The Bonfire of the Vanities Chapter Summary & Analysis - Chapter 8 Summary

Chapter 8 Summary

The Irish detective, Martin, drives while his Jewish partner, Detective Goldberg, occupies the passenger seat. Kramer sits in the back as they head for Harlem, still high from his victory in the Herbert 92X case. Kramer explains the politics of the Henry Lamb situation to the two detectives, careful to use appropriately crude words to impress them. Reverend Bacon has put political pressure on District Attorney Weiss to quash Annie Lamb's arrest warrant in exchange for whatever information she can offer about her son's case. Weiss is up for re-election soon and feels it is in his best interests to support Bacon's people on this issue. In Harlem, Bacon receives the three men in his office. Bacon tells them what a model citizen young Henry Lamb had been, and how he will probably never wake up from his coma. Bacon warns them not to mention that fact to Annie Lamb,...
(read more)