Mar 30, Alex rated it really liked it Shelves: , novel-a-biography , rth-lifetime. We knew a kid like Hunter Thompson. You know. He wasn't that cool, and he tried to compensate by being especially crazy. That was the kid who did like twice as many drugs as any of the rest of us, and it was annoying because inevitably we'd have to bail his ass out at some point - like, we'd be happily buzzing along, and then it'd be "Well, someone's gonna have to go dig Rick out from under the bed," or he's pissed his pants, or whatever.
Rick was a poser. I got that feeling even more from Thomps We knew a kid like Hunter Thompson. I got that feeling even more from Thompson's Hell's Angels - it's not just about the drugs, it's also a kind of high-testosterone, gun-toting, motorcycle-riding aesthetic that he seems desperately to want to fit into, and he just doesn't.
He's tolerated at best; and, memorably near the end of Hell's Angels, folks do seem to get sick of him after a while.
It seems to me like a braggy, over-the-top stream-of-consciousness diary. It is way better than Hell's Angels, though. It's actually really fun to read. And, yeah, I guess as far as literary drug freakouts go, this is the apogee.
I mean, it's really a drug freakout. Moment to moment, from exhilaration to paranoia to exhaustion and, incredibly, back around again like six times, it's one of the great literary binges of all time. I don't feel like it. So, look, yeah, it's good. It's "gonzo," which is a word that doesn't mean anything other than this book. And the dude from the Muppets. I was lost, confused and quite certain that the book was a random conglomeration of events that surely only someone heavily under the influence of multiple drugs could possibly understand.
Well, I have come to the conclusion that Hunter S. This is a book about two guys travelling through the desert in search of the American Dream. In fact, if there were ever fanfiction I would want to read, it would be anything written from the perspective of the other characters in this book.
You know, telling us what was actually happening. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get locked into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can. Everything in this story feels so over the top, yet so likely under the circumstances.
The writing in this book is what surprised me the most. I had a basic idea of what the book was about and a very vague idea of who Hunter S. Thompson was before picking this book up. It amazed me how profound some of the thoughts were for a book about being whacked out of your mind. Sure it was vulgar, but when you set all that aside and look at what is being said, I think then you will begin to realize what an incredible mind he had.
It is a cheap catch-all for fuckoffs and misfits -- a false doorway to the backside of life, a filthy piss-ridden little hole nailed off by the building inspector, but just deep enough for a wino to curl up from the sidewalk and masturbate like a chimp in a zoo-cage. Oct 27, Joseph Cognard rated it it was amazing. It is one of the best audio comedic CD's I have ever heard.
Ruined the book slightly, but any fans IMO should seek it out. It is really well done and way better than the movie in my opinion. I liked the book but because of above CD was a little let down.
Added to original review: Just re-read, liked it even more now. Longing to hear the above mentioned cd but loaned it to somebody, who I guess thought There is a CD with bits from this book performed by a bunch of the original SNL cast and writers.
Longing to hear the above mentioned cd but loaned it to somebody, who I guess thought I gave it to her. Anyway my new review of the book below: A quick read but one hell of a long amazing trip. Facebook, Blog Sep 30, Molly Billygoat rated it it was amazing. In Las Vegas to cover a story, the real story centres around their drug-induced mania.
Wherever they go, they create chaos as distressing for the characters as it is hilarious for the reader. The characters are erratic and bombastic; two tornadoes that suck in anyone who stands too near. There are many statements Hunter S. There are many statements pertaining to freedom and its perceived connection to the culture of taking hallucinogenic drugs. The main characters are certainly reckless and dangerous, but it is important to note that their desire to take drugs is based on mind-expansion rather than escapism.
The prose describing their conundrums, as they chase this drug-addled sense of freedom, is deeply humorous. The psychological journeys and human interactions hold a sharp sense of realism. As far as fun is concerned, this novel is a fast-paced dose of pure entertainment.
Oct 05, Jim Fonseca rated it liked it. A long drug- and alcohol-frenzied week in Las Vegas. This is written by Hunter Thompson, long-time editor of Rolling Stone, so we know he knows firsthand about what he writes about. I imagine this is one of the best portrayals of what is like to go through life in a drug-frenzy, but the story is laced with humor. It's not great writing, or even good writing, but it holds your attention in the way a magazine column does.
But even wild antics can get tedious night after night in a drug-filled haze A long drug- and alcohol-frenzied week in Las Vegas. But even wild antics can get tedious night after night in a drug-filled haze. I know it is a work of irony and commentary on materialism but still the writing struck me as sophomoric. Mar 14, Lilly rated it really liked it. View 1 comment. This could be a manual on what drugs not to take at one time!
Why and how can that be? Because who gets that close to a lunatic who's having an acid trip that wants to buy an ape in Circus Circus while taking more drugs and booze?!
This book made me laugh and shake my head at the same time. I couldn't believe the amount of things Duke and his attorney got away with. It was similar to a wolf wearing sheep's clothing! View all 5 comments. Jul 17, Brett C rated it it was ok Shelves: american-literature. Overall I did not enjoy this book. This was my very first Hunter S.
Thompson experience and so my impression of him as a writter may be skewed. This was a first-person account centered around journalism, drug use, and seemingly irrelevant decisions that turn into recklessness behavior. There was no point to this book and had almost no value for me. I felt the story lacked a true plot and was abscent of meaning.
The only redeeming quality was the writing. Thompson is great: his writing Overall I did not enjoy this book. Thompson is great: his writing style has voice behind.
The writing is clear and concise. The dialogue made sense, the interactions with the characters were believable, but the lack of a driving plot did me in.
So after a while this book became boring; for me, there was nothing to gain. I plan to read some more of his works to give the man a fair shake but I probably won't read this again.
I don't think there would be any hidden messages or earth-shattering revelations to be found a second go-around. I would recommend 'Trainspotting' and 'A Clockwork Orange'. Those I thoroughly enjoyed and had more dimension because of the unique writing, dialogue, and plot.
Shelves: read You know, if this was the first of Mr. Thompson's books I had read, I never would have picked up another one. As far as I can tell, this is one of his weaker ones and is really the most well-known only for the long, droning drug bullshit.
Reading drug writing is about as interesting is watching paint dry. There are little kernals of hilarity because he's a fantastic writer who is able to describe pitch perfectly the bizarre ineptitude of the human experience which saves it from being snoringly You know, if this was the first of Mr.
There are little kernals of hilarity because he's a fantastic writer who is able to describe pitch perfectly the bizarre ineptitude of the human experience which saves it from being snoringly dull. I mean, he gets on a plane to Denver by accident and decides to attempt to purchase an albino Doberman because "Since I was already here, I thought I might as well pick up a vicious dog.
I love his misanthropic disposition that saves him from being a misogynist god probably didn't spell that right but I'm tired due to the simple fact that he views all of mankind as pretty much an entire wasteland. I have to say I adore Mr. I didn't hate this, but I didn't love it either. I'll just pretend I read A Generation of Swine instead. He's more interesting as a political junkie, rather than just a junkie. View all 11 comments. I probably would have liked this book had I read it years ago but today I just felt it was ugly.
There was no real beauty for me. View all 6 comments. Feb 11, Jason Koivu rated it liked it. This needed to happen. On the Road needed to happen. Burroughs, Kesey, Ginsberg, etc needed to happen.
But is it good literature? For its time, yes. For all time? The jury's out. Certainly Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is good comedy, but it may also be bad everything else. Is this wisdom? This might not be as disturbing as it is if the trip to Vegas were not also a quest for the American Dream. What was the story? Nobody had bothered to say. So we would have to drum it up on our own.
Free Enterprise. The American Dream. Horatio Alger gone mad on drugs in Las Vegas. Do it now: pure Gonzo journalism. Alger was a 19th-century author who typically wrote rags to riches stories; in Vegas, his relevance is about greed as a distinctively American quality. The owner, who dreamt of running away to join the circus as a child, now has his own circus, and a licence to steal.
He, it is said, is the model for the American Dream. If this seems cynical, so it should. Hunter was a patriot… [but] he was not a jingoist. He hated that war in Vietnam with a passion. He hated the hypocrisy of the establishment. Basically, I think he wanted to see this country live up to his ideals. Maybe too much insight; he was replaced by Terry Gilliam " Brazil ," " Time Bandits " , whose input is hard to gauge; this is not his proudest moment.
Who was the driving force behind the project? Maybe Depp, who doesn't look unlike the young Hunter Thompson but can't communicate the genius beneath the madness. Thompson may have plowed through Vegas like a madman, but he wrote about his experiences later, in a state which for him approached sobriety. You have to stand outside the chaos to see its humor, which is why people remembering the funny things they did when they were drunk are always funnier than drunks doing them.
As for Depp, what was he thinking he made this movie? Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from until his death in In , he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke. Benicio Del Toro as Dr. Ellen Barkin as Waitress. Gary Busey as Highway Patrolman. Cameron Diaz as Blond Tv Reporter. Purchase Options.
Naked Lunch David Cronenberg. Time Bandits Terry Gilliam. Sneak Peeks — May 3,
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