and philandering nouveau-riche bond trader Sherman McCoy, professional successful but financially wanting assistant prosecutor Lawrence Kramer, professionally unsuccessful and perpetually inebriated British-born tabloid 'journalist' Peter Fallow, and socially powerful (but under-respected) self-proclaimed African-American leader Reverend Reginald Bacon. The bonfire that their vanities create is fascinating; but what is best about this book is the insightful and real-to-life humor/social commentary that Wolfe weaves into the story throughout. If you're a relatively young reader who was born in the 80's and thusly do not remember it the way that, let's say, those of us born in 1967 do, then the reading of this book is absolutely essential to understanding all the different dysfunctional facets that made the 1980's the way it was.

Do not be put off by the story's length (705 pages); it is so enjoyable and is such a compulsive page-turner that it is likely that it will only take you a week or less to get through it all. Pick this one up and treat yourself to the hilarious world of THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES---and if you must, rent the 1990 Brian De Palma-directed misfire and see just how totally inept Hollywood was in capturing this world. THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES has earned its proper place one of the greatest---and most important---works of fiction in the 20th Century.

MOST RECOMMENDED; AGES 17 & UP