Fear and Loathing

Over this weekend I finished reading Hunter S. Thompsons masterwork: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey To The Heart of the American Dream. I loved every second reading this book. It's a debauched lurid tale of two men, Raoul Duke a doctor of journalism and Dr. Gonzo a doctor of law as well as an ample prankster. The book is too much of everything and yet it's still not enough. Everything about is fierce and funny, the book may seem stupid because of the obvious mass amount of narcotics taken to write it, but don't be fooled... it's genius. The tale represents the peace, love and music of the 60's and it's hard transition to the drugs, sex and rock n' roll of the 70's. The men in the book are pure evil, men who relish hurting others and laughing about it, all while visiting an anti-narcotics seminar. The men do many wrong things including taking a couple on a meth induced joy ride, eating the adrenal gland of a former living person, drugging a defenseless woman and fooling the cleaning lady of the Flamingo Hotel into thinking that they are two narcotics officers, to explain the drugs on the floor. The book has pieces that are incoherent and odd, but when it hits it's stride and becomes un-put-downable. Without any suspense, or mystery Thompson has crafted a novel that is a complete page turner that even though it reflects a bygone era it could easily take place in 2009.