"Bonfire of the Vanities" and "The Right Stuff" Author, Tom Wolfe dead at 88

Tom Wolfe, brilliant author who captured the dynamics of a late 1980's New York, is dead at age 88 from pneumonia. The late author was a firm believer in researching a topic in depth before writing a fiction novel. In order for the audience to emerse themselves in a novel, the author must make the lives relevant, relatable, and believable while at the same time designing a captivating work of prose.

In a different profession, such as hedge fund management or consulting, those who survive in these industries to an old age will most likely tell you hard work and discipline are keys to success, which are derivative of individual ability. Similarly, younger writers, ambitious and hungry, will argue ability (or availablility) to write and flavor of writing is most relevant to composing a successful piece. A curious circumstace of writing is that a poll of older, more experienced authors will tell you content and topic are much more important than the simple ability to write.

In order for a writer to be successful, he needs content. How much of a writers ability is circumstance and how much is skill?

For Tom Wolfe, the lines blurred. He began as a non-fiction writer, performing extensive research in order to produce a work, like "The Right Stuff" on Project Mercury, the first manned spaceflight. He took this same tenacity for reasearch when he turned his lens toward fiction. "Bonfire of the Vanities" depicts a race and income torn society that was (is) New York City today. These works were revolutionary in their word choice and uber accurate depiction of the times.

The world lost a great author. RIP Tom Wolfe.