The Bonfire of the Vanities

Literary fiction · Dark comedy · Satire

First published: 1987
Print length: 690 pagesBantam Books, 1990

Description

Sherman McCoy, a wealthy Manhattan bond trader who regards himself as a master of the universe, sees his protected life fracture after a wrong turn into the Bronx. Traveling with his mistress, he becomes embroiled in a scandal when their car strikes a young Black man. Assistant district attorney Larry Kramer recognizes a career-making prosecution, while journalist Peter Fallow turns the case into sensational news. Politicians, activists, lawyers, financiers, and social climbers seize upon Sherman’s predicament, each reshaping it to serve a private ambition. Set amid the money and racial divisions of 1980s New York, The Bonfire of the Vanities is a panoramic social satire about status, greed, institutional appetite, and the speed with which public narratives overwhelm complicated facts.

Reading profile

About this profile

Collected’s assessment, not reader ratings. Complexity runs from 1 (least demanding) to 5 (most demanding).

Writing: How much attention the sentences and language require.
Ideas: How much interpretation or abstract reasoning the book asks of you.
Structure: How much you need to keep track of speakers, timelines and connections.
Background knowledge: Prior knowledge needed to follow the book, beyond what it explains.
Emotional intensity: Emotional pressure, from gentle (1) to intense (5). Separate from difficulty.

Writing style

Dense · Descriptive · Journalistic · Witty

Pace

Brisk

Tone

Humorous · Irreverent · Satirical · Tense

Structure

Linear

Focus

Character · Ideas · Plot

Emotional intensity

3 / 5

Reading complexity

1–5 · higher means more demanding

Writing: 4 / 5
Ideas: 4 / 5
Structure: 3 / 5
Background knowledge: 2 / 5

Themes

AmbitionClassKnowledge and truthPowerRace and racismWealth

Book details

For the print edition listed above.

Publisher: Bantam Books
Language: English
ISBN: 9780553275971

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