Synopses & Reviews
The Purple Decades brings together the author's own selections from his list of critically acclaimed publications, including the complete text of
Mau-Mauing and the Flak Catchers, his account of the wild games the poverty program encouraged minority groups to play.
Review
"[The Purple Decades] is a sociologist's dream: a time capsule of ideas and idioms, brand names and places, cult heroes and calling cards." -Ellen Wilson, The Wall Street Journal "The Purple Decades . . . [is] a selection and collection of Tom Wolfe's work from the last 18 or so years, and it's amazing how it holds up . . . Wolfe is just the most perceptive societal journalist we have, and on top of that, though it is often concealed, he endures, or enjoys, real feeling." -Margaret Manning, The Boston Globe "Gorge in this extravagant selection of [Tom Wolfe's] writing, sprinkled with ultra-contemporary cartoons." -Emily Vincent, Houston Chronicle "Mr. Wolfe doesn't spatter out these wonderful words for their own sake. He exhibits them because they're the right medium for his satiric and moral vision . . . Reading him is exhilarating." -Paul Fussell, The New York Times Book Review "A feast for nostalgic trend-watchers."--Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Tom Wolfe is the author of a dozen books, among them such contemporary classics as the bestselling
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, The Right Stuff, and
The Bonfire of the Vanities. A native of Richmond, Virginia, he lives in New York City.