Book Description
One of three short stories from Hunter S. Thompson-s collection called Screwjack, "Screwjack" shares the gritty details of a sexual escapade between Thompson and his black tomcar. ... Read more

Product Description
In early 1970, artist Ralph Steadman went to America in search of work and found more than he bargained for. At the Kentucky Derby he met a former Hell's Angel, one Hunter S. Thompson. Thompson wrote later that "The rest of that day blurs into madness. The rest of that night, too. Steadman was lucky to get out of Louisville without serious injuries, and I was lucky to get out at all." Thus began a thirty-year working relationship and friendship that gave birth to what became known as Gonzo Journalism.

Few people knew Hunter S. Thompson as well as Ralph Steadman did. This no-holds-barred memoir tells of their unique collaboration that documented the turbulent years of the civil-rights movement, the Nixon years, and Watergate. When Thompson committed suicide in 2005, it was the end of a friendship that was defined by both betrayal and understanding. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent book for Dr. Thompson's long time frienship!
Ralph Steadman goes with HST like chalk with cheese. They were so different from one another but they collaborated together like a well oiled machine. Steadman speaks fondly for the good Dr. but he DOES stand up for himself because Hunter could take people for granted or could be demanding or selfish. Excellent book about two very different men that had one thing in common. They both understood the nature of *weird*. ... Read more

Book Description
SPORTS, POLITICS, AND SEX COLLIDE IN HUNTER S. THOMPSON'S WILDLY POPULAR ESPN.COM COLUMNS.

Insightful, incendiary, outrageously brilliant, such was the man who galvanized American journalism with his radical ideas and gonzo tactics. For over half a century, Hunter S. Thompson devastated his readers with his acerbic wit and uncanny grasp of politics and history. His reign as "The Unabomber of contemporary letters" (Time) is more legendary than ever with Hey Rube. Fear, greed, and action abound in this hilarious, thought-provoking compilation as Thompson doles out searing indictments and uproarious rants while providing commentary on politics, sex, and sports -- at times all in the same column.

With an enlightening foreword by ESPN executive editor John Walsh, critics' favorites, and never-before-published columns, Hey Rube follows Thompson through the beginning of the new century, revealing his queasiness over the 2000 election ("rigged and fixed from the start"); his take on professional sports (to improve Major League Baseball "eliminate the pitcher"); and his myriad controversial opinions and brutally honest observations on issues plaguing America -- including the Bush administration and the inequities within the American judicial system.

Hey Rube gives us a lasting look at the gonzo journalist in his most organic form -- unbridled, astute, and irreverent. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

Surprising HST gem!
Hunter S. Thompson is my absolute favorite author hands down and he is fascinating to me. I am sorry he is no longer with us, but what a LIFE he led; He crammed more LIFE than most people can imagine. This is a MUST for HST fans.

It's The Spread, Stupid!
Make no mistake the late, lamented Hunter Thompson was always something of a muse for me going way back to the early 1970's when I first read his seminal work on the California outlaw bikers, The Hell's Angels. Since then I have devoured, and re-devoured virtually everything that he has written. However the present book leaves me cold. This is a case where `greed' (on whose part I do not know although the proliferating pile of rememberances of Thompson may give a hint) got the better of literary wisdom. This compilation of articles started life as commentary on the ESPN.com, part of the cable sports network. And perhaps that is where the project should have ended. Hey, this stuff has a half life in cyberspace so not all would have been lost.

So what is the basis for my objection? Part of Hunter's attraction always has been a fine sense of the hypocrisy of American politics. Although we march to different drummers politically I have always appreciated his ability to skewer the latest political heavyweight- in- chief, friend or foe. That is missing here although he does get a few whacks in on the current child-president George W. Bush. But this is not enough. What this screed is really about is the whys and wherefores of his life long addiction to sports betting and particularly professional football, the NLF.

A run through the ups and downs of Thompson's previous seasons' (2000-2003) gambling wins and loses, however, does not date well. Hell, I can barely remember last week's bets. But the real problem is that as in politics we listen to different drummers. I am a long time fan of `pristine and pure' big time college football and would not sully my hands to bet on the NFL so his whining about the San Francisco 49'ers or the Denver Broncos is so much hot air. However, I will take Ohio State and 3 points against LSU in the 2007 college championship game. That's the ticket. I miss Hunter and his wild and wacky writing that made me laugh many a time when I was down and needed a boost but not here. Enough said.

Buy "Kingdom of Fear: Loathsome Secrets of a Star-Crossed Child in the Final Days of the American Century" instead
This book (2004) and "Kingdom of Fear" (2003) appear to be the last of HST's books. While "Hey Rube" contains lengthy discussions of gambling on professional football and basketball (including "March Madness"), "Kingdom of Fear" is more far-ranging, containing everything from Thompson's reminiscences of his youth to his (highly negative) thoughts on George W. Bush.

The quality of the writing of the recent pieces in both books is not quite up to that of his best from the past, but is still infinitely better than the mindless slop produced by other contemporary "writers." The man was an artist.

As always, one of the disturbing things about Thompson is his ability to assess politics correctly in real time. Reading back, you think "Why didn't people take this man seriously at the time?"

"Indeed," as Doc would say.

Ouch

I'm heartbroken.I admit it.I'm not a year around sports nut.I don't watch games all the time.I don't even get ESPN.And I've never allowed myself to get sucked into the uber-geeky world of fantasy leagues.But the Bears are special for me.And if you let yourself care enough, you'll get hurt.It's unavoidable.You can't experience the thrills without being vulnerable to the pain.Especially the way it happened.With the Bears jumping to a lead within the first 14 seconds, and having a nice action-packed first quarter, I couldn't help but believe.But the Colts managed to dominate.And what hurts the most, what's got me down, is that the Colts won by out Bearing the Bears.They played good hard-nosed defense and then wore down the Bears defense with a relentless running attack.Oh well.I still think Peyton's a bit of a goober but the Indiana coach seems to be a real class act, so I'll try and be happy for them.And I know it's just a game.There are bigger crises in the world.There are bigger crises in my life for that matter.Still, it hurts.This goes down in my top five for losses that hurt, along with the Bears of the late 80's being eliminated in the playoffs by the Redskins and then the Niners, and maybe along with some of those Nebraska victories over Colorado.Particularly those real close ones in that painful, smarmy Neuheisal era.

So when the soul is truly in pain, where else would I go for comfort but Hunter S? I didn't even know about this book until recently.I didn't know he was writing a regular column for ESPN's web site.But he was and these columns are among the last writings we'll have for him.And what better a topic for Mr. Thomson than gambling?Hunter was at his best when writing about those little vices, those things that can be wonderful, even enlightening, in the right doses, but much more entertaining to read about when they are pushed to and beyond the limits of self-destruction.Great stuff.

By the chance of timing, almost a twisted kind of serendipity, this collection contains a generous allotment of Mr. Thomson's political writings as well.The collection spans a period of time containing the Presidential coup in which Bush stole the election from Al Gore and then 9-11 and its aftermath as well.There is an essay written by Thomson dated September 11th, 2001, written that evening following the attack, with classic Thomson vitriol, filled with his trademark fear and loathing, as well as some paranoia that history reveals to be more prescient than delusional, warning that the power that be would use the tragedy of the terrorist attacks to justify further tragedy of an even grander scale.That may be near universal sentiment in hindsight but remember back to that time to realize how deranged and treacherous that would have sounded to the average citizen.Certainly to the chattering hens in the mainstream news media, who couldn't give the American public credit for anything more sophisticated than black and white thinking.

A great voice is gone.I suspect he may have been trying to commit suicide by lifestyle for decades, but when that repeatedly failed, he finally had to take more direct action.And the Chicago Bears are not the world champions.Maybe I should admit that the NFC really is a weak division this year.Or maybe the Bears got what they deserve for playing the entire game with their safeties twenty yards back, trying to win by being the more conservative team.With that mentality, not even the point spread could help Bears benefactors.What would Hunter have said?

Thompson's Swan Song - Fans Decide for Yourself
"Hey Rube" is Thompson's least interesting book.About 95% of it involves sports and gambling, mainly on football, and a lot of typical name dropping (Ed Bradley, Douglas Brinkley, Johnny Depp, ad nauseum).Jack Kerouac.The book is boring as all get-out, but hey, see for yourself.Thompson brought us many fine works, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", "The Rum Diary", "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail," you name it.His meglomania knew no bounds; his persona was largely one of his own mythological making.It remains indelible fact that he was an important founder of the so-called "New Journalism" which surfaced in the mid-sixties, though in a recent conversation with Gay Talese, this other dignified writer refused to even mention his name in connection with the "New Journalism" when questioned at an appearance at Faulkner Books in New Orleans. If you like stupid football predictions and wreckless sports gambling as your two primary intersts, this is the book for you -- don't miss it.Otherwise, it is the last sad blatherings of a brain-dead paranoiac determined to follow in the footsteps of Hemingway, whose macho at an early age he emulated with a visit to Papa's gravesite in Ketchum, Idaho.Rest in peace, Hunter.Your great works far exceed this piece of worthless trash. ... Read more

Book Description
A wild ride to the dark side of Americana The Curse of Lono is to Hawaii what Fear and Loathing was to Las Vegas: the crazy tales of a journalist's "coverage" of a news event that ends up being a wild ride to the dark side of Americana. Originally published in 1983, Curse features all of the zany, hallucinogenic wordplay and feral artwork for which the Hunter S. Thompson/Ralph Steadman duo became known and loved. This curious book, considered an oddity among Hunter's oeuvre, was long out of print, prompting collectors to search high and low for an original copy. TASCHEN's signed, limited edition sold out before the book even hit the stores, but this unlimited version, in a different, smaller format, makes The Curse of Lono accessible to everyone. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

adfasfdsaf
The last great Thompson work that I have read which I hadn't bought because it's a bit expensive, but worth it in my opinion.

Fear and Loathing, the Rum Diaries and Curse of lono... no more good Thompson to read.

the coattails of one Hunter S. Thompson
excellent book.i was completely new to his writing beefore reading this gem.crazy bleep* guy!his work seems to be more of a writers' journaling than serious novel-stuff.a travel-blog; if you will..i haven't gotten into many of his other works yet plan to, eventually.even a holy-roller could come out freshpresssed and standing tall after one of his tales. good stuff, though.very good stuff.if you were one of those, 'say no to drugs' individuals then a lot of this might come off as tumultuous and confusing and weird and odd and, basically, not ur cup of tea..take care and rest that crazy mans' soul.cheers.

Very large!
WHile I was aware that this book was illustrated, I was not aware of the fact that it is huge! I thought it would be an illustrated, regular novel-size book. Instead it's about A3 size, and very heavy.. The pictures are great and all butif I had been aware of the size of this book I probably wouldn't have purchased it.

A Hunter Classic
The Curse of Lono is classic Hunter S. Thompson.Steadman's illustrations bring the twisted story to life in this beautiful coffee table book.A must have for any diehard fan of Gonzo!

An unknown classic
This books is probably the least well-known of HST's books.But it was a very pleasant surprise upon reading it.It is classic Thompson, self-destructive, paranoid, and hilarious.If you take his word for it, you might never visit Hawaii yourself! ... Read more

Amazon.com
This first volume of the correspondence of Hunter S. Thompson begins with a high school essay and runs up through the publication of Thompson's breakout book, Hell's Angels. Thompson apparently never threw a letter away, so the reader has the treat of experiencing the full evolution of his pyrotechnic writing style, rant by rant. The letters--to girlfriends, to bill collectors, to placers of "Help Wanted" ads, to editors and publishers--are usually spiced with political commentary. The style and the political animus always seem to drive each other.For instance, an 11/22/63 letter to novelist and friend William J. Kennedy about the day's cataclysm is apparently the birthplace of the signal phrase "fear and loathing." (Thompson summed up the Kennedy assassination thus: "The savage nuts have shattered the great myth of American decency.") And the willingness to write strangers is stunning: this collection includes Thompson's letter to LBJ seeking appointment to the governorship of American Samoa. You might have thought Garry Trudeau was exaggerating in his Doonesbury characterization of the Thompson-based character Duke. He was not.Book Description
Here, for the first time, is the private and most intimate correspondence of one of America's most influential and incisive journalists--Hunter S. Thompson. In letters to a Who's Who of luminaries from Norman Mailer to Charles Kuralt, Tom Wolfe to Lyndon Johnson, William Styron to Joan Baez--not to mention his mother, the NRA, and a chain of newspaper editors--Thompson vividly catches the tenor of the times in 1960s America and channels it all through his own razor-sharp perspective. Passionate in their admiration, merciless in their scorn, and never anything less than fascinating, the dispatches of The Proud Highway offer an unprecedented and penetrating gaze into the evolution of the most outrageous raconteur/provocateur ever to assault a typewriter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

"debt letter"
i loved this book. i'm pretty new to HST's books having 1st been introduced to his writing thru a friend who gave me a copy of Fear and loathing in las vegas. i didn't know he'd written other works but found that vegas book really funny. i bought a copy of it yrs later. the proud highway is a really interesting look into hunter's life on a daily basis. the "debt letter" on page 114 is hysterical! a great piece of writing. i've framed a copy of it and hung it above my pc. i love reading it.

There's genius and prophecy in this book, it just takes a while to find.
This book, more than anything, collapses under its own weight. I genuinely enjoyed the read, but in retrospect there were too many times when I skipped to the end to see how much longer the book would go. With exhaustive editing it would be a formidable volume, but certain personal and business letters do no benefit to the collection as a whole.

It almost functions as an autobiography... almost. I have a much better understanding of the late Mr. Thompson now, and admire his unhinged style of correspondence, but could have gotten the same point from less letters covering the same period of time. Like any good punk rock band, the shorter the song the better.

The highest points are his moments of prophecy, which I will not ruin for those who plan to read this book. Hunter's ability to identify patterns and apply them to the political arena is astounding, and his observations on such are the best parts of the book.

This is a good read for a patient reader who is rabid about the godfather of gonzo.

Indispensable
As a big fan of Mr Thompson for many years, I became very excited when I heard about this volume. And I was not disapointed when I read it. It is as good as any book he himself has ever written. Although not about any subject in particular, the book tells the story of Hunter S Thompson more interestingly than any biography I've ever read anywhere else. It is also far better than his autobiography "Kingdom of Fear".

It obviously covers a lot of ground, but it never gets boring. Mr Thompsons letters, although not written in the same gonzo style of his books, are still very entertaining and very eloquent. They are obviously more candid, but also a lot less burdened by the "image" of Hunter S Thompson than his post-Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail publications (this is especially true for the second volume of letters, "Fear and Loathing in America"). In his letters, he writes as Hunter Thompson the man, not HST the Legend.

You don't have to be a fan of Hunter S Thompson to enjoy this collection of his correspondings from between 1955 and 1967, but you will love it even more if you've read some of his other works. Then again, people wanting to buy this book are most likely to have read his other works as well.

Higest possible recommendation.

Behind the Curtain?
Although I enjoy much of Thompson's work and think of him as a necessary part of our country, I can't help but feel he only let us behind a curtain he carefully crafted for us to see.

Ranking among the letters of Neal Cassady and...Keats?
The late crusader for the weird, the esteemed Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005), is presented in all of his youthly glory in this very fine collection of his letters written from when he was an eighteen year old young poet sitting in a prison cell while his classmates received their diplomas (I feel almost ashamed that I was able to shout loud with my arms held high, graduating from High School, while the last great writer of American literature never was able to experience such an event when he was young) in 1955 to when he was an outlaw journalist coming into his own, basking in the glory of his recent book, Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs.

The wit in the letters, the euphony, the cadence, the rhythm, it's as if they were written by John Keats (1795-1821) himself. This is Thompson's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man; its just about as good as the Windblown World, the collection of the journals of Jack Kerouac from '47 - '54.

Hunter S. Thompson, the last great poet we shall ever glorify... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Songs of the Doomed
The Grateful Dead coined the phrase, "what a long strange trip it's been." This has been oh so true for Dr. Thompson throughout his writing career, so his book Songs of the Damned, goes to show. A collection of writings done by Thompson giving glimpses, grim memories and bad flash backs, into an eventful and often intoxicated career.
This book stands as a time line for Thompson's literary career. With excerpts from almost all of his books, there is a little bit of something for all of his many different fans. From the Rum Diary, to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which are two of my personal favorites, to Washington politics from the 70's to the 90's. With this book you get little parts of all his books, as well as his letters to editors, and others of numerous magazines. There are a few letters to Colonel Giang of the North Vietnamese PRG, in 1975, in which Dr. Thompson wanted to meet with the Col. I would suggest this book for the die-hard Thompson fan as well as someone who has never read a book by him before, It's full of Thompson's ravings, and the Gonzo journalism that he is known for.

Listening To The Good Doctor
I've been digging the audiobooks version of this book for several years now.Dr.T. is a man who knows his limitations, and so most of the readings are done by people who by standards of technique might be consideredbetter.His own sections are thereby thrown into relief. Repeated listeningsof the "Cherokee Park" segment of "Prince Jellyfish"continue to be a revelation of fictional technique. Makes you want to readthe whole book."Let The Trials Begin" is primo Thompson.

Songs of the Doomed
Follow Dr. Hunter S. Thompson on his manic trail of drugs, degeneracy, and discovery through the sixties, seventies, and into the eighties, a decade he has labeled the "Generation of Swine."The goodDoctor is at it once again, and no one is safe from his hilarious yetamazingly accurate social commentary.Relax and let Thompson fill yourbody and soul with horrible tales from the death of the American Dream andother demoralizing corners of modern life.

Songs of the Doomedcontains Thompson's famous article about the Pulitzer divorce trial,"Bad Craziness in Palm Beach: I Told Her it Was Wrong," which isthe summit of ths poignant book.Dr. Thompson delves into a life reservedfor the seriously rich.A place where "price tags mean nothing andpampered animals are worshiped openly in churches...the rules are differenthere, and the people seem to like it that way...there are bizarre trialsover money occasionally and hideous scandals like a half-mad 80 year-oldheiress trying to marry her teenage Cuban butler."

So relax,enjoy and "Let the good times roll!"

What can I say, it's Hunter!!
Great overview of all his work. Mike should buy it now and never look back!

When the going gets weird, it's never any better than this
HST never ceases to amaze me - since being introduced to the man's work byWarren Ellis' TRANSMETROPOLITAN I have eagerly devoured the good doctor'smany works. Yet none of them can hold a candle to "Songs of theDoomed". If HST were a musician (and he is, on occasion, but Idigress) then this book would be his greatest hits: an easily accessiblecompliation of the greatest "bits" of Gonzo from the past thirtyyears. Excerpts from "The Rum Diary", all the Fear and Loathingbooks, his short stories, his journalistic pieces from South America...even Hunter's fourth amendment battle with the sherrif of Pitkin County(which delayed "Better than Sex" for some time) is mentioned,showing that the Doctor has no shame, nothing to hide but a hell of a lotto tell anyone intelligent enough to listen. ... Read more

Product Description
November 1974PLAYMATE: Bebe BuellCOVER: Claudia JenningsPICTORIALS: "Spec-tacular", features models wearing glasses and little else; Sex in Cinema - 1974 features Linda Lovelace, Clint Eastwood, Susannah York, Roger Moore, Ursula Andress, Patti D'Arbanville, Linda Blair, Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland, Isla Vega, Charlotte Rampling, Alexandra Hay, Rutger Hauer, Carol Kane, Jack Nicholson, Marsha Mason, Lauren Hutton, James Cann, Faye Dunnaway, Mia Farrow, and many more.INTERVIEW: Hunter S. ThompsonFEATURES: 10 articles on Poker, including "Table Talk", a symposium with Milton Berle, Elliott Gould, Jack Lemmon,, Walter Matthau and Telly Savalas; fiction by Ray Russell, "The Charm"; cartoonist Alden Erikson feeatures four pages on "The Aggressive Chick"; Robert Sherill queries our government with "Is Anyone Out There Doing His Job?"; full-page Vargas girl.PAGES: 250 ... Read more

Book Description
The famous inventor of Gonzo journalism portrayed as never before, both his charisma and his adventurous work.

Hunter S. Thompson detonated a two-ton bomb under the staid field of journalism with his early magazine pieces and revelatory "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "Fear and Loathing" campaign coverage in Rolling Stone. When Thompson was on, there was no one better at capturing who Americans were and what America was, be it in politics, at the Kentucky Derby, or in the Hells Angels' lair. William McKeen became friends with Thompson after writing a monograph on his journalism. McKeen now has interviewed many of Thompson's associates who wouldn't speak before, from childhood friends to colleagues, to assistants who sat around the Woody Creek, Colorado, kitchen control room late at night when Thompson did most of his work. McKeen gets behind the drinking and drugs to show the man and the writer—one who was happy to be considered an outlaw but took the calling of journalism as his life. 16 pages of photographs. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (17)

Much better than "When The Going Gets Weird"
I bought this because I am a rabid HST fan and although I knew most of the events in the book, I was surprised that he sometimes physically abused the women in his life. Hunter was from a totally different planet. If you want to scarf everything down by HST, I'd buy it!

Interesting but boring.
I don't remember where I got this book from but it was during a time when I was absorbing as much gonzo journalism as possible. This biography of H.S.T. is well written and would be perfect if one were looking for a balanced profile of the enigma that was Hunter S. Thompson but unfortunately I had just read The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, 1955-1967 which is a collection of letters he wrote. I thought that the letters, which are addressed to everyone from his mother and girlfriends to bill collectors and colleagues, painted a much better picture of H.S.T.'s early life and times. It also gives so much more insight into Thompson's mind that after reading it I didn't feel the need to read another bio. If you have to choose one I wouldn't recommend reading this biography.

Strong Narrative but Dated.
Well, I really enjoyed this biography of the Gonzo Master, but I have to warn potential readers that the work was written in 1994 and was then reissued in 2004. It's narrative ends shortly after 1990, and, had I known this beforehand, I would not have bought the book. This was a bit of a disappointment because the later years of his life are deservant of full chapter treatment--and then some. His suicide is a mystery that cannot be illuminated here so be forewarned. As far as Perry is concerned, the author's perspective is outstanding as he clarifies much of Thompson's enigmatic personality. The sources he selects are also very enlightening. This Fear and Loathing, just like the original, was wonderful, but Perry's tale is not definitive unfortunately.

The Devil is in the details.... superbly crafted !!!!!!!!!
A piece of history... not unforgotten. Details very well documented. Impressive and an amazing writer. Looking forward to the next one.

Where do I start?
This is a fun book, no doubt about it. Granted, it's not Hunter Thompson writing, it's his life story, but it's certainly worth reading up on. The story is really fascinating and I will probably read it again before too long.

I originally bought this book out of necessity, I had to write a mammoth paper on The Good Doctor back in May and was short of sources. This was the best-looking book that I could find on Amazon, and I wasn't dissapointed by the package I recieved, just in the nick of time to read and then write my paper. Without this book, I would have been in trouble. Thank you Mr. Perry for writing this book and thank you Mr. Thompson for the life it documented. RIP Hunter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Exploring the Dark Side of the American Dream
Like most people, the only thing I knew about Hunter S. Thompson was that hewas the author of "Fear and Loating in Las Vegas" and that mostly because I had seen the movie. I then went on to read the book (a long time ago, in a French translation, since that's my mother tongue) and quite liked it. But even with this background, I wasn't sure what I'd find with this book.

I wasn't disappointed. Quite to the contrary. In fact, this is a most well-written book, well researched, very insightful and thought-provoking. Thompson makes very interesting analyses about the relationship between the actual Hell's Angels and the way they are portrayed throughout the media; that alone is worth the interest. Naturally, you also get to know about the Hell's Angels proper.

I especially like how they fit in historically. To put it in simple terms, here's how it'd be: the world after World War II seems to have no idea where to go anymore, and the mix of wasted energy and confused lives led in an existential vacuum brings about self-destructive behaviour. That doesn't sound quite right, because things are way more complicated than this, but that's a model, so don't take it too literally. The Hell's Angels were started shortly after the end of World War II, and many of them were war veterans who couldn't get back to a normal lifestyle. So I think it's fairly legitimate to put it in such a perspective.

As to the book itself, I definitely love Thompson's style. Not only is he clever and witty, he's also hilarious at times, and moving at others. I never once got bored reading this book: it's a pure reader's delight. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Waste of Time and Money
If you really feel the need to buy this, do so. But send it to me with a pair of scissors before you read it. I will send back an abridged edition, far superior to the original. This way you can avoid the disappointment I felt....... I will even return the scissors.

Good for a laugh.
I have to take issue with the other reviewer who called Carroll's attempt at a bio on the un-dooable 'trite'... bollocks.
Yes she tries to emulate her mentor, no it's not as good as Hunter himself. But, the blow by blow accounts arent what one would call lies, as that's what Hunter does best, politics aside. This is a fantastic little book of insights, many of the stories already exist in one form or another, and it's nice to have them in one little compendium. The real stories of his adventures far outweigh the stories told about him, anyway.

Gah!
If you have the misfortune of reading this book do yourself a favor and skip the fictional chapters, they are total rubbish. If E Jean Carroll is "the female answer to Hunter Thompson" than I'm the Queen of England.Her awful attempt at copying Thompsons style comes across as sophmoric and trite.I too recomend Paul Perrys book over this one.

Why is this gem out of print?
My goodness what is this world coming too. This book simply is the greatest. After watching Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I simply had to devour all information I could find on this amazing man, Hunter S. Thompson.

I am so pleased to have found this informative work of art on such a legendary American figure.

Thank you E. Jean! Please never stop authoring books, you are wonderful.

I just hope this book is re-released so others can enjoy it as much as I have.

A Tough Read
I purchased this book keep my HST collection as complete as possible. I've owned it for 3 years and have never finished reading it. I gave it 2 stars out of generosity. Get Paul Perry's book if you can, it's a 6 star book with 5 being the best. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (22)

Excellent Read
Ralph isn't the greatest writer ever born, but I've always enjoyed his books. This books is a great read. I gives a Ralph's eye view of Hunter. I would recommend it to anyone that has read at least 4 Thompson books... If you just read Vegas once because you liked the movie you might want to pass.

Not anything more than a below-average book.
Don't get me wrong, I am no author.In fact, I am no astronaut either.Some things should be left to the pros.'Don't write, Ralph.You'll bring shame on your family.'A pro said that and he was right.

I bought this book hoping to gain some insight into the life of a great journalist, author and legend.What I got instead was a book written by a man desperate to remind us that, without him, there would be no journalist, author or legend.'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas would be nothing without its illustrations.'Balderdash.Reading this book is kind of like going to a family reunion and watching the less coordinated, less handsome, younger brother of the captain of the football team try to catch one of his passes.We all know he has no chance, and we try to be kind as he repeatedly falls on his face.Children are entitled to kindness.Ralph isn't a child so, in this case, let's be honest.This book is poorly written.It is particularly poorly written from a grammatical standpoint (and yeah, the fact that he's Welsh is no excuse). There are times when it is nearly impossible to figure out what the hell he is talking about!Better writing and better editing would have helped a lot.

Of course this book wasn't all bad.In between patting himself on the back, or unnecessarily sounding off on his take on events like Watergate,there are some nuggets of worthwhile information in here.Too bad those nuggets aren't representative of the book as a whole.

So, in the end, do buy this book but buy it used.

Excellent!
What a candid look back on an extrordinary and, at times, very trying friendship. We could all use friends such as Ralph, people who could put up with our worst sides and then still be able to look back on us with some measure of affection.

If you are an HST fan, you must read this book. This is one book that fills in the blanks, the behind the scenes info that you always wonder about after reading HST. We now know as much of the picture as we're ever going to.

I do hope that I am able to meet Ralph Steadman before it's his time. I missed that chance with HST, but with this book you will feel as though you were there the entire time.

Bravo!

Run, Don't Walk
Dear Larry:

If you haven't read it yet, run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore and buy The Joke'sOver, Ralph Steadman's memoir of his chaotic relationship and wild times with Hunter S. Thompson. It's awesome. I knew Steadman was a genius illustrator but I didn't know he could write so evocatively. And what a great topic!The prose reads like a more controlled, saner version of Thompson's own gonzo spume in Fear and Loathing and
his other pieces. You've got to read it.

Dave

Steadman + Thompson = Fun For All!!!
Having been an HST fan for decades now, this book combines many elements
that make this duo a must have for Thompson fans of all levels;think about it:You have the Gonzo genius of Hunter S. Thompson,and the illustrator
of these 'Adventures' not from HST, but the same incidents as viewed by the
one man fortunate(?) enough to go the distance to cover the story.A unique
twist on the escapades of Dr. Gonzo.These two men shared much more than
two people using their collective genius for journalistic purposes;these men
almost seemed(to me) to need each other, and their collective talents to such a bizarre level that these guys in many ways became so influential to more than just a journalistic quest-a pairing so unique that such a combination in all probability will never happen again(unless it
came down to absolute 'ripping off' of the style they created. This book
should be a 'must have' for anyone intelligent enough to see what was really going on.After reading this book, one can finally comprehend
'When the going gets tough, the weird turn pro'. The good Doctor will be sorely missed, but thankfully Ralph Steadman is still around to carry the torch in some way.The world lost a true genius, but the one redeeming
factor is that now the metaphysical has a monster to deal with, and I think HST will derive great pleasure in that!!BUY THIS BOOK;YOU CANNOT
BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!!!!! ... Read more