On fire
In my steady conquest of reading and absorbing modern classic literature, I already - believe it or not - encountered Tom Wolfe. His college-set I Am Charlotte Simmons made an impression on me, and I resolved to try at least one more of his concoctions - the most famous one, The Bonfire of the Vanities.
Sherman McCoy is sitting on top of the world. He is a key bond trader at a prestigious firm, his wife is a well-known (if slightly tasteless) home decorator, he lives in a $3 million upscale apartment in the right neighborhood, and he has a young daughter whom he adores. His marriage nearly defunct, however, he has taken up with a gorgeous mistress who proves to be far more aggressive than he realizes. While lost in the Bronx, the two get involved in a hit-and-run that leaves a young black student in a coma - and also fuels a conflict over race relations that several public figures decide to use to their own advantage. Larry Kramer, assistant district attorney, hungers for his first big profile court case. Peter Fallow, a drunken journalist, suddenly gains respect with his series of slandering articles. Soon, Sherman is hounded - first by guilt, then by the unforgiving press - and finds that no one in his world of the wealthy and the successful can help him, nor do they wish to. His most fervent desire slowly changes from wanting to be a part of that world to being strong for himself and his little girl. If that includes getting down and dirty with the crude classes of New York, so be it.
If my summary somehow indicates that this novel is anything other than a cynical, at times sneering look at American classism and a violent clash of culture, let me correct you right now. This is an amazingly tightly-plotted story about a very messy situation that has no shot of a clean, tidy ending. I've thought this before - and actually it was after reading Charlotte Simmons that it first occurred to me - that there are two different kinds of fiction writers. One writes about what is, and the other writes about what can be. Wolfe is a frustrating but enlightening example of the former, and once you can get behind that conceit, it's easier to enjoy Vanities for its intended purpose. And when a character's potential to be more actually does appear, it adds a slight but insightful level to the story. Especially if the story is about greed, racism, politics, keeping up appearances, American excess ... all that I'm saying is that it breaks the monotony.
Okay, I kid: There's no such thing as monotony in this book. The characters are far too self-involved and stuffed up with pride and entitlement that the drama never ceases. Wolfe has a way of digging deep into characters' psyches and bringing to surface their most arrogant, horrifying, and evocative thoughts. And despite of that - because of that - they remain so incredibly human and relatable that you come to feel empathy, or at least sympathy, for them. Sherman, Peter, and Larry are all on different sides of this case, and for one to win, someone else must lose. At first I didn't think I'd care, but as the story went on I became anxious for them. Who would move up in the world - and who would fall? Sherman manages to be likable, mainly because he truly cares about his daughter, but also because he slowly allies himself with his lower-class lawyer and shows a devious intellect. Larry's swelling head isn't too hard on the reader until it really gets in his way in a suspenseful scene. Peter seems to be more of a device than a character (as a Brit, Wolfe uses him to criticize the crassness of American society). The explosive ending has Sherman doing something utterly unexpected, and while it is awesome, it could have used a little more set-up. It's less an emotional pay-off than shit going down, but it does show Sherman getting to act instead of being acted-upon.
If you have a few days off and little fear of the width of a book's spine, this would be a splendid choice. Simply superb reading. Rating: 4.5 Mercedes Benz out of 5.
If my summary somehow indicates that this novel is anything other than a cynical, at times sneering look at American classism and a violent clash of culture, let me correct you right now. This is an amazingly tightly-plotted story about a very messy situation that has no shot of a clean, tidy ending. I've thought this before - and actually it was after reading Charlotte Simmons that it first occurred to me - that there are two different kinds of fiction writers. One writes about what is, and the other writes about what can be. Wolfe is a frustrating but enlightening example of the former, and once you can get behind that conceit, it's easier to enjoy Vanities for its intended purpose. And when a character's potential to be more actually does appear, it adds a slight but insightful level to the story. Especially if the story is about greed, racism, politics, keeping up appearances, American excess ... all that I'm saying is that it breaks the monotony.
Okay, I kid: There's no such thing as monotony in this book. The characters are far too self-involved and stuffed up with pride and entitlement that the drama never ceases. Wolfe has a way of digging deep into characters' psyches and bringing to surface their most arrogant, horrifying, and evocative thoughts. And despite of that - because of that - they remain so incredibly human and relatable that you come to feel empathy, or at least sympathy, for them. Sherman, Peter, and Larry are all on different sides of this case, and for one to win, someone else must lose. At first I didn't think I'd care, but as the story went on I became anxious for them. Who would move up in the world - and who would fall? Sherman manages to be likable, mainly because he truly cares about his daughter, but also because he slowly allies himself with his lower-class lawyer and shows a devious intellect. Larry's swelling head isn't too hard on the reader until it really gets in his way in a suspenseful scene. Peter seems to be more of a device than a character (as a Brit, Wolfe uses him to criticize the crassness of American society). The explosive ending has Sherman doing something utterly unexpected, and while it is awesome, it could have used a little more set-up. It's less an emotional pay-off than shit going down, but it does show Sherman getting to act instead of being acted-upon.
If you have a few days off and little fear of the width of a book's spine, this would be a splendid choice. Simply superb reading. Rating: 4.5 Mercedes Benz out of 5.
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