‘Right Stuff’, ‘Bonfire of Vanities’ author Tom Wolfe dies at 88

By Hillel Italie The Associated Press

7 years ago

In this July 26, 2016 file photo, Tom Wolfe appears in his living room during an interview about his latest book, “The Kingdom of Speech,” in New York. (Bebeto Matthews/AP)

FILE – This Oct. 23, 2012 file photo shows author Tom Wolfe at a book signing for his novel "Back to Blood" at Barnes & Noble in New York. Wolfe died at a New York City hospital. He was 87. Additional details were not immediately available. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, file)

FILE – In this April 22, 2002 file photo, President Bush, left, poses with author Tom Wolfe, center, and first lady Laura Bush during the National Endowment for the Arts National Medal Awards ceremony at Constitution Hall in Washington . Wolfe was a recipient of the National Humanities Medal. Wolfe died at a New York City hospital. He was 87. Additional details were not immediately available. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

FILE – In this July 26, 2016 file photo, American author and journalist Tom Wolfe, Jr. appears in his living room during an interview about his latest book, "The Kingdom of Speech," in New York. Wolfe died at a New York City hospital. He was 87. Additional details were not immediately available. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)

NEW YORK — Author Tom Wolfe, who chronicled everything from hippies to the space race before turning his sharp eye to fiction, has died. He was 88.

Wolfe’s agent Lynn Nesbit told The Associated Press that Wolfe died in a New York City hospital. Additional details were not immediately available.

The “new journalism” reporter and novelist insisted that the only way to tell a great story was to go out and report it. His writing style was rife with exclamation points, italics and improbable words.

Among his acclaimed books were “The Right Stuff” and “The Bonfire of the Vanities,” a satire of Manhattan-style power and justice that became one of the best-selling books of the ’80s.