Fear and Loathing: The Strange and Terrible Saga of Hunter S. Thompson

by Paul Perry

Book Overview

The first biography of Gonzo journalist and American legend Hunter S. Thompson. Perry chronicles Thompson's evolution from his early years as a young hell-raiser through the birth of Gonzo journalism, his mysterious eight-year hiatus, and the continuing saga of his outlaw existence. 30 photos. National radio and TV coverage.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1560250127
• ISBN13: 9781560250128
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

"I said it was a rumor to that effect.I made up the rumor.

Just finished this great unauthorized biography of HST.After having read several of HST's books,I was curious as to what he was really like and what made him tick.I am also a long time fan of Trudeau's Doonesbury and see the obvious similarities between the Duke and HST.Though a very enjoyable read, HST still remains as mysterious as ever.Maybe Perry has told us everything possible,and we might just as well accept him at face value. We're not ever likely to find out from the Dr. himself,whether he even knows or much less cares.The book gives us a lot of insight into his women folk and some of his cohorts.I use the word cohort because from this book I got the feeling that the idea of a friend is very different in the mind of HST.The most curious character that comes out in the book is Ralph Steadman.,the artist who seems to be cut from the same log as Hunter.It is definately a shame that about 20 or so of his drawings were not included.The cover certainly whets one's appetite for more.Anyone who has read a HST book should really like Perry,s book. A late note!!! The Doctor died on Feb 20,2005. Rolling Stone Magazine has devoted practically its entire March 24,2005 issue to Hunter S. Thompson.A "must have" for any fan. agazine

A worthy history of Gonzo and the good Doctor

This unauthorized biography artfully captures the life and times of Hunter S. Thompson, the father of Gonzo journalism. It covers his early years in Kentucky, his early life as a foreign correspondant and his later collaboration with the artist Ralph Steadman.The book generally presents Thompson is a positive light, but it doesn't pull punches in how Hunter treated his wives, or the fictional aspects of Gonzo journalism. Indeed, he cites examples of "If it's not true, it should be" and where Hunter writes the most truthful political articles, even if they are not the most accurate. Indeed, much of the biography is about how Hunter inserts himself into the story, in essence creating it. This act of "the observer impacting the observed" is both a key problem with science, and a key pillar of Gonzo journalism.After reading the book, you will in turn read his other works with more insight. Where does the author come from? How much is fact versus fiction? What is his spiritual link with Hemmingway? I hope you enjoy the answers as much as I have.The one weak point is that the book has aged. Hunter S. Thompson has re-emerged in the past several years with more brushes with the law (shooting his assistant) and a job writing for ESPN magazine. It would have been interesting to get Mr. Perry's viewpoints on this.

Awesome Perspective

This is an excellent book, one that I am glad is not written in the gonzo style.Hunter's life is dissected and examined by Perry, who did a thoughtful and insightful work.If you want gonzo, read Hunter, he is the only one who can write that way. If you want to read about gonzo and the mind behind it, this is your read.