The Bonfire of the Vanities

By: Tom Wolfe

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Length: 27 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

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)

Good story - too much profanity.

Enjoyed the story, more so once I was halfway in. Would have given it 5 star if not for the absurd amount of profanity.

fabulous narration

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Joe Barrett is a brilliant narrator, I am impressed by his ability to impersonate so many different characters so authentically. I'll look for more books narrated by him.

slow at first.

awesome book, hard to follow at first. once started the story was incredible. would recommend to anyone. the inclusion of all aspects of financial stability made it worthwhile.

I was surprised.

I am skeptical of Tom Wolf, both the writer and the persona. But I found "Bonfire of the Vanities" a good listen. I didn't have to work at it and found myself growing sad as I approached the end. There is lots of great satirical humor in this book. Real, laugh-out-loud humor. My one disappointment, and it is a small one, was Joe Barrett's (the narrator) inability to pull off a British accent for one of the principle characters. That aside, he is perfect throughout.

Amazing book and even greater performance

The reader really brings this book to life. Often considered “The Quintessential Book Of the 80s,” Joe Barrett really helps bring out the commentary and cynicism in a delightful way.

Both timeless and a time capsule, brilliantly read

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Great story about urban greed; social, financial and civic power grabs; still fresh, absurd and funny twenty-five years after publication.

Which character – as performed by Joe Barrett – was your favorite?

1) Peter Fallow 2) Reverend Bacon 3) Tommy Killian

Any additional comments?

This was a brilliant narration by Joe Barrett - he brought to life an astonishing variety of characters and accents, making this as a superbly enjoyable way of experiencing this classic, Regan-era American novel.

Exposing the true nature of racism in America

This beautiful novel explained and demonstrated the true way our crippled society operates, and reveals the abstract concept of racism and how it touches and ruins every aspect of our world.

Still a good book after all these years

I've been back and forth in my mind about whether this was a 4 or 5 star listen. I read this within a few years of when it was published in 1987, but only vaguely remembered the ending. I'm putting it out there that there aren't a whole lot of likeable characters in this lengthy book. But Tom Wolfe was expert in capturing society and how people get caught up in things, sometimes just because they've made stupid mistakes. That is what happens to Sherman McCoy, the main character who most of the book revolves. An African American teenager us hit by McCoy's car and both of their lives change. But what about the woman McCoy was with?

The racial issues in the book really speak to the local NYC culture as well as the Bronx and the country in general. Tom Wolfe misses little.

This book is full of twists and turns. It's worth reading or listening to it from beginning to end

must read!

combine a perfect narration with a perfect novel and what do you have? a perfect audible book! my favorite so far and I've listened to hundreds. going to try more buy both the narrator and the author immediately

Best Peformacne Ever!

Yes, Tom Wolfe wrote an incredible tale with "you-are-there" details...But I can't say enough about narrator Joe Barrett's performance. His pace through the action scenes is thrilling...and his characters' voices are so clearly heard, even when the dialogue is fast and tight. I'm listening to the book a second time and it's truly like seeing a favorite film again. Wonderful work!