Date of Birth: March 2, 1930
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Date of Death: May 14, 2018
Biography
Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr., widely known as Tom Wolfe, was an American journalist and author, enormously influential in both fields. Born on March 2, 1930, in Richmond, Virginia, Wolfe was a pioneer of the New Journalism movement, which blended literary techniques with traditional reporting. He earned his B.A. from Washington and Lee University in 1951 and a Ph.D. from Yale University in 1957. Wolfe began his career as a reporter for the Washington Post. His distinctive writing style, marked by vivid prose and meticulous attention to detail, quickly set him apart. He gained national fame with his first book, “The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby” (1965), a collection of essays originally published in Esquire. Wolfe’s groundbreaking work continued with books like “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test” (1968) and “The Right Stuff” (1979), the latter of which won the National Book Award for Nonfiction. In addition to his journalistic achievements, Wolfe was an acclaimed novelist. His debut novel, “The Bonfire of the Vanities” (1987), was a critical and commercial success, capturing the excesses and follies of 1980s New York City.
5 Interesting Facts about Tom Wolfe
1. Wolfe was known for his flamboyant white suits, which he began wearing in 1962 as a form of personal branding.
2. He coined the term “The Me Decade” to describe the 1970s, reflecting the era’s focus on self-fulfillment and personal well-being.
3. “The Right Stuff,” one of his most famous books, was adapted into a successful film in 1983.
4. Wolfe’s writing style was characterized by its use of onomatopoeia, extensive punctuation, and creative wordplay.
5. He was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President George W. Bush in 2001.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Tom Wolfe
1. “You never realize how much of your background is sewn into the lining of your clothes.”
2. “The problem with fiction, it has to be plausible. That’s not true with non-fiction.”
3. “A cult is a religion with no political power.”
4. “I never realized that courage was so much more difficult than physical bravery.”
5. “If a conservative is a liberal who’s been mugged, a liberal is a conservative who’s been arrested.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
Tom Wolfe’s highest net worth was estimated to be around $20 million.
Children
Tom Wolfe had two children: Alexandra Wolfe, a journalist and author, and Tommy Wolfe.
Relevant Links
1. [Tom Wolfe – Biography](https://www.biography.com/writer/tom-wolfe
3. [Tom Wolfe – National Book Foundation](https://www.nationalbook.org/people/tom-wolfe/
4. [Tom Wolfe – The Guardian Profile](https://www.theguardian.com/books/tom-wolfe
5. [Tom Wolfe – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0939035/
