Michael Thomas, Writer and Bête Noire of the Moneyed Class, Dies at 85 August 15, 2021 +1 His early careers as an art historian and Wall Street financier informed his financial thrillers IFTTT NYT NYT > Business NYTimes which often savaged the rich and powerful. His early careers as an art historian and Wall Street financier informed his financial thrillers IFTTT NYT NYT > Business NYTimes which often savaged the rich and powerful.