Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga by Hunter S. Thompson Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga
Book Review: "Holy Mary Mother of God! Thompson is genius!"
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read many a book...but so far this one takes the cake, and the birthday candles! Turned on to Hunter S. Thompson, after renting, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", I bought the book, only to further my relationship with this brave and eloquent man. As most college kids would love his work only for the humorous style in which he writes, those same souls will be sure to be enveloped in his insanely descrptive stories. He captures the entire essence of The Angels, as he lived, rode, partied, was stomped with and by this, modern day group of Huns. My stomache litterally turned at the thought of some of the visual images that this book inflicted me. MUST HAVE IT, THAT MEANS YOU!Book Review: A Scary Look Into the Lives of the Hell's Angels
Summary: 3 Stars
I expected this book to be exciting and trippy like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I was surprised to find that it is actually a pretty serious book about what really happens when the Hell's Angels hit the road and bring their version of Brotherly Love to a town near you. The ideas and beliefs of the Hell's Angels are far from the mainstream and Thompson tells about them in a way that is easy to understand. Thompson portrays the Hell's Angels not as heroes or villans, but as a disorganized rabble of people who are basically losers. People who need a group to get along in this world. This book helped me get a perspective on just a piece of the turmoil that was the 60's.Book Review: A great book
Summary: 5 Stars
The book starts out slow with basically an overview and history of the Angels and well motorcycle gangs. But it picks up the pace and doesn't let you go. We enter the brutal and vicious world of the Hells Angels. We see this slice of life through the weird and off beat eyes of HST. Even while he gets closer and closer to certain Angels there is always an air of uneasiness around him and we found out the hard way.A great read if you're into the Anegls, HST, or the 60's. The culture of the time is on display and presents a backdrop for the rise, fall and resurrection of the Angels.
Book Review: A great book by a monster writer!
Summary: 4 Stars
I first got to know Hunter S. Thompson through the worst possible way: the movie version of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". Don't get me wrong, I loved the film then and I still love it now, but it is one of the riskiest ways to get introduced to this brilliant author.
The thing is, I became instantly smitten with Johnny Depp's performance and I was completely won over by the brilliant humour, but after the film was over, well... it was a fun ride but, hey, that was it. Besides the humour, and the prodigious drug taking, there was not much insight that I got out of it, so Hunter dropped off my radar for some years.
All of that changed when I picked up the Rum Diary two years ago, recognized the author, and decided to give it a spin. Boy, am I glad I did that, otherwise I would have missed out on one of the most brilliant authors of the 20th century!
Hunter S. Thompson is a MONSTER writer, and he is one of the most original, funniest and insightful voices I have ever heard in my entire life! He is brilliant, a master of hyperbolic realism, and reading his books is like engaging in a late night conversation with a genius: it can be funny, disconcerting, gross, insightful, frenetic but always unforgettable.
Hell's Angel's - the book that first cast the spotlight on Hunter - is a perfect example. I didn't buy this book because I was particularly interested in the Angels - I'm not! - or even motorcycles - I don't really care about them, to be honest. I bought it, because I knew that it would read like the brilliant account of a writer who is so talented that he can make any subject interesting, whether you had any interest in it or not!
I exaggerate, of course. You have to be attuned to Hunter's sensibility first, to his Fear and Loathing, to his take no prisoners sense of humour - which has the calculated subtlety of a nuclear bomb! - but if you are, man, what a ride!
This book fits like a glove in the main theme of Hunter's oeuvre - The American Dream, or rather, What became of the American Dream - and what starts as a character study on one of the last embodiments of the Dream turns out to be something quite different...
There are many layers in this book, some frightening insight, brilliant analysis and, of course, a superb sense of humour.
If you are familiar with Hunter, you already know this but if all of you've read, or heard about, revolves around "Fear and Loathing..." give this one a try. There is a lot more to the Good Doctor than what his wild legend might suggest.
Book Review: A great book, true life adventures in a secret society
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is great, a look inside a secret society few really know of, except for rumors and myths. HST gets inside this organization and lives a life few do, on the edge of society and lives to bring us the story. The misadventures of these bikers are intense and enlightening for those interested in what really goes on in such a world. Filled with drugs, partying, fights and travels of the most notorious biker gang back in their hayday. HST was a bold man for such an excursion and we thank him for risking life and limb by delivering us this masterpiece of Gonzo writing.