Tom Wolfe, a pioneering journalist and author, died Monday in Manhattan, and while the world mourns his passing, comfort can be taken from his memorable works that span nearly half a century.
Wolfe was hailed a literary icon, and his writing style and approach to reporting even saw him coin the term "new journalism."
In honor of the iconic writer, we look at Wolfe's most memorable works.
1. "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" (1968) — Wolfe delved into the psychedelic world of the 1960s in the novel that dramatically influenced the philosophy and vocabulary of the era's hippie world.
The book tells the story of a top scholar, athlete and writer who becomes a fugitive after introducing powerful new hallucinogenic drugs to the world.
2. "The Right Stuff" (1979) — The book, which was adapted into a feature film four years later, documented military test pilots who became America's first astronauts.
The novel was directly responsible for popularizing phrases such as "pushing the envelope," National Public Radio noted.
3. "The Bonfire of the Vanities" (1987) — Described as "the quintessential novel of the '80s" by The Guardian, Wolfe's novel tells the story of Wall Street millionaire Sherman McCoy and his downfall after fatally injuring a young black man in the Bronx in a car collision.
4. "A Man in Full" (1998) — In the bestseller, Wolfe documents the rise and fall of a 60-year-old former football star who becomes a millionaire as a real estate developer, The Guardian noted.
The book earned Wolfe a nomination for the National Book Award before the first copy of the 1.2 million first-run printing was sold, CNN said.
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