Bonfire of the Vanities

"Bonfire of the Vanities" is a novel by Tom Wolfe that satirizes greed, ambition, and social pretense in 1980s New York City. The story follows Sherman McCoy, a wealthy bond trader who becomes entangled in a series of misjudgments and scandals, exposing the superficiality and moral failings of the city's elite. The title refers to a historic event where individuals burned objects they considered sinful, symbolizing the destructive pursuit of wealth and status. Wolfe's work critiques materialism and explores how personal vanity and societal hypocrisy can lead to downfall.