#gonzo journalism
by Hunter S. Thompson
What’s it about?
It’s the more-or-less true story of one weekend when Hunter (called “Raoul Duke” in the book) and his lawyer Oscar Acosta (called “Dr. Gonzo" in the book) go to Las Vegas to cover the Mint 400 motorcycle raceforSports Illustrated.
And?
And lots of drugs. They spend the entire narrative hopped up on pretty much every drug available in 1971 that you can think of. One of the running jokes is that the reality of the violently superficial Las Vegas nightlife is much worse than any twisted visions their drug binge can produce.
What about the bats?
If you’ve read Game of Thrones and you think Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas has too many non-existent animals flying around overhead, you should present yourself to the relevant authorities at first light.
I smell the death of the American Dream. Again.
Yes, but at least Thompson is good enough to explicitly tell you in the middle of the book that this is why he wrote the book.
What should I say to make people think I’ve read it?
“After finishing the book, I walked at a 30-degree angle for two days.”
What should I avoid saying when trying to convince people I’ve read it?
“This book glorifies drug use.”
Should I actually read it?
Yes. It’s no exaggeration to say that Hunter S. Thompson more or less invented a whole new school of journalism with this one book (and an article about the Kentucky Derby he wrote before). Also, it’s very funny.
“If the Grateful Dead came to town, I’d beat my way in with a fucking tire iron, if necessary.” ~ Hunter S. Thompson
Dr. Gonzo made his journey to the other side 17 years ago today, but his words will stay with us forever.
Some people will tell you that slow is good – but I’m here to tell you that fast is better. I’ve always believed this, in spite of the trouble it’s caused me. Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba…
— Hunter S. Thompson
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