Reviews - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

2.65k reviews for:

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

This is a book that I felt I had to read because of its almost cult status, it is on the 1001 books you must read before you die list(which I am working on completing in my lifetime), I have recently moved out west again and am reading literature from the area to beef up my knowledge and enjoyment of the area, and most of all I lived in Vegas in the late 1970s and early 1980s and Vegas still has a very special place in my heart. With all that said, I found the book rather annoying.

The books is semi-autobiographical account of a very messed up guy in a drug and alcohol binged road trip to Las Vegas. The first section involves driving through the desert at crazy speeds so whacked up on drugs he is hallucinating. I found the message and the glorification of DUI, drugs, and stupidity...well disturbing. I also do not think anyone can actually stay on the road that messed up.

Maybe if I was still young and stupid the book would be fun....but honestly I do not believe I have ever been that young, or that stupid. I also had a best friend who was killed by a drunk driver (who was no where near as drunk as the the two in this book were by the way) and am a bit disgusted.

Hunter isn't a horrible author, he's just immature, troubled, and annoying. I am rather depressed that Rolling Stone published this as a series first, I thought they were better than this.

If you are trying to tick off another 1001 book or trying to read the cult classics, this book is a relatively quick read, if you can stand the subject matter and Hunter S Thompson.

Guilty confession...this book totally cracked me up in places. I think it was the total lack of logic and my minds inability to follow the logic...but I did laugh out loud at quite a few parts. I also liked the book more near the end and after I finished it than in the beginning.

muck0009's review against another edition

3.0

funny fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

megsk22's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

max_w_walker's review against another edition

1.0

Maybe I just didn't get it. I was expecting there to be a lot more descriptions on the hallucinations, instead it was just boring. There was barely any plot. I ended up hating Hunter as a person, if this is actually the stuff he did (this book is technically an autobiography) then he's just a bad person.