On my list for many years, I finally got around to reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Hunter Thompson's, classic 1971 book that started the idea of "gonzo journalism." While a famous book that shocked readers at the time (and led to a mediocre movie decades letter), I struggled to enjoy the book as much as I hoped.
I'm not sure if I've read a book quiet like this; though I am not sure it's a compliment. As I did some digging after finished, I learned that this story included a mix of fact and fiction. Shared from the first person narrative of the author, the story is a mix of real life events and fictional additions. And while this would sound like an engaging read, I struggled with the content of the story. To be frank, the book is incredibly explicit as it has atrocious language, constant and detailed drug references, and many examples of violence and sexual exploits. The plot in the book is quite limited and vaguely about a journalist needing to be in Vegas to report on a racing event (though, in part 2, hanging around to join an anti-drug conference).
Unlike my previous review which piqued my interest and made me want to watch the film based on the novel, I had no such interest here. While it was made into a major motion picture in 1998, between the content of the story and the poor reviews of the movie, I had no interest in watching. Ultimately, I think my dislike is based on my inability to feel connected or even care about the characters. While the story is somewhat interesting, this book is really detailing how to take drugs and how people feel on drugs. Further, it covers many drugs I was not even aware of. I literally had to Google many of the drugs referenced. In addition, there was a monotony about how the characters dealt with their drug use that became boring quickly into the story. On occasion, I would find myself somewhat interested in the characters escapades, but the author could rarely keep an interesting storyline going without defaulting back to details about a drug trip.
With all that being said, I can appreciate the novel for what it is. I understand that it was a commentary about the '60s and parts of that generation. I get that Thompson was trying to offer viewpoints about a multitude of issues. His hate of Nixon, the misunderstanding from many about the ills of using drugs, the problems with capitalism, what is the real goal of the "American Dream", etc. And even though I understand those items, I simply didn't find myself enjoying the book. And while I am happy I read it (and it was short), I am not confident I can endorse it strongly to others.
