Back to Blood

A Novel

By: Tom Wolfe

Narrated by: Lou Diamond Phillips

A big, panoramic story of the new America, as told by our master chronicler of the way we live now.

As a police launch speeds across Miami's Biscayne Bay -- with officer Nestor Camacho on board -- Tom Wolfe is off and running. Into the feverous landscape of the city, he introduces the Cuban mayor, the black police chief, a wanna-go-muckraking young journalist and his Yale-marinated editor; an Anglo sex-addiction psychiatrist and his Latina nurse by day, loin lock by night-until lately, the love of Nestor's life; a refined, and oh-so-light-skinned young woman from Haiti and her Creole-spouting, black-gang-banger-stylin' little brother; a billionaire porn addict, crack dealers in the 'hoods, "de-skilled" conceptual artists at the Miami Art Basel Fair, "spectators" at the annual Biscayne Bay regatta looking only for that night's orgy, yenta-heavy ex-New Yorkers at an "Active Adult" condo, and a nest of shady Russians.

Based on the same sort of detailed, on-scene, high-energy reporting that powered Tom Wolfe's previous bestselling novels, Back to Blood is another brilliant, spot-on, scrupulous, and often hilarious reckoning with our times.

Critic reviews

PRAISE FOR TOM WOLFE:

Bonfire of the Vanities (1987):

"A big, bitter, funny, craftily plotted book that grabs you by the lapels and won't let go."—New York Times Book Review

"A superb human comedy and the first novel ever to get contemporary New York, in all its arrogance and shame and heterogeneity and insularity, exactly right."—Washington Post Book World

A Man in Full (1998):

"The novel contains passages as powerful and as beautiful as anything written--not merely by contemporary American novelists but by any American novelist....The book is as funny as anything Wolfe has ever written; at the same time it is also deeply, strangely affecting."—New York Times Book Review

I Am Charlotte Simmons (2004):

"Wolfe is one of the greatest literary stylists and social observers of our much observed postmodern era....A rich, wise, absorbing, and irresistible novel."—Lev Grossman, Time

"Wolfe's dialogue is some of the finest in literature, not just fast but deep. He hears the cacophony of our modern lives."—Los Angeles Times

"Brilliant...I couldn't stop reading it....Tom Wolfe can make words dance and sing and perform circus tricks, he can make the reader sigh with pleasure."—Michael Dirda, Washington Post

He does it again!

Once again Tom Wolfe gives us a wonderful novel. The characters are so defined and the story is great. He's an amazing author. I loved CHARLOTTE SIMMONS and this book is equally as terrific. Lou Diamond Phillips is the perfect choice to narrate this novel.
In mid winter in Oregon, it was good to spend some time in Florida.

Not a favorite

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

This book was a tough listen I thought the story was slow developing.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I needed to become engaged with the characters, I found my mind wandering during the listen

Entertaining

It was a decent listen, the narrator was entertaining and the story line kept your interest, the ending was a bit slow.

Good story

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Repetitive words were very annoying. Slap Slap Slap

Would you recommend Back to Blood to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes, both my husband and I enjoyed it.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

More variety to his voice

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No

Any additional comments?

No

Tom Wolfe at his best

What did you love best about Back to Blood?

OK story is really an excuse for observations about the South Florida social and political scene. The Art Basel commentary is priceless.

Which scene was your favorite?

Art Basel

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laugh