Eating Disorders: Tom Wolfe Books

Sunday 11 November 2012

Tom Wolfe Books

I admire his view of the Manhattan skyline and take in the room, which has an old-fashioned elegance with expensive-looking antiques, white orchids, a grand piano and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves dominated by art history, architecture, American culture and history. On the walls are artworks depicting the dandified, white-suited figure of Mr Wolfe at various stages of his long and illustrious career. The moment feels unreal. I can’t quite believe I’m actually here: jetlagged, over-caffeinated and snooping around in Tom Wolfe’s apartment. Thomas Kennerly "Tom" Wolfe, Jr. (born March 2, 1931) is an American author and journalist, best known for his association and influence over the New Journalism literary movement in which literary techniques are used in objective, even-handed journalism. Beginning his career as a reporter he soon became one of the most culturally significant figures of the sixties after the publication of books such as The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, a highly experimental account of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, and his collections of articles and essays, Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers and The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby. His first novel, The Bonfire of the Vanities, released in 1987 was met with critical acclaim and was a great commercial success.