Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’m quite amazed that these guys managed to stay alive after all these drugs! Seriously, with a book like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, in which you can’t tell what’s true, what’s not and what true event inspired what slight exaggeration, one of the key facts is that, knowing at the very least my own sensitivity to mind- and mood-altering substances, the duos adventure (especially their eating mescaline as if it was Tic-Tac), lookd completely surreal; I wouldn’t have lasted half as much, not by a longshot! What also disappointed me was that a lot of the little background details won’t make sense to anyone who: 1) didn’t live through the ’60s and ’70s, 2) isn’t from the US and 3) both 1) & 2). Of course, you could say that about any work that acts a reflection and representation of its zeitgeist.
Still, Fear and Loathing was a fun read. I could listen to the protagonist’s internal dialogue, something which wasn’t as pronounced as in the film. On the other hand, the film was also decent if only because of the visual aspect of it, which was good food for flighty and trippy thought on its own.
All in all, I’d suggest watching the film first and then, maybe, trying the book, if only just to see the different perspective.
Have a look: would you believe that is Johnny Depp? Holy shiat.