Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
This novel follows the life of a successful Wall Street bond trader who, after a wrong turn in the Bronx, finds his life spiraling out of control. After a hit-and-run accident in a predominantly black neighborhood, he becomes the target of a political witch hunt, exacerbating racial tensions in the city. As the protagonist's world unravels, the story provides a satirical commentary on 1980s New York City, exploring themes of racism, classism, politics, and greed.
The 230th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 1001
This book was first published in 1987
12 Lists
- score: 150 -- For The Love of Books - 1999 (Weight: 150)
- score: 150 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 150)
- score: 120 -- Best Foreign Work of Fiction Chosen by Francophone Writers - 2006 (Weight: 120)
- score: 105 -- The New York Public Library's Books of the Century - 1996 (Weight: 105)
- score: 86 -- The Celebrity Reading List - 2007 (Weight: 82)
- score: 75 -- Radcliffe's 100 Best Novels - 1998 (Weight: 75)
- score: 71 -- A Century of Reading - 2018 (Weight: 71)
- score: 63 -- Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 Novels - 2013 (Weight: 63)
- score: 60 -- Waterstone's Books of the Century - 1997 (Weight: 60)
- score: 60 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users - 2008 (Weight: 60)
- score: 48 -- The Modern Library: The Two Hundred Best Novels in English Since 1950 - 2011 (Weight: 48)
- score: 11 -- The New Classics - 100 Best Reads from 1983 to 2008 - 2008 (Weight: 11)