The Bonfire of the Vanities
Shuhmun?
{OK - the other day I posted pointless, fun pictures/crap, deviating a bit from the blog's original intent. As for Mark Hamill; he needn't be too distraught about my crticism in the Muppet Show post. I wouldn't have cracked on his goofy dancing and singing if I wasn't a big fan. See, I don't intend to waste these pixels on people I detest, unless you REALLY REALLY offend me. So it's unlikely you'll ever see posts here about Barbara Streisand, Brendan Fraser, overzealous, hyper-righteous fanatics, etc. (damn, now I've wasted pixels on people I detest.) If I criticize you at all in these entries, then take it as tough love. - JM}
So now back to the unsolicited endorsement of cool stuff, one of this blog's original stated intentions....
Today, I must give praise to Tom Wolfe's book, "The Bonfire ofthe Vanities". Mr. Wolfe's skill with prose and metaphor is to be admired, studied, and envied by authors everywhere. The story is somewhat compelling, but what kept me hooked all the way to the end was the fantastic style, the dead-on accuracy with which he creates his vivid, familiar, flawed characters. Despicable as Sherman McCoy is, the reader gets so deep inside his mind that one can't help but to sympathize with his plight. "Bonfire" was written in, and is very much a product of the 80s - - but it doesn't feel dated at all. It comes across more like an indepth study of all the widely varying levels of New York City society in the 80s. The deep, recognizable truths and vivid imagery grace nearly every page; reading this is like watching a master of his craft at work.OK, it would probably be better if it ended 100 pages sooner... there's a great deal of text devoted to Peter Fallow, the Brit reporter/social parasite, which while entertaining, probably could have been cut. Supposedly the film version was pretty bad; I don't know - - I will tell you that Tom Wolfe's book is awesome.
{OK - the other day I posted pointless, fun pictures/crap, deviating a bit from the blog's original intent. As for Mark Hamill; he needn't be too distraught about my crticism in the Muppet Show post. I wouldn't have cracked on his goofy dancing and singing if I wasn't a big fan. See, I don't intend to waste these pixels on people I detest, unless you REALLY REALLY offend me. So it's unlikely you'll ever see posts here about Barbara Streisand, Brendan Fraser, overzealous, hyper-righteous fanatics, etc. (damn, now I've wasted pixels on people I detest.) If I criticize you at all in these entries, then take it as tough love. - JM}
So now back to the unsolicited endorsement of cool stuff, one of this blog's original stated intentions....
Today, I must give praise to Tom Wolfe's book, "The Bonfire ofthe Vanities". Mr. Wolfe's skill with prose and metaphor is to be admired, studied, and envied by authors everywhere. The story is somewhat compelling, but what kept me hooked all the way to the end was the fantastic style, the dead-on accuracy with which he creates his vivid, familiar, flawed characters. Despicable as Sherman McCoy is, the reader gets so deep inside his mind that one can't help but to sympathize with his plight. "Bonfire" was written in, and is very much a product of the 80s - - but it doesn't feel dated at all. It comes across more like an indepth study of all the widely varying levels of New York City society in the 80s. The deep, recognizable truths and vivid imagery grace nearly every page; reading this is like watching a master of his craft at work.OK, it would probably be better if it ended 100 pages sooner... there's a great deal of text devoted to Peter Fallow, the Brit reporter/social parasite, which while entertaining, probably could have been cut. Supposedly the film version was pretty bad; I don't know - - I will tell you that Tom Wolfe's book is awesome.
posted by JackMangan at 12:47 AM
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