Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Harper Perennial Modern Classics)

Product Details

Author : Hunter S. Thompson
Binding : Paperback
EAN : 9780007743940
Edition : New Ed
Number of Pages : 224
Product Group : Book
Publication Date : 2005-04-04
Publisher : HarperPerennial

ASIN : 0007204493

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Customer Reviews

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (2008-07-09)

Hunter S. Thompson is by far THE most entertaining writer in modern literature, it has to be said. His engrossing affilliation with substances that he swore he hadn't been taking during the writing of the major part of this novel, make this most probably the funniest piece of literature available. His quick wit and complete topsy-turvy sense of humour is only the beginning. As he travels through the desert with his attorney to "find the dark side of the American dream", they well and trully find it when they agree that any trip such as the one their making can only be made armed with a stupendous arsenal of drugs. And this they do. They engage in a completely twisted reality that is there's alone, and their journey, so infallible to their minds, leaps from one thing to the next supporting complete hysteria and laugh-out-louds situations, and I can honestly tell you there isn't a moment in this book that isn't ruthlessly fun. Thompson manages to bring across madness in a sweet, yet shocking form, and produces simile after simile, metaphor after metaphor of true brilliance. I wouldn't go so far as to call this book a comedy, that would suggest that Thompson is attempting to be funny. But the fact is, he IS funny, whether you want him to be or not. His discriptions of the events that took place are superb, giving you the absolute feeling that you were right in the back seat of their car with the hitchhiker himself, and even more. His emotions and the feelings of his attorney are all described and somehow justified in some twisted way, and you can't help but get pulled into the story. Apart from being hilarious, and wildly enteraining, the book also shows an overture on the scary American dream that was large during the late sixties. The malignant culture is portrayed wonderfully, and described from the standpoint of someone who got involved himself, and he describes the whole thing from things he saw. Even after the book has finished you'll find yourself hearing Hunter S. Thompson speaking in your head describing your every move in the form of one of his writings, almost like he's part of your sub-concious. His power, delivery and intoxicatingly clever witted nature makes this book what it is: a masterpiece. No wonder it became a modern classic.

The first stage for many.... (2008-06-22)

As with a lot of people in my generation, i have found that H.S.Thompson is a very entertaining author. The first of his books i read was this (saw the film first, and this had too follow) and i really liked it. It's funny, sadistic, manic and totally absorbing. The story followed in this book, is that of Raul Duke and his Attorney on a trip to Las Vegas, the purpose is to cover a story - of a bike race. In getting the job, Raul and The Samoan gain access to a large sum of cash, an expensive convertible sports car and a whole range of other "perks". With this, they travel through the desert to the flagship ideal of the "American dream" - Las Vegas. A place where you can ascend from rags-to-riches, from zero-to-hero and back again with nothing but a dollar in your pocket to start you off. This fact is epitomized and almost chastised through-out the book. Raul and The Samoan never pay a penny for anything (all the money they had access to was the newspaper's) and act like true animals wherever they go - using an absolute truck loads of illicit substances that are easily available and almost always right under your nose! No mater how blatant they are, no-matter un-wholesome they become, they are still allowed to let rip all over the city... and do so, never fettered..."he who makes a beast of himself takes away the pain of being a man" - H.S.Thompson This book is not one about drug's, about being twisted. It is not a giggly stoner book that pokes a rebellious middle finger at society. It is, however a look at how our society perceives itself... How some people can become rich & powerful, loved & hated, feared & revered and how this very privilege of our society can poison a person and twist their views. Raul's use of drugs has been championed extensively, and of course he does share these traits with his author, but what many people don't realize is that Thompson was a serious writer and a bloody good one at that. Fear and loathing in Las Vegas, and the Other Fear and Loathing titles all follow Raul Duke and follow this ebb of social dissection, Gonzo was not about Raul and his "diet" it was about how no-matter where you look, the world is god-less, selfish and un-forgiving, the balance (as it were) is quite obviously on the side that will not control it-self and how this lack of control (from up high or deep down) is almost always taken for granted. In such a world, passion is a mere pacifier, truth is an illusion and sobriety is nothing to aspire to...This book is brilliant, the writing is cunning and smart and the narrative enthralling. If you liked to be challenged, and if you're capable of looking below the surface, this book is for you ENJOY!!!

Buy the ticket, take the ride (2008-06-16)

The greatest book about the illusion of the American dream ever written. One of my all time favourite books though some people will simply not get it, not understand it at all. This is a fantastic work of literature and if you have the right kind of mind set you will thoroughly enjoy it. His words are incisive and often profound and this is a perfect introduction to a great author.

As your attorney I advise you to read this book. (2007-12-30)

I have read this one six or seven times and it still makes me laugh. Virtually every page has something on it to make you laugh out loud. The way he uses italics to emphasize the humour is just brilliant. This is a man at the top of his game. There is a lot of drug abuse and a lot of swearing, and some things I could not mention on a site such as this, but I assure you, good reader, that you should just strap yourself in and enjoy the ride. For me, the funniest book ever.

fabulous! (2007-12-24)

i first read this after surfing round the internet and bought it on some recommendations from various online journals. I have now finished reading it for the fifth time.the quotes are one of a kind, the detail into the drug trips are A-Class and you can almost feel that you are sat in the same room as Raoul Duke as he trips on various drugs.God bless Hunter S Thompson for sticking it to the masses with this book.RIP.

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