“I had always looked down on sociology as this arriviste discipline. It didn't have the noble history of English and history as a subject. But once I had a little exposure to it, I said, 'Hey, here's the key. Here's the key to understanding life and all its forms.'”

American author and journalist

Tom Wolfe was an American author and journalist associated with New Journalism. He became known for writing in a style that brought literary techniques into reporting, especially during the 1960s and 1970s. His work often takes a satirical view of American life, with close attention to the counterculture of the 1960s, class, social status, and the habits of New York City’s economic and intellectual elite. That mix of reportorial detail and sharp social observation is central to his reputation.