Tom Wolfe
Remembering Tom Wolfe: 1930-2018
Author Tom Wolfe, who immortalized America's astronauts in 'The Right Stuff,' died on May 14, 2018 at 88. His many best-sellers include "The Bonfire of the Vanities" and "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test." Wolfe also was a chief practitioner of what was called The New Journalism in the 1960s and '70s. Tom Wolfe posed for USA TODAY on Nov. 1, 2004 in New York while promoting his book "I Am Charlotte Simmons."
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY![USA TODAY photographed Tom Wolfe in 2012 in his New York apartment ahead of the release of his novel "Back to Blood."](https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/-mm-/48a093abeab47c673f4a9d721c8837a3a4f141db/c=0-243-5609-3412/local/-/media/2018/05/15/USATODAY/USATODAY/636619827291519761-Tom-Wolfe-Jump1.jpg?width=660&height=373&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
USA TODAY photographed Tom Wolfe in 2012 in his New York apartment ahead of the release of his novel "Back to Blood."
Todd Plitt, USA TODAY![Wolfe's "The Right Stuff" immortalized America's astronauts in NASA's Mercury 7 program and was made into a 1982 film starring (L-R) Fred Ward, Dennis Quaid, Scott Paulin, Ed Harris, Charles Frank, Scott Glenn and Lance Hendriksen.](https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/-mm-/9a364b7228403bf39737fddc066dd7434ac159cc/c=0-413-3600-2447/local/-/media/2018/05/15/USATODAY/USATODAY/636619827304936019-GettyImages-57407961-master.jpg?width=660&height=373&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Wolfe's "The Right Stuff" immortalized America's astronauts in NASA's Mercury 7 program and was made into a 1982 film starring (L-R) Fred Ward, Dennis Quaid, Scott Paulin, Ed Harris, Charles Frank, Scott Glenn and Lance Hendriksen.
George Rose, Getty Images![Tom Hanks (L) and Bruce Willis starred in the 1990 film adaptation of Tom Wolfe's novel "The Bonfire of the Vanities", 1990.](https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/-mm-/915d26e2032e4235781e27686f3a5230891b351b/c=0-0-4161-2351/local/-/media/2018/05/15/USATODAY/USATODAY/636619827290427740-GettyImages-159835786-master.jpg?width=660&height=373&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Tom Hanks (L) and Bruce Willis starred in the 1990 film adaptation of Tom Wolfe's novel "The Bonfire of the Vanities", 1990.
Archive Photos, Getty Images![Tom Wolfe in his New York apartment in 2012.](https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/-mm-/f85e6f779aadfd84f08c99e34e23e9eb99058f5a/c=0-546-5609-3715/local/-/media/2018/05/15/USATODAY/USATODAY/636619827293391797-XXX-TOM-WOLFE.jpg?width=660&height=373&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Tom Wolfe in his New York apartment in 2012.
Todd Plitt, USA TODAY![Tom Wolfe (L) and his wife Sheila Wolfe attend the 2015 Library Lions Benefit on November 2, 2015 in New York.](https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/-mm-/6cb7d28955f5f7358d8534c3eb3edb31d7309219/c=0-274-3065-4361/local/-/media/2018/05/15/USATODAY/USATODAY/636619827304156004-GettyImages-495407184.jpg?width=495&height=660&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Tom Wolfe (L) and his wife Sheila Wolfe attend the 2015 Library Lions Benefit on November 2, 2015 in New York.
Jemal Countess, Getty Images For Library Lions Benefit![Wolfe's 1998 novel "A Man in Full" has been adapted into a Netflix miniseries starring Jeff Daniels as Atlanta real estate mogul Charlie Croker, who fights to keep his empire and legacy from collapsing.](https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/04/25/USAT/73456571007-a-man-in-full-n-s-1-e-1-00-20-48-23-rc.jpg?width=660&height=277&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Wolfe's 1998 novel "A Man in Full" has been adapted into a Netflix miniseries starring Jeff Daniels as Atlanta real estate mogul Charlie Croker, who fights to keep his empire and legacy from collapsing.
NETFLIX![President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush present author Tom Wolfe (C) with the National Medal of Arts Award during the National Endowment for the Arts National Medal of Arts Awards ceremony April 22, 2002 in Washington, DC.](https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/-mm-/f4195330fbce0fa6277d8c7365bf764010ed1602/c=0-0-2995-1692/local/-/media/2018/05/15/USATODAY/USATODAY/636619827296979866-GettyImages-708927.jpg?width=660&height=373&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush present author Tom Wolfe (C) with the National Medal of Arts Award during the National Endowment for the Arts National Medal of Arts Awards ceremony April 22, 2002 in Washington, DC.
Mark Wilson, Getty Images![Tom Wolfe was among the literary guest voices on a 2006 episode of "The Simpsons" along with (L-R) Michael Chabon, Jonathan Franzen and Gore Vidal.](https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/-mm-/3f01730c60539d4ece3b1c6571a276f1134f700c/c=0-8-3294-1869/local/-/media/2018/05/15/USATODAY/USATODAY/636619827297915884-d-simpsons-prime-17-.jpg?width=660&height=373&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Tom Wolfe was among the literary guest voices on a 2006 episode of "The Simpsons" along with (L-R) Michael Chabon, Jonathan Franzen and Gore Vidal.
FOX![Author Tom Wolfe posed for a USA TODAY portrait in 1998 where the text from his new book "A Man in Full" was projected onto his trademark white suit.](https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/media/2018/05/15/USATODAY/USATODAY/636619827298383893-XXX-D01-WOLFE-11-DCOV.jpg?width=657&height=660&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Author Tom Wolfe posed for a USA TODAY portrait in 1998 where the text from his new book "A Man in Full" was projected onto his trademark white suit.
PETER FREED, USA TODAY![Tom Wolfe attends "Rolling Stone Stories From The Edge" world premiere at the Florence Gould Hall on Oct. 30, 2017 in New York.](https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/media/2018/05/15/USATODAY/USATODAY/636619827299163908-GettyImages-868406560.jpg?width=439&height=660&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Tom Wolfe attends "Rolling Stone Stories From The Edge" world premiere at the Florence Gould Hall on Oct. 30, 2017 in New York.
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