title of the book indicates, Wolfe liberally uses colorful language. In addition, he makes frequent use of onomatopoeia, and uses all manner of type: capitalization, italics, multiple exclamation points, dashes, etc. Another characteristic of Wolfe's writing is switching from highly technical or scientific explanations to very colloquial turns of phrase, often within a single sentence. And, just as Wolfe uses medical jargon when describing the body, he uses commercial language when describing products and slang and vulgarity when chronicling sub-cultures. Most of these techniques remain hallmarks of Wolfe's writing style throughout his career, including in his publications following The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby: The Pump House Gang, another collection of essays, and The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Wolfe's chronicle of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. Publication When first published, The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby directed booksellers to stock the book in the sociology section of book stores. Many versions of the book are headed by an incomplete quotation from Kurt Vonnegut: "Verdict: Excellent book by a genius." Vonnegut's full quotation was "Verdict: Excellent book by a genius who will do anything to get attention." In the same review Kurt Vonnegut wrote: "Interestingly: the most tender piece in this collection depends upon a poem by Rudyard Kipling for depth, and has Huntington Hartford for its hero." Proposed adaptation Film rights were bought in 1967 by the producing team of Irwin Winkler and Bob Chartoff, who had a deal at MGM. They announced John Boorman, who had just made Point Blank for them, as director. The film was never made. References General Specific External links The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby on tomwolfe.com 1965 non-fiction books Essay collections by Tom Wolfe Kustom Kulture Works originally published in Esquire (magazine) Farrar, Straus and Giroux books American essay collections 1965 debut works