A Man in Full

A Must Read

This is a fabulous read, written by a real wordsmith. Wolfe's skills dwarf most of today's writers. It is very difficult to put down. If you know anything about the City of Atlanta it is even better. Don't miss this book!

You will be satisfied in full..

A Man in Full is a masterpiece - a pure reading pleasure from start to finish. It is Tom Wolf's second novel (he is primarily a nonfiction writer), published a full decade after his first, "Bonfire of the Vanities", but well worth the wait. Bonfire was great, this one is even better.

The story centers around Charlie Croker, an aging bigger-than-life southern good-ole-boy real estate developer who has lost his edge but not his swagger, a swagger he is not about to give up without a good fight, bum knee be damned. He has over-extended his real estate empire and is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, Donald Trump style. Charlie's increasingly desperate attempts to stave off financial ruin are what get the story's party started. Fasten your seat belts you're in for quite a ride.

Swirling around Charlie's life are a host of vividly, masterfully drawn characters too numerous to list, and all playing out their own dramas. A few of the more memorable: Conrad Hensley, a young working class man who, by a series of unfortunate mishaps, ends up in a California prison where he accidentally becomes schooled in the philosophy of Stoicism; a smooth talking black Atlanta mayor trying to keep a lid on a potentially politically explosive rape case; Martha, Charlie's cast-off first wife who at age 53 begins a desperate quest to find a man in Atlanta high society, and Raymond Peepgas, a low level banker who, resentful of watching the big boys play and take all the marbles, decides to unleash his "Red Dog" mojo in a do-or-die attempt to swindle his way to fortune. Along the way we get immersed in the inner workings of Atlanta politics and racial tensions, the Asian immigrant underground railroad, quail hunting, high-stakes real estate deals, stud horse breeding, and a brutally intense portrayal of prison life - all served up with Wolf's masterful story-telling and razor-sharp, and often outrageously funny social observations, boldly unhampered by politically correct skittishness.

Then the net is cast and all the characters and situations are reeled in to a superbly entertaining conclusion that will not disappoint, and even at 700 pages, it seems too short. Of his three novels, this is his best and would make a spectacular movie. One is left wondering if the botched adaptation of Wolf's "Bonfire of the Vanities" has scared off Hollywood. Too bad, Charlie Croker could become a movie classic along side the likes of George Bailey, Dirty Harry or Norman Bates, only funnier.

We are all connected in some way to every other person, six or sixteen degrees of separation. This is a fascinating fictionalized parody/study of the 1990's with connections and characters you couldn't dream of. chock full of witty satire.

A Multimillionaire is actually connected to a single father of two who is only 23 years old and works at a tiny factory across the country. An African American lawyer is hired to defend a white football all star player for raping an African American woman, bringing an onslaught of fury from his community. These are just a few examples, and the connections are not readily apparent. You will find yourself shocked and surprised and amused by all the connections and twists and turns. The many plotlines overarch fantastically. I don't want to give much else away but I have lent this book to many friends of various ages and interests and all have loved it. My original copy is tattered beyond repair. I give it as a gift often and highly, highly recommend it. Perhaps one of the best parts about Tom Wolfe's writing is his sense of humor and the satire he brings to the table.

A Man Full of Himself

As a Georgia native, I quickly discovered that this so-called 'realistic' novel with its 'realistic' characters was really just a choppy series of Southern stereotypes. The Southern dialect, which is arrogantly and unnecessarily mapped out for the reader, is overblown and sometimes completely inaccurate. The characters are merely hyperbolic shells of real people, with a convergence that is empty and abrupt. This novel is excellent for those who enjoy fun facts about Southern geography, but then again, why not just buy an Atlas and a history book?

Full of Nothing

I dove into this novel with high expectations after having read I am Charlotte Simmons, and was greatly dissapointed. I absolutely fell in love with Tom Wolfe, but in this book he did not seem to shine in the same way. The plot was hazy and I was overwhelmed with descriptions that drifted me further away from the actual story. I could no longer endure the agony that I was forced to endure while reading it, and I stopped without going through more than half of the book. I am an Atlanta native and he doesn't seem to know anything but the superficial aspects of life in Atlanta. Hopefully his other novels will not be as dissapointing as this one was.

An Average Read

I found the situations the characters were placed in to be forced. Conrad's string of 'luck' was hard to believe. Charlie, a greedy man for many years, changes his philosophy on life overnight? I stayed with the book until the end hoping it would get better but only came out of it with a sense of relief that it was over with. By the way, I finished just in time, the cover fell off.

Simply Brilliant

In true Dickensian fashion, Wolfe delivers a resounding tale that, more importantly, functions to get to the root of the American way(s) of life in the late 20th Century. A Man in Full will not only captivate audiences now at the turn of the 21st Century, but will be used for decades (if not centuries) to come in order to gain an intelligent insight into the complex social fabric that binded society together in the late 1900s.

A review by an English class from Germany

Review `A Man in Full´ by Tom Wolfe ´A Man in Full` by Tom Wolfe is not a novel to be categorized easily. Therefore it is not only recommendable for a certain type of readership, either. It is for everyone who is interested in learning more about how society works about the religion of the Stoics, or the geography of Atlanta, Georgia. This is how complex the book is. With its length of more than 700 pages it might scare you off first but once you start to read, it does not matter anymore. `A Man in Full´ is actually more like three books in one because it tells the story of more than three main characters whose lives all meet at the end of the plot through the brilliantly complex plot. One of them is Charlie Croker, a real-estate developer out of money, who realizes that there is not much of yourself left once you lose your possessions as a member of the high society. When he is supposed to defend a black athletic, who is accused of having raped a girl of the high society in order to keep his money, he is forced to decide what is really important to him. During the plot, the reader is taught about many different things that show the author¿s competence. Tom Wolfe in fact did a lot of research for this book, e.g. about prison life or about life on Georgia plantations. Another feature of this novel is the author¿s detailed description. It really helps you imagining things, it is like you have been to the places yourself and you have seen the characters yourself. This is another reason why the book got so long. It is a little disappointing, though, that this very detailed story is ended kind of abruptly. Other than that there is nothing to criticize about this book. It is both entertaining and informative, a combination which only great authors like Tom Wolfe can create.

Excellent

an excellent novel that everyone should have the privledge of reading

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Another Winner from Mr. Wolfe

I read this book shortly after I had finished Bonfire of the Vanities, and this book is a worthy successor. Like Bonfire, Wolfe is very descriptive in his scenes and characters. It is interesting how the story develops in several scenes from Conrad working in the Croker Warehouse in California, to Charlie Croker's 'workout' session with Plannersbanc, and then how it all comes together. I found Conrad's interest in Stoicism fascinating, that it has made me interested in reading philosophy. Also, I liked the ending as well which I won't give away. If you loved Bonfire of the Vanities, you'll love this one. I'm curious to see what Tom Wolfe's next book will be about.

Why did it have to end?

I absolutely loved this booked and looked forward to times when I was able to curl up with it. However, I was so disappointed with the ending.

Hype In Full

I laboured through the pages of Mr Wolfe's book latet book. The book is atimes too lengthy and tedious to read but the brief spurts of great writing in between provides more than enough consolation. Some passages in the book compare with the best prose I have read from any contemporary author in a very long time.

parallels and paradoxes

I loved the parallels and paradoxes the reader can play with by substituting 'God' for 'Zeus' and Christian' for 'Stoic.' The more I think about it, the clearer it becomes that only through allegory could Wolfe illustrate Biblical truth.

Bigger is Better!!!

Don't be turned off by the novel's length. It holds the reader's interest from beginning to end. Should make a great movie.

book is terrible

The book 'A Man in Full' is filled with nonsense and skips from scene to scene so it is very hard to follow and too much of this book has to be read between the lines.

Died at the End

Right up until the time that Charlie gave his speech I was mesmorized. It all fell apart in a meaningless ending. With all of the clever build up to bring these characters together, you would think that Tom Wolfe could have done better.

They don't get no better than this !!!

Every positive adjective known to mankind, in any language, applies to this novel. It is truly a masterpiece, in every sense. Nobody 'hits the nail on the head' like Tom Wolfe. Enjoyed every single word of it.

His Worst!!

I've read almost all of Wolfe's books. I believe he is one of the finest authors of the latter half of the twentieth century. This book is, however. simply a boring repeat of his past glorys. C'mon Tom, you can do way better!

Characters to remember

Wolfe establishes the most vivid character studies I have ever read. His story line maintains strength throughout and even in far fetched moments your love or revulsion of his characters makes you interested. Stong philosophical undertones deepens the readers own inquiry into what it is to be 'a man in full.' Enjoyable and worth the length. My only criticism is that I can no longer live with these characters...I was sorry that it ever ended.

Tom Wolfe has come through again

A Man in Full is powerful fiction, many of the scenes in this fine novel just leave you drained and numb. What talent this man has! A great commentary on Atlanta and in fact American big city life in the South in general.