Typically I only write what I want to remember about books here - which puts me in a pickle with fiction books since there is no explicit lesson or takeaway, rather an interesting journey. I suppose if I remember anything about this book, it would be that it's the best written book I've ever read, by a mile. Wolfe spins a ho-hum, pedestrian plot into a page-turner on the strength of just great, great writing. Epically good writing. 'Bonfire' had been on my radar ever since seeing the cover slug on Bombardiers. While Bonfire doesn't center around finance or bond trading the way that book did, Wolfe captures the aura around 1980's wealth and extravagance in a similar way than Po Bronson and Michael Lewis - but Wolfe excels far beyond those other attempts. Far surpassing them. It isn't even close.
I don't have any particular pullquotes that I kept. I'm sure there are many worth quoting, but that would do a disservice to the rest of the book. The whole thing is completely fantastic. I loved it.