The Bonfire of the VanitiesThe Bonfire of the Vanities
Score Classic
What it's about
Sherman McCoy is a WASP bond trader and self-appointed Master of the Universe, with a fashionable wife, a Park Avenue apartment and a mistress. His spectacular fall begins when he's involved in a hit-and-run accident in the Bronx, and prosecutors, journalists, politicians and clergy close in, each with their own reasons to bring him down.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 8 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. It's the great satire of 1980s New York.
You'll love it if you liked
The Great Gatsby
American Psycho
Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall StreetGood to know
It's long and sharply satirical; some of its portrayals of race and class feel dated.
By the numbers
- Readers48 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller58 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #133 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #348 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1172 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Funny, Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Tom Wolfe
The Right Stuff
A Man in Full
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid TestIf you like this, read next
Breakfast of Champions
A Confederacy of Dunces
Infinite Jest
Cold Comfort Farm
Money
Lucky JimExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Bonfire of the Vanities worth reading?
Yes. It spent 8 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. It ranks #1,172 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Bonfire of the Vanities about?
Sherman McCoy is a WASP bond trader and self-appointed Master of the Universe, with a fashionable wife, a Park Avenue apartment and a mistress. His spectacular fall begins when he's involved in a hit-and-run accident in the Bronx, and prosecutors, journalists, politicians and clergy close in, each with their own reasons to bring him down.
How long does it take to read The Bonfire of the Vanities?
About 19 hours (753 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Bonfire of the Vanities?
If you liked it, try The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis or Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street by Michael Lewis.