/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.16978634]

What do you think of the works of Hunter S. Thompson

[Anonymous No.16978676]

Good writer, but also the most overrated writer of all time, particularly in journalism where he seemed to give a lot of reporters the idea that they are interesting and they belong in the story.

[Anonymous No.16978682]

>>16978634
He was a based man, dear child, a based man who loved his country.

One of our greatest losses was when he lost his election for the Sheriff's office in Aspen.

[Anonymous No.16978717]

>>16978634
Looks like one of us.
I like him.

[Anonymous No.16978743]

>>16978634
Hell's Angels was interesting. Found Fear and Loathing a bit boring but probably because I'm not an "omg drugs" romanticising zoomer.

The Great Shark Hunt is interesting because of the parallels that can be drawn between Nixon (who he hated) and Trump from the perspective of someone writing as it was all happening.

[Anonymous No.16978830]

>>16978634
>Thompson. Hunter S. Dislike him. Non-American readers do not realize two things: that not all Americans love Thompson as much as the British do, and that most of those Americans who do, venerate him as a journalist and not as an artist. He was a prophet, a claptrap writer and a slapdash comedian. I admit that some of his scenes, some of his tremendous, farcical rows are extraordinarily amusing.
But his trippy junkies and erudite stoners are not to be endured for one moment—by this reader anyway.
>Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Ghastly rigamarole.

[Anonymous No.16978910]

>>16978743
Fear and Loathing are more about 60s nostalgia than about drugs i think.

[Anonymous No.16978928]

>>16978910
Assuming you're referring to "In Las Vegas," in which case you are correct. However the movie based on the book is a druggie movie, which is where most of the current reputation of the book itself as being a 'druggie book' comes from. There is a good deal of drug use in the book, but the point isn't the drug use, and the high-water-mark section is legitimately well written.

Note also, though, that there is "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail" which is journalistic.

[Anonymous No.16978953]

>>16978910
60s nostalgia and drug use aren't massively separate things. You're right though, it's really just reflections on the 60's. It's an interesting book but I find it pretty undeserving of the praise it gets.

[Anonymous No.16978991]

>>16978830
>venerate him as a journalist and not as an artist
that's where he is wrong. Thompson is only a thing because he was method acting. this makes him the artist.

[Anonymous No.16978994]

>>16978634
Overrated and a broken man who I still love in my heart of hearts, wish he could have been happier

[Anonymous No.16979012]

>>16978928
Yeah i was referring to "In Las Vegas", kinda forgot about "on the Campaign Trail". You are right about the movie, shame they left some really good parts.

[Anonymous No.16979147]

>>16978634
Read all his books. I really like his work, he was an intelligent guy and really knew what was going on. He was also a good writer who could write very engaging stories. But he became too much of a persona in his later years and the drugs really got to him. You can see that in his later works which are mostly just bundels of at the time unpublished material and articles that are nothing compared to his earlier work. You can tell that those where published just for making some money.

Hell’s Angels, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Fear and Loathing in the Campaing Trail and The Great Shark hunt are his best work and if you want to read Thompson you should read those.

The Rum Diary and Curse of Lono are also worth Reading but the rest of his work. The other Gonzo Papers, Kingdom of Fear etc have some good/entertaining stuff but are mostly not worth it. I would only suggest reading them it you really like his work, but the will disappoint.

[Anonymous No.16980475]

bump

[Anonymous No.16980518]

>>16978634
Interesting writer who had such a strong personality that, unfortunately, he's become a cliche