First off, I've seen the movie a few times. I hate reading a book AFTER I've seen the movie because the whole time I am imagining the actors and scenery from the movie instead of creating my own in my head based on the author's descriptions.
With that said, the movie was so incredibly much like the book Which says a lot for the people who made the movie, they kept true to the book.
I liked it a lot. Mostly because the mayhem Hunter and his attorney get into is so incredibly ridiculous and drug induced, I kept turning pages to see what the hell they would get into next! I love the style of his writing as well, it's just like as if he were talking to you and telling you the story. No censoring, no bullshit, just straight facts of the situation. The whole time I kept thinking that I would have passed out or ODed if I did the amount of drugs and drinking they were. There were also some crazy illustrations throughout the book that I love. Very creepy but awesome at the same time.
I definitely recommend the book.
Plus there were two other short stories at the end. One about a Chicano in CA who was killed by cops in the 70's and the conspiracy that surrounded it. Also a true story. That was a good read because it was COMPLETELY different than Fear & Loathing yet Thompson's Gonzo reporting is very evident. It's just an entirely different and sad story.
The second was about him covering the Kentucky Derby, that was mostly just funny. Old southern men, drunk and horses. How could it not be funny?!
I've had the Gonzo book for a few years and never read it. I bought it for an ex whose mother also bought it for him so I just took my copy back and never returned it. I might really read it now!
Anyone else read Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas? What were your thoughts?
3 comments:
Hi Jamie! Thanks for your sweet comment on my blog - I just wrote you a book-length comment back (no pun intended)! :) I loved reading your post - reviewing books is so much fun. So often after I finish a good book I'm just busting at the seams to talk to someone about it, and since often no one else has read the same book, I turn to Goodreads or my blog to write a review - such a great release! I haven't read this particular book, but I totally agree with your sentiments about books versus movies. Books are always 100,000x better than movies (no matter how well-done the movies are), and I always prefer to read a book first and watch the movie after. A great example of this is "Gone with the Wind" (my favorite book of all time to date) - I've seen the movie tons of times, and while it is truly amazing, the book is shockingly different in many places and SO much better than the movie. Sometimes seeing the movie first can kill my motivation to read a book, too. What are you planning to read next?
I've never actually seen OR read Gone with the Wind. I think I am going to put that on my list of To Reads! In our book club we are now reading "Unbroken". I'm only a few pages in and I'm hooked. It's about a fighter pilot in WWII who's plane crashes in the Pacific and they are there for 27 days!! It's a true story and I have a bit of a soft spot for true war stories.
Oh wow that sounds awesome! I might have to add it to my "to read" list, too, haha! My hubby and I just started watching "The Pacific," which is a mini-series about WWII - I bet you'd like it. I also went to Barnes & Noble last night and got "The Shadow of the Wind" - can't WAIT to get started! :)
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