Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
by Hunter S. Thompson · first published 1971
35% recommend63% neutral2% critical
Why HN recommends it
Wildly funny, drug-fueled satire of the American Dream, praised for its manic prose style and its influence on readers' own writing. Suits readers who like gonzo journalism and re-read it for its surreal energy.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Maverick author Hunter S. Thompson introduced the world to "gonzo journalism" with this cult classic that shot back up the best seller lists after Thompson's suicide in 2005. No book ever written has more perfectly captured the spirit of the 1960s counterculture. In Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race, Raoul Duke (Thompson) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (inspired by a friend of Thompson) are quickly diverted to search for the American dream. Their quest is fueled by nearly every drug imaginable and quickly becomes a surreal experience that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. But there is
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"but once you get locked into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can." ― Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas I've always liked that quote as I have seen it over and over again in people I know. Those that can use and moderate to just a recreational use vs committing to a full on daily use (addiction by most…
on “Germany’s move to legalise cannabis expected to create ‘domino effect’” ↗1. Burn down the night By Craig kee strete A fictional drug trip with Jim Morrison 2. Budding Prospects By T.C. Boyle A group of friends leave San Francisco in 1983 to start their own marijuana enterprise out in the country 3. Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas By Hunter S. Thompson "when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro"
on “Ask HN: What is your comfort book?” ↗The Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch by Henry Miller and Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter Thompson. There's something I really enjoy about these two almost magical realisim type books that never tires and I re-read them both at least once every few years.
on “Ask HN: Read any good books lately?” ↗Some that come to mind: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas https://www.amazon.com/Fear-Loathing-Las-Vegas-American/dp/0... Under the Volcano https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jan/05/100-best-novel... All the kinds horses https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/all-kings-horses…
on “Who is the real Dice Man? The elusive writer behind a cult novel” ↗Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream by Hunter S. Thompson
on “Ask HN: What are you reading to make sense of the economy?” ↗I love the way Hunter S. Thompson described it. I'll strip it a bit for brevity, but the whole book (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) is worth reading. San Francisco in the middle sixties was a very special time and place to be a part of. Maybe it meant something. Maybe not, in the long run . . . but no explanation, no mix of words…
on “When America first dropped acid” ↗The sheer insanity and quality of writing in Hunter S Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas cements it as probably the best book I've read in terms of enjoyment and influence on my own prose. In terms of the book that's perhaps made me think and reflect the most, Daniel Keyes Flowers for Algernon…
on “Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?” ↗Fear and loathing in Las Vegas
on “Ask HN: What is your favorite book that you've read this year?” ↗https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_and_Loathing_in_Las_Vegas... That passage remains one of the most meaningful things I've read in my life. However, his defining work in my opinion is Hell's Angels. It is prescient in so many ways. Among the most interesting…
on “How Hunter S. Thompson Became a Legend” ↗Read the whole book, then if you haven't already (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas). Truly excellent.
on “John McAfee found dead in Spanish jail after court approves extradition to US” ↗…playing guitar helps too, it makes you wanted and welcome, which you want to be. A non-trivial fact for me was that a lot of conversations aren't about information; talking is a game, played for fun. Read "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", watch "Pulp Fiction", and try to do the same.
on “Ask YC: Best ways to become socially adept?” ↗And his best book by far was Hells Angels. Followed by a tie between Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and the one about the McGovern Campaign.
on “The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved (1970)” ↗"Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas" is one of the best books I've ever read. I made the mistake of reading it on an airplane on my first trip out to Las Vegas. The book is so funny that I'm sure the people sitting next to me thought I…
on “How Hunter S. Thompson Became a Legend” ↗…Bogleheads Newspaper titles (you read that right, not the content, titles) "nothing, I just bought a piece of land to grow potatoes and beans" Comparative study of the black death Raw St. Louis Fed data Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
on “Ask HN: What are you reading to make sense of the economy?” ↗…establishment. (They may have been right). The result of their success was a vicious clamp down. My view was crystallised by HST in his "Looking west from Vegas with the right kind of eyes..." monologue in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (it is in the film, if reading books is not your thing. The film is, IMO, a faithful portrayal of the book) When it comes to drugs, I am more of a follower, not a imitator, of HST than Leary. Drugs…
on “California Bill to Decriminalize Psychedelics Is Approved by Senate” ↗