Title: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Author: Hunter S. Thompson
Type: Fiction
Page Count/Review Word Count: 230
Rating: 8/10
Hunter S. Thompson – Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Fear and Loathing is the book which cemented Hunter S. Thompson’s reputation as a writer who challenged authority, by defying traditional laws of both literature and governance. He even created his own genre, called gonzo journalism, albeit presumably accidentally – you get the impression from Fear and Loathing that there’s no definitive destination in mind, and that Thompson just wanted to enjoy the ride.
I won’t go into the story line too much, but we can at least be sure that we’re in for a wild old time in one of the most notorious parts of America, and that there’ll be plenty of booze and drugs along the way. In some ways, it probably helps if you can relate to that lifestyle, but it’s not necessarily a prerequisite.
I quite like Thompson’s work, but I never fell in love with it – for that reason, and for that reason only, I don’t feel justified giving this book anything higher than an eight, but the beauty of it is that everyone seems to perceive it differently. Who knows what you’ll think of it? If you want to find out then the best thing to do is to read it – it’s a modern classic, after all.
Hunter S. Thompson
