Rating: 
Summary: Couldn't Put it Down
Review: This was actually my first Wolfe novel--but not my last! I was really drawn in from the beginning, and kept puzzling how the diverse charatcers would all be brought together in the end. I was a little unsure of the way that Wolfe dealt with Croker at the end, but otherwise it was very enjoyable...and I couldn't stop reading. Not too often that I find an almost 800 page book worth reading in 3 sittings.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice concept...but a little "ragged" and disappointing
Review: Like Tom Clancy, Tom Wolfe writes very detailed and descriptive prose. I have rarely had a problem with that sort of writing with Clancy and some of Wolfe's previous books. More often than not, that descriptiveness is considered a hindrance or an asset, depending on the plot. The critics have always knocked Clancy for his detail, but that same criticism was not leveled at this book by the same reviewers. Sad, because it should have been. Here, Wolfe writes some beautiful passages. Other times, and probably more often than not, his penchant for expansive detail bogs down the plot. Unfortunately, that takes away from what should have been an excellent story on the present state of society in the U.S. South. It read very fast at the outset, but by the middle of the book, I found it awfully slow-going, making reading seem more of a chore than the usual pleasure it is. I was also disappointed in the conclusion. After lavishing us with expansive detail through the first 700+ pages, Mr. Wolfe wrapped up all the "loose ends" of the plot in the space of five or six pages. After slogging through the book, that sort of conclusion seemed dramatically out-of-kilter from the rest of the story. It was almost as if Mr. Wolfe had been imposed a page "cap" of some sort, and he was scrambling to conclude the story so as not to exceed that limit. To sum up, though, I certainly would have expected more from this novel, considering Mr. Wolfe's excellent work to this point and the critical acclaim this book got when it was in hardcover form. However, it is very slow going, a bit "ragged" in parts, and sort of a disappointing effort. It seems that he could have told this story in about 200 fewer pages, and left more room to conclude the story properly. Be forewarned...do not be taken in by the critical hype. It is one of Mr. Wolfe's weaker efforts; if you've never read him before, read "The Right Stuff" or "The Bonfire Of The Vanities". Those are more enjoyable to read, and a better example of Mr. Wolfe's talents.
Rating: 
Summary: what the hell is the run time?
Review: Does any one consider the run time important info to be posted by AMAZON
Rating: 
Summary: A (flawed but) cracking good read
Review: Not sure what to make of this interesting but uneven novel....Wolfe demonstrates in places that he has a soaring gift, particularly when it comes to characterization and ironic humor. There may be none better at satire writing today. But...it seems he couldn't maintain the quality for 800 pages. I was never bored, mind. In fact, I found myself sitting up at 2 a.m. every night for nearly a week running, utterly compelled to follow each of these pathetic creatures to their ultimate respective fates. (I found the story of the hapless but noble and heroic Conrad to be the crown jewel in this monolith.)But the flaws are also plentiful. Wolfe deftly arranged for a series of very thought-provoking and insightful symbolic references...and then proceeded to beat the reader over the head with them. I kept wanting to shout: OK, Tom, I get the point! A little understatement would have served the novel better. He should maybe trust his readers to keep up with him intellectually. Also, Wolfe seems just as -- or possibly more -- impressed with his own writing than anyone else could possibly be, as evidenced by the fact that he kept repeating himself. I mean that quite literally. He repeats the same thoughts, almost verbatim, over and over. Granted, some of them are pretty compelling thoughts, and rendered on paper quite nicely, but I get the feeling if he'd restrained himself a bit and resisted the temptation to recycle the same well-turned phrases again and again, he'd have given us a sparkling 400-page masterpiece. My last complaint: Wolfe's fine writing dulled a bit in places, so that it was at times virtually indistinquishable from the Clancy/Grisham/King crowd (i.e., mediocre but still readable). Again, some careful editing may have avoided this. All in all, though, it's a great read and an impressive work.
Rating: 
Summary: A MAN IN FULL BY TOM WOLFE, DISAPPOINTED
Review: PERHAPS I EXPECTED A BIT MORE FROM SUCH A WRITER AS TOM WOLFE. FOUND THIS BOOK TO BE VERY "LABORING" IN READING; NOT AN ENJOYABLE READ THOUGH I DID FINISH READING THE BOOK.
Rating:
Summary: An author in full!
Review: A Man in Full was a delight all the way through. The book may have been 787 pages, but it felt much shorter. Well worth reading. Once again, Tom Wolfe proves to be one of our generation's greatest social satirists. This book is a scathing critisicm of an overdeveloped, overstimulated society. There is hardly a contemporary social issue, be it classism, racism, sports, politics, prisons, gender relations, sex, the media, or religion that he doesn't cover in this book. Wolfe aptly weaves the characters and the story together in a manner that leaves the reader thinking about American culture in new and interesting ways. The ending was a little farfetched, but by no means did that ruin a thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile novel.
Rating:
Summary: OH PLEASE!
Review: This book is a waste of good reading time! It is clearly meant to be a satire of the wealthy, of race and racial issues, and of the narcissism of slice of a wealthy "generation me" class of the late 1990s. However, the only feeling this book left with me was a disgust of the cynicism, selfishness and short-sightedness of Wolfe's characters. I have to admit that the characters are richly drawn, and the road they take towards the climax is interesting enough to pull the reader along. Wolfe also does exhibit a great deal of courage talking about issues of wealth and race in very direct terms, which is a breath of fresh air in our P.C. time. However, Wolfe's characters, all of whom are pathetic and completely dislikable, stumble into an ending that is ridiculous at best as it careens off into surrealism. I kept reminding myself as I was reading it, that if it had a good ending, all would be worth it. That was a unrealistic expectation. Don't waste your time. Read another book.
Rating:
Summary: A Man in Full is full of life!
Review: This was one of the most important, engrossing books I have ever read. Tom Wolfe definitely has his finger on the pulse of society with his biting wit and his knowledge of the inner working of big city politics. He cleverly shows that he has a knowledge of all sides of life and isn't afraid to share his observations. Three totally different characters come together to affect each other. An excellent read for the Tom Wolfe fan.
Rating:
Summary: tedious, repetitive, and disappointing
Review: Living in Atlanta, I looked forward to reading this expose of my cities obsession with overdevelopment. That part, Wolfe got right, but it wasn't worth wading through a book of this length. His penchant for repeating cute phrases such as "Roger Too White" and "boys with breasts" got on my nerves. But most disappointing (and disturbing) is that all the Heros of his book are white (including the really obnoxious, despicable lead character, Charlie Croker whom he converts into a rather unbelievable hero by the end of the book) and all the black characters are either portrayed in a negative light or as rather weak in principals (such as the mayor). Why couldn't Wolfe include some good African-American role models in a book about a predominantly black city?
Rating:
Summary: Pee-you
Review: What a waste of time this one was. I struggled to get through the first 200 pages, bolstering myself with fond memories of other TW books I had read. The story finally picked up, but became only mildly amusing. I agree that TW has a problem with women, especially middle-aged women--there wasn't a single female character in this book who wasn't hateful, greedy, nagging, conniving, etc. The prison story was completely unlikely (no one in California goes to a maximum security prison for a first offense of aggravated assault). TW makes some hilarious mistakes regarding prison and gang lingo, e.g., he refers to a Latino nickname as Weddo (Blondie). THE WORD IS "HUERO," which means blond in Spanish. It appears that TW ran into an editorial deadline and decided to wrap up a 787-page epic with a ending I would only expect from beginning writers. Where were his editors? I do not recommend this book.
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