Fear and Loathing in America : The Brutal Odyssey of an Outlaw Journalist by Hunter S. Thompson Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.90 You Save: $11.10 (65%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Fear and Loathing in America : The Brutal Odyssey of an Outlaw Journalist
Book Review: Fear and Loathing in America: The Brutal Odyssey of an Outla
Summary: 5 Stars
Having spent most of my days imitating Gonzo hedonism, I believe myselfquite qualified to review Thomson's life and naturally this 'book'. Ibelieve that although this 'book' is very good it lacks in its ability tosay what Thomson thinks, that is, that drugs are overall damaging tosociety and in effect are evil. May I prompt the reader to read instead myown work about my life called 'Tony Biscuit-biff: The Ass-Munching lifeand Times of a crazy Drug-taker', out in paperback last month. Yes this isa better review of the truth and is really funny to. Thomson is stupid, Iam great.bye
Book Review: egg sucking dogs..............
Summary: 5 Stars
this is a fantastic collection.a must read for any fan of the Good Doctor.Very revealing and stunningly honest.imo surpassesthe Gonzo "fiction" texts by a country mile.Rare insight and Brutal Truths abound.....Ye Gods!....give it a try and you will NOT be dissappointed.
But what the hell?....
Book Review: Not perfect, but close enough
Summary: 4 Stars
This 2nd volume of collected letters covers probably the most fertile period of HST's professional life to date, that gave rise to his best known works: Fear and loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and loathing on the campaign trail. A common thread running throughout is Thompson's plans to write a book on the death of the american dream, a project he has yet to fully realise, but that has been a recurrent theme in his work. you also get a good insight into how F&L in Las Vegas was written (basically it's two 'assignments' stuck together) and how Thompson worked during that time. There is also a whole series of letters covering his failed run for the office of Sheriff, which makes for interesting reading.
However, most importantly of all, what you get here is the picture of a man who, despite his cartoonish public persona, is actually a thoroughly decent person, who,though harsh with his enemies,is gentle and generous with his friends and family.
Book Review: SOMETHING LIKE THIS SHOULDN'T BE INTERESTING, BUT...
Summary: 5 Stars
It's HST and I loved it. A great insight into a period of a man's life - from his point of view and at the time it happened. A man who said it like he saw it, and walked it like he talked it. Whether his views are for you (they are for me) or not, it's still an entertaining, open and honest read. One that I would imagine is impossible not to get anything out of. For example, on a writing level alone, 'witnessing' the thought processes that go into producing a text worthy of being read outside of one's significant others is worthy of the entrance fee alone.
Book Review: Sometimes it is best to not get too close to people you like or admire...
Summary: 1 Stars
Hell's Angels, Rum Diary and of course Las Vegas are some of my favourite books, not just by hunter but ever. I even 'sorta kinda' liked Kingdom of Fear, although by then he really was just repeating himself and the whole 'fear and loathing...' thing had really been beaten to death.
So of course I thought I would interested in the 'real' Thompson. Not a bit of it. I found him to be dull, misogynistic and obsessed about money. This is a collection of various letters and correspondence to all (and it is pretty much all) and sundry. There's even a letter where he complains about the fact the leather on a leather jacket he bought isn't up to much. Of course had the letter been just typed up correspondence it would be really dull, however many/most of these are almost facsimiles of the correspondence he sent. So lots of pictures, scrawls, manic writing etc etc. Which is what keeps this 'book' propped up. I am sure there were some gems of wisdom/writing in their somewhere, but it is a slog of a book - page after page of complaining, whining, and how such and such owes him umpty thousand dollars and lots of threatening. At least that is what I came away with from this.
I regret reading this now as Hunter just comes across as someone who really isn't particularly likeable and will forever 'stain' my re-reading of Vegas et al. Die hard hunter fans only (and even then I'm not sure - I thought I was one).