Rating: Summary: The Truth is often stranger than fiction Review: The truth is often stanger than fiction. Hunter S. Thompson proves this in his book Fear and Loathing in Las vegas. Most great books show the power of the human sprit. Fear and Loathing shows the truely amazing power of the human liver. At the beginning of this book Raoul Duke and his attorney Dr. Gonzo are already hopped up on almost every weird chemical known to civilized man. The book goes off with them on their wild "trip" through Las Vegas Wether the characters were annoying tourists, or caught in some terrible dilution; the reader remanis entertained. At the end of the book the characters are tired, crazy, and at the point of total brakedown, however the reader understands that he or she has read a great book.
Rating: Summary: masterpiece Review: Nothing can top this savage and brutal journey into the caotic madness of the drug world. Thompson has done it again. To those who are opposed to drugs and what they stand for, forget your morals and read this book. One gets instantly swept up into a frenzy when reading through chapter after chapter of extensive drug taking that makes one ask, how? The shear amount of drug and drug related paraphernalia described leaves you breathless and wanting fresh air. The descriptions and accounts given when the two are "out of their heads" will leave you in raptures. The shear madness and brilliance that shines through every page really does make Thompson the king of Gonzo journalism. Have a watch of the film if you want to visualise some of the scenes in the novel.
Rating: Summary: Hunter S. Tompson rules. Review: "Fear and Loathing in Los Vagas" is about a couple of guys who take a trip to Los Vagas.(Their is more to it than that, but I don't want to spoil it) Pretty much through the whole book they are wasted on drugs and booze, and thats were "Fear and Loathing" gets most of its comical power from. "Fear and Loathing" has alot more brains then that Chee-Chee and Chong stuff dose. Even if you are strongly aginst drugs it is worth reading, because Hunter S. Tompson is one of the best writers ever. HANDS DOWN!! Also pick up "Hell's Angles" and "Better than Sex" by the one and only Hunter S. Tompson. He has got plenty more were that came from too.
Rating: Summary: Under the Infuence... Review: A good starting point into the world of Thompson and his "Fear and Loathing" series. At just about 200 pages, it gives a more than graphic illustration of just what it was like in late 60's/early 70's America, we're taken on a rather bizarre rollercoaster ride of the highs and lows of hard drugs, sex, politics, more hard drugs and of course the ever so manipulative role of the media on people's mental perceptions. Here we find Hunter piercing the DEA's heart with a pin and letting it bleed very slowly till the very end, the only requirements for maximum appreciation of the book are just to put on your psychedelic glasses & to keep a "very open" mind while reading and you'll almost feel as though you were there at the time. Personally, I'd recommend to read the book first and then move on to watch the superb screenplay afterwards featuring the usual "narcotic" suspects Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro as Raoul and Dr Gonzo, other members of movie cast are Cameron Diaz, Christina Ricci and the "We later got famous" Verne Troyer (Austin Powers' Mini-me) and Tobey Maguire (Spiderman 2002). At the end of the story, if there's one thing you'd have learnt, it'll definitely be more chemical & pharmaceutical vocabulary as there's a whole dictionary of that in the script.
Rating: Summary: A disappointment Review: I had heard so much about this book that I had to read it. While there were some entertaining bits I was slightly disappointed that the author didn't make his condemnation of drugs a little clearer. Look, I'm no square, drugs are a fact of life and therefore an issue open for discussion in literature. But I do believe that authors such as Mr Thompson have a duty to their readers to stress the dangers of drugs so that they can then make an informed decision not to take them. That's really my only gripe apart from the sick illustrations.
Rating: Summary: The American Nightmare ! Review: Raoul Duke and his Samoan attorney embark on a drink and drug fueled , rollercoaster of a ride into Las Vegas to report on the 1971 Mint 400 race , and end up bungling from one drug crazed episode to another , causing mayhem to anyone unlucky enough to be in their vicinity . The biggest irony is that they end up reporting the National District Attorneys Association's - Dangerous Drugs Conference , spliced out of their heads .This very funny , blacker than black comedy is really a damning indictment on Nixon's America and the myth that is the American Dream , as no one comes out of this book unscathed , be it the junkie in the street , or the Law Enforcement Agencies ( who's the good guys ? who's the bad guys ? ) . I also like Ralph Steadman's menacing illustrations , as they compliment this manic piece of Gonzo journalism perfectly . A genuine underground classic !
Rating: Summary: the truth must be known Review: Without hunter s. thompsons imput into the litarery world america would never know the truth!
Rating: Summary: Reasons to get High Review: Hunter S. Thompson's dope decade masterpiece, FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, delves into the drug-ridden life of a doctor of journalism, under the assumed name of Raoul Duke. Accompanied by his attourney, Duke takes an assignment to cover a motocycle rally in Las Vegas. The two druggies travel in their cherry-red convertable, which they call the Red Shark into Las Vegas, where they are encountered with countless obstacles: trying to look sober in public, hallucinations, and dealing with Duke's higher-ups. I personally enjoyed Thompson's hilarious look at the comic misadventures of two products of the 60's. Thompson excelles at his use of imagery. He gives the reader an apt portrayal of the depths of an acid hallucination, or an ether high. The book provided both comedy and an interesting plotline. Although the book could have been funnier and could have been less confusing in the dialogue or the character's inner thoughts and memories, I think this book deserves four stars.
Rating: Summary: My thoughts Review: First off, this is an easy read, and easy to follow. If you can't follow it, I wonder if you're out of the third grade. It's not one of those totally disjointed drug books, it is very straightforward. I don't mind that. Makes it enjoyable. Now the real problem. I have known people I've lost to actually doing stupid things like in this book, and they used this book as inspiration. They did ether because of this book, they became mad drug experimenters with this book as their role model. You shouldn't care about my small problems, and how apparently how all my friends who've descended through drug culture are the extreme exception. Or maybe you should. The problem with humor like this is that to someone it's always real. So it goes. I certainly don't blame the author for writing. That's his god given right. I just question why he didn't consider the moral implications of his work at any point, or just at any point make it clear that real people can lose everything fairly easily. The whole thing is so light, and people take it as reality.
Rating: Summary: A Look Into Insanity Review: Just about everything other reviewers have said about this book here on Amazon.com is true. This is funny, it does try and examine the American Dream (albeit in a weird and twisted way) and it is insane. Hunter Thompson takes his attorney, Gonzo, on a twisted trip to Las Vegas to cover the Mint 400, a bike and dune buggy race sponsered by a casino owner. Then they try and cover a meeting of cops and district attorneys who are meeting in Las Vegas to figure out how to deal with the drug problem in the United States. Along the way, the two end up in crazy situations that would make even a straight person go nuts. Of course, these two are anything but straight. Before starting out on the trip they load up their car with enough dope to kill a company of Marines... Needless to say, the trip ends up being more about getting high and trying to maintain than the events they are supposed to cover. The book is screamingly funny at times, scary and sad at other times. I think you'll miss out on some of the book if you've never gone on an extended freakout like Gonzo and Duke... When Duke hears the song on the jukebox and freaks out about it, I can relate... P>Some of the situations the two find themselves in are a real hoot. The observations on the Circus-Circus are a scream, and who else has been kicked out of a Debbie Reynolds concert? The two also find themselves in a possible rape rap, hotel rooms that quickly take on the appearance of a cell for mental patients, and tooling down the highways of Las Vegas being attacked by manta rays and bats. The stories are endless and funny. A theme about finding the American Dream also works its way into the story, although I think it takes a back seat to the hijinks of these two wacked out freaks... P>A weird and strange book that is worth the time. I can't comment on any of Thompson's other books because I haven't read any of them but if they are like this one, they would be worth it too. I can't believe Thompson is still alive, but he is and continues to write (I think). Give this a shot.
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