– Customer review on 21/11/2007

Just to balance out the moronic, illiterate review below/above. I mean, if you're going to describe something as 'incomprehensible' you should at least spell it correctly. Even when it's not. Incomprehensible that is. And it's not. Incomprehensible. Though this is rapidly becoming so.

No, as this edition suggests, it is indeed a modern classic. This is chiefly due to the sheer exuberance of the writing, which is as visceral, engaging and humorous as Thompson ever got. But he was in his prime when he penned this, which goes some way to explaining the sustained ideas that permeate F&L, as opposed to the more fractured nature of his later work. This is a trip from beginning to end, a kaleidoscopic view of America seen through the unique and highly penetrating gaze of the author.

And so it's not purely that energy that F&L's reputation is built on, it's HST's insights into his country's crumbling spirit. This was why his writing was so influential at the time - he was amongst the first to recognise that malaise, which it's still in the midst of.

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas stands almost alone when it comes to first person, subjective journalism (Wolfe's The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test and Thompson's own Hell's Angels are two other's that come to mind). But it transcends that, becoming the perfect hybrid of first person reportage and fictional technique. And further, it is infected with an acidic, brutal humor that should appeal to anyone with blood still running through their veins.

– Customer review on 29/07/2011

5 Stars just doesn't cut it! This is one of the most well written drug stories of all time. Thompson writes with such unique flare and incredible insight into drug culture, it is impossible not to get sucked into the story. I have read this book more times than I can say, I never get sick of it. A must have for any contemporary library.

– Customer review on 17/04/2011

Wow, okay, uh.

This book took me less than a day to read. That's a good place to start.

And, uh, the beginning sucked me in. Yes, the beginning was great. Really threw you into the middle of it all, and you knew this was going to be crazy, and it was going to be non-linear and it was going to segue into a whole range of topics and ideas that told you straight away that Thompson had to be on something while he wrote it.

But maybe I'm missing something.

Yes, it was out-landish, and what got me to read it was Johnny Depp's portrayal of Duke, but maybe I'm just missing something. I didn't get it. Did I like it? Sure, of course. Did I enjoy it? Yes, otherwise I wouldn't have read it so fast. But did I get it? No. And maybe it's not meant to be got. But it's not my cup of tea.

– Customer review on 10/01/2010

Nobody writes like Hunter S Thompson - nobody! This book is an amazing snapshot of a point in time, as the rebellious spirit of the 60s ebbed away, and the seriousness of the 70s have kicked in. It defies all the sensibilities of today's societies, but one must remember it wasn't written today.

– Customer review on 06/04/2009

Really good book, especially if you are a fan of Hunter S Thompson.

– Customer review on 10/02/2009

Thompson is the father of Gonzo journalism and Fear and Loathing is a must read for those interested in writing and journalism, if only for the mythology and awe that surrounds it. However, I found the book overhyped. Am I supposed to be impressed by the glorification of drug use, or the disgusting and at times sexist behavior of the two male protagonists? The book is undoubtedly well-written, but ultimately soulless.

– Customer review on 30/04/2007

Hunter S. Thompson's 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' is a raving, incomprahensible mess. It's comments on the American Dream being lost are just stating the obvious. If you're wanting to read this book after seeing the film, it may be best to avoid instead - seeing close-up shots of vomit are bad enough, let alone having to read paragraph long descriptions of it.