Hunter S. Thompson
1971
Around 205 pages
1971
Around 205 pages
I typically find novels about drug use pretty boring. If it's not your trip, how interesting can it be? And this is the quintessential drug story. But Hunter S. Thompson surprised me with how entertaining he was. And you have to love the opening line: "We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold."
Raoul Duke, our stand in for Thompson, is in Las Vegas to report on the Mint 400 motorcycle race for a magazine. He is joined by his attorney, Dr. Gonzo, and the two embark on a drug and alcohol binge, where the destroy hotel rooms and hallucinate. Johnny Depp was made for this role.
This is a widely admired work, particularly by those of the male persuasion. Apparently the idea of getting wasted out of your mind in Vegas is appealing to them. It's not that appealing to me, but I happened to enjoy the ride. Thompson didn't overstay his welcome, and I appreciated his commentary on 60s counterculture. It gave the story a feeling of substance.
Definitely not my preferred brand of story, but enjoyable enough for what it was.
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
The novel was first published serially in Rolling Stone magazine, under the byline "Raoul Duke". The book version was published under Thompson's name.
UP NEXT: The Book of Daniel by E.L. Doctorow
No comments:
Post a Comment