estranger0 's review for:

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson

3.5

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Ridiculous, hilarious, absurdist, this book is one of the most unique and radical of its time. Thompson's odyssey from LA to LV is rollicking, unreal, and exceptionally entertaining. Even though the book lacks of a cohesive "plot," it's understandable since this was originally published in newspapers as a short column about a dirt bike race that spiraled into a drug-fueled frenzy featuring some of the most unhinged first-hand drug accounts ever put to paper. Mixed in with this is a lot of social commentary, such as Thompson's ideas of the hypocrisy of the counterculture movement and the definite hedonism that it sparked up and never left behind, even to this day. One thing I can take away from this novel personally, though, is that sometimes we find ourselves in certain eras of time that are, really, unexplainable with images or words; in short, like Thompson and his attorney during this sprawling adventure, you just had to be there. Quite enjoyable and wholly deranged.