Tom Wolfe, 'The Bonfire of the Vanities' Author, Dies at 87

Tom Wolfe, the iconic author of works such as “The Bonfire of the Vanities” and “The Right Stuff,” died on Tuesday in New York City, the New York Times reported. He was 87.

Wolfe’s longtime agent Lynn Nesbit told the paper the author was battling an infection in recent days.

In addition to his novels, Wolfe was also the author of various articles and essays, like his 1970 piece, “Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny’s.” His works were known for their sharp commentary and cultural analysis.

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With his iconic white suits, Wolfe had been a fixture of New York City since joining the New York Herald Tribune in 1962. A towering figure in the city’s literary world, Wolfe published works well into his eighties. His last work, “The Kingdom of Speech,” was published in 2016.

Wolfe was known for the technique of saturation reporting, which involved him embedding himself with his subjects for long periods of time. The move is also employed by his literary contemporary Robert Caro.

“You casually have to stay with the people you are writing about for long stretches,” said Wolfe in 1970 while explaining the move. “Long enough so that you are actually there when revealing scenes take place in their lives.”

Wolfe remained a consistent figure in New York City until his final months, attending a memorial service for his old friend, ex-Page 6 gossip queen Liz Smith in February.

The Evolution of Roger Ailes, From 'The Mike Douglas Show' to Fox News Innovator (Photos)

The television executive has evolved from producing a talk-variety show to running one of the biggest satellite news television channel in the U.S.
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Born and raised in Ohio, Roger Ailes attended Ohio University as a young man, majoring in radio and television. During his time there, he served as station manager for the university's WOUB radio for two years.
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Ailes worked his way up to executive producer on the syndicated daytime talk show "The Mike Douglas Show," which began as a local program in Cleveland before expanding nationwide.
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In 1968, Ailes got an Emmy nod when "The Mike Douglas Show" was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming, ultimately losing to NBC's "Today" show.
After first meeting Richard Nixon on the set of "The Mike Douglas Show," Ailes was hired by the then-presidential candidate to be his media advisor during the campaign, which marked his first professional foray into politics.
Ailes continued consulting on presidential campaigns, serving as media consultant for three successful Republicans: Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
Ailes produced the famous "revolving door" ad for Bush, which painted Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis as soft on crime. The piece was widely regarded as the most influential ad of the political cycle.
In 1988, Ailes co-authored a self-help book with Jon Kraushar. "You Are the Message" shared Ailes' tips for effective communication and public performances.
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In 1992, Ailes served as executive producer on a syndicated late-night talk show hosted by right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh, which ran for four years before coming to an end in 1996.
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Ailes was named president of CNBC in 1993, where he launched the new cable network America's Talking, which was shut down and replaced with future Fox News competitor MSNBC.
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Media mogul Rupert Murdoch hired Ailes to serve as founding CEO and Chariman of the Fox News Channel in 1996, which soon grew to become the most popular cable news network in the country.
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In 2016, Ailes was accused of sexual harassment by ousted Fox News host Gretchen Carlson. In July, Carlson filed a lawsuit against Ailes, claiming years of inappropriate behavior and sexual advances.
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On July 20, 2016, Ailes was forced to resign from Fox News amid the growing outcry over the sexual harassment allegations.
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Ailes died on May 18, 2017 at age 77.