Set in 1980s New York, Tom Wolfe’s epic tale of the self-absorbed, money-obsessed citizens of the Big Apple is superbly narrated in this audiobook version by Todd Boyce. For the majority of this read I felt like I was in the front row of the cinema watching events unfold on the big screen. The thoughts and expressions of the various POVs are very much of that era; that is to say, mysogynistic, sexist, homophobic and racist, particularly by today’s standards, so this is not a story to go lightly into. Having said that, this is an absolute 80s classic and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Sherman is raking it in as a bond trader on Wall Street and has a prestigious Park Avenue address to prove it. Believing himself a ‘master of the universe’ Sherman’s determined to live up to the cliche and is running around with his mistress when they run into a spot of bother.
He’s the first of many characters we meet whose stories collide as events unfold in this pacy, hugely entertaining, cautionary tale of how pride often comes before a fall. It’s a huge book, but it’s brim-full of character and wit.
Five big ones from me, with thanks to NetGalley and WF Howes Ltd for the chance to read an ARC. The Bonfire of the Vanities is out in audio format now.

I only managed nine out of the 28 hours of this book. It's quite a commitment and I just wasn't loving it enough by the time I got nine hours in and wasn't even half way through.

That was very much not down to the book, the author or the narrator, it has to be said. Despite the narration only being done by one man, the characterisation is deft and clearly delineated and every emotion is played out. It's a strong audio book. And I think that if you love the book already, you'll eat this up.

Have recommended to friends, listened to this a while back and finished it in 2 sittings, great plot and interesting themes. Liked the writing style and narrator was well suited

I don't know how long a book must be published before it can be deemed a 'modern classic ' but this is surely a contender. It encapsulates that 1980s mentality with regard to class, racism, rights, expectation and superiority, perfectly.

Sherman is a big deal on Wall Street. He lives in a $3.2million house and has the perfect wife and daughter. It was always the expectation that he would lead this lifestyle, so why shouldn't he?

One night, coming home from the airport with his mistress, he takes a wrong turn (literally and metaphorically) and ends up on the wrong side of town: the side where rich, white men don't belong. He gets scared when two youths approach him and from the action of his mistress and his own arrogance begins his downfall. From that moment, his life crumbles around him.

Wolfe shows all sides of the take,all onlookers get their say. It's a stark reminder of 'the bad old days' and well worth reading.

Reading was adequate but needed to be on 1.5x and a greater variety of intonation would have been welcomed.

Wolfe’s Dickensian tale of New York in the 1980s remains compelling, insightful and affecting four decades later. This Babylon of the 20th century is full of egoists and the self-interested; no one acts in good faith, no one is worthy of redemption, and the guilty are semi-arbitrarily picked out of a crowd of the awful.

The one true love found in this book – that of a father for his daughter – is destroyed with as little thought or care as a snowflake on the warm ground.

There are pointed references to Poe and “The Masque of the Red Death”, and this is certainly a story in which the rich find they can’t keep the world out.

A reminder, in case it were needed in 2024, that America is a land of shits.

I love Tom Wolfe's books and this one is the portrait of an era and it doesn't sugarcoat anything. Even if it's been ages since i read the book it aged well and the narrator did an excellent job.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This title never appealed to me when it was first published. I flicked through a paper copy in bookshops a couple of times and put it back. I was interested to see if it appealed some years later as an audio title and welcomed the opportunity to listen to a ARC. My thanks to the publisher.

It starts with a bang, almost literally and it took a few minutes to attune to the language and dialect in the prologue. It then slips to the central character in his plush NY apartment. The sense of opulence and grandeur is immediate, along with a feeling that it’s all somewhat shallow. He’s not likeable in any way but is so acutely observed by Wolfe. It’s almost a comedy of mannerisms as much as mores and there’s little of the latter in this glitzy world of obscene wealth and cut throat attitudes. And there we have it; Wolfe has depicted that dreadful era when a world of extravagant excess was aspirational. I recall the scenes on the stock market floor as traders competed and the bubble was inflated but by but until it burst. I’m around two thirds through the audio version; narration is superb and I’ve relished every chapter. I’m swept along as a rather horrified spectator; it’s a bumpy ride but I’ve been sucked right in. This is a novel bursting with life. It’s a microcosm and even though it’s a time of greed and loss of moral compass, it’s compelling. I’ll listen to this again as it’s packed with references I’ve missed first time round. I’m pleased to be tackling this as a retrospective. It’s hugely entertaining and quite exceptional and I didn’t expect to enjoy it so much.

This may not be subtle but it is a big and bold 1980s novel for those of us who didn't live through those years. Capturing a zeitgeist of greed, racism, misogyny and corruption, this a panoramic view of NYC.

As an audio, this is halfway between a performance and a reading - a good way of entering into the spirit of the decade with a fine attention to language and the ways voices make up the texture of the story.