The Bonfire of the Vanities

Tom Wolfe, 1987

Date read: 9/22/26

Before I started reading it, I thought this novel was about the actual bonfire of the vanities, like in Florence in 1497. A priest convinced everyone to burn everything they owned that represented sin. Like jewelery, makeup, "romances".

It is not. It is about a very rich and powerful man who is reduced to a very poor and powerless man due to a bad decision.

It is also about how certain people will glom onto anything they think will help their personal agenda.

It ended sad; I had hoped Sherman would win in the end. I loved the writing style. I think Wolfe is a brilliant novelist.