Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone: The Essential Hunter S. Thompson

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Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone: The Essential Hunter S. Thompson

4.08 of 5 stars 4.08 · rating details · 370 ratings · 50 reviews

From Hunter S. Thompson's first piece for Rolling Stone--the story of his infamous run for sheriff of Aspen in 1970--to his last--an examination of the Kerry/Bush showdown in 2004--FEAR AND LOATHING AT ROLLING STONE presents more than 40 examples of his best work. Thompson takes us on a roller-coaster ride filled with the likes of McGovern and Nixon, Watergate and Vietnam,...more

Hardcover, 512 pages

Published by Little Brown and Company (first published October 25th 2011)

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Apr 10, 2012 Rory Feehan rated it 1 of 5 stars

I have been eagerly looking forward to this book, as have a lot of people, ever since it first appeared on the horizon over three years ago. Originally slated for release in November 2008, it suddenly vanished off the radar as quickly as it had appeared, with no explanation whatsoever from the publisher. Having finally received a copy of this book before Christmas, all I can say is that it is a pity it didn’t remain in the wilderness for good. In short this book is an utter disgrace.

I cannot fat...more I have been eagerly looking forward to this book, as have a lot of people, ever since it first appeared on the horizon over three years ago. Originally slated for release in November 2008, it suddenly vanished off the radar as quickly as it had appeared, with no explanation whatsoever from the publisher. Having finally received a copy of this book before Christmas, all I can say is that it is a pity it didn’t remain in the wilderness for good. In short this book is an utter disgrace.

I cannot fathom what Jann Wenner was thinking when he decided to publish this book. You might of course be wondering why on earth I would have this opinion? This is of course perfectly reasonable, given Hunter’s long and illustrious history with Rolling Stone, the publication in which his greatest work appeared. Yet reason had little to do with this latest offering.

In what can only be described as a decision of breathtaking arrogance, Jann Wenner, with the help of Paul Scanlon, decided to severely edit Hunter’s original prose. I am not just talking about taking excerpts from the original articles – that might actually have been a sensible move considering the length of some of his work. Instead however, what is contained in the pages of this collection can only be described as a kind of horrific experiment gone wrong, FrankenGonzo if you like, starring Jann Wenner as the crazed creator holed away in a workshop of filthy creation. The result of his efforts of course is a creature of monstrous ugliness.

It is hard not to form this impression when you see the heavy handed dissection of Hunter’s work. The original flow of his writing is all but destroyed, with paragraph after paragraph hacked away in favour of this new re-imagined beast. Take Strange Rumblings in Aztlan for example, the entire first page or so has vanished in favour of an opening line that comes from the middle of a paragraph on the second page of the original article. Actually, what Wenner does here is to combine two of Hunter’s sentences into a shorter opening statement. So basically the first sentence you read never even really existed in that form. Of course, Wenner might point to a letter from Hunter, dated February 10th 1971, in which Hunter questions the editing of the piece and admits that the chronology is scrambled. However, there is nothing that justifies the crazed butchery that takes place with the remainder of the material in this book.

Apart from The Battle of Aspen and a section from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, what is presented as “The Essential Hunter S. Thompson”, is in fact quite the opposite. There is absolutely no point to this collection at all. Why would anyone want an edited version of Hunter’s original prose? It is like taking Hamlet and deciding to edit out the soliloquies, or releasing a new version of Gonzo: The Art by Ralph Steadman with a new colour scheme selected by Jann Wenner. I also find it amusing that Wenner decided to include Mistah Leary, He Dead, Hunter’s obituary for Timothy Leary, which he describes as “a proper RS send-off”. The original article was published in issue 740, August 8th 1996. If you have trouble finding it in that issue that is because it was buried away in the letters section, as if submitted by a reader. Funny how time changes a person’s perspective. (Personally I always liked the piece and was baffled at its original location in issue 740)

As for Fear and Loathing at the Super Bowl it is so heavily edited the only explanation I can think of is that Wenner turned the article over to a bunch of giddy interns who had just discovered the delete button. It is utterly unrecognizable.

To make matters worse, Jann Wenner’s feeble attempt to explain away this thoroughly misguided quackery is nothing short of an insult to Hunter’s loyal readers.

“I’ve always thought that Hunter had, in a sense, written his own autobiography in the pages of Rolling Stone, and that if there was a way to take his collected work and edit it properly, there would emerge a narrative of Hunter’s great and wild life, a story about himself, who was, after all, his own greatest character.”

Let is all take a moment to bow down to this genius revelation courtesy of Jann Wenner. Where would we be without the blessing of his visionary insight into Hunter’s life and work? I for one am thankful that he could spare a minute to take Hunter’s work and “edit it properly”, and yes I mean a minute. There is no other way that you could explain this drivel.

Ok in closing all I will say is this. Don’t waste your hard earned money on this book, if you want to read the essential Hunter S. Thompson, then pick up The Gonzo Papers Anthology or The Great Shark Hunt. At least you will have Hunter’s original work, unblemished as he intended.

* - Rory Feehan runs Totallygonzo.org - The Hunter S. Thompson Community and is currently undertaking a PhD on Hunter S. Thompson at Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, Ireland. (less)

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Mar 25, 2012 Gary rated it 4 of 5 stars

HST, along with Ken Kesey, Ed Abbey, Richard Farina, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, is yet another of my dead heroes. Athough I do not sport a Gonzo tattoo, I am a fan. Having said that, unless you,too, are a die-hard fan, Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone may not be a book you want to read cover to cover in one sitting. To avoid overdose, it may be better to pace yourself, sampling a little at a time, interspaced by maybe something lighter.

It was particularly interesting to read Thompson's a...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Robert Delikat rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, fiction, historical-fiction

Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone: The Essential Writing of Hunter S. Thompson is a book that is basically just that. It was in the early 70’s that I first met HST. We used to hang out, smoke a little weed, do a few lines then drop some blotter and discuss the political chicanery going on in Washington or just the basic fuckedupedness of world affairs in general. Vietnam was grist for our mill back then. Ol’ Tricky Dick, being the easy target that he was, had a great deal to be said and written...more Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone: The Essential Writing of Hunter S. Thompson is a book that is basically just that. It was in the early 70’s that I first met HST. We used to hang out, smoke a little weed, do a few lines then drop some blotter and discuss the political chicanery going on in Washington or just the basic fuckedupedness of world affairs in general. Vietnam was grist for our mill back then. Ol’ Tricky Dick, being the easy target that he was, had a great deal to be said and written about him. Man, those were some wild times. Crazy..., as messed up as we thought Nixon was back then, how we wished for him back years later when a particular "W" winds up stealing the While House. Man and we thought some cheap, hotel break-in was bad. Shit!

I remember HST telling me about how he met Clarence Thomas on a road trip with these two hookers...

And that’s my rather feeble attempt at Gonzo Journalism. The inimitable writing style that made Hunter S. Thompson so unique and absolutely brilliant. Actually, inimitable back then but not so much now. Gonzo journalism is a style of journalism that is written without claims of objectivity. The reporter is part of the story by way of a first-person narrative. Some of his stories, as mine above, are so outrageously fantastic that they often defy belief but contain elements of truth only in hyperbole that cannot be denied.

The real truth is that I met Hunter S. Thompson in the pages of Rolling Stone (never had the honor in person) in the 70’s and subscribed to that periodical only to read his writings. Journalists are supposed to be objective but objective journalism, as HST has said, is a contradiction in terms, an oxymoron. Fox News stands out today as the paragon of that contradiction but even PBS’s bias these days is only thinly veiled. So give it up, don’t be a hypocrite. Let it all hangout like Limbaugh and Beck. Be who you are and twist and crank the reporting of reality anyway you like, just don’t call it objective (or even real) .

With HST, this was easy reading for me. I adored the guy. To me, he was a true American hero. He was saying things in public not so many people had the guts to say in private. FaLaRS is not only essential Hunter S. Thompson, it is essential reading period. I would like to say that I don’t care what side of the political spectrum you sit, you will laugh your ass off reading this book. But that is probably not the case. Liberals might actually tear-up a little also because they too see the good doctor’s sense of reality. Conservatives, lacking any sense of humor, will probably deny the truth of any of what he had to say and dismiss it all as the ramblings of a drug-crazed maniac.

There’s a lot of talk about drugs here; not so much about sex or rock and roll. There’s mostly politics that is as relevant today as it was between the years of Nixon and George W. Bush, the span of the book. There’s a wonderful part in the book about HST and Mohamed Ali and other parts as well about other sports figures that are priceless.

I absolutely loved this book. There was not a moment that I was not completely entertained by it. It was totally bittersweet and not because HST had the ability to turn the most tragic times in our recent history into something hilarious but because Hunter S. Thompson is no longer with us. And I miss him like crazy.

The narration of this Brilliance Audio production was by Phil Gigante, a better narrator to tell the story of Hunter S. Thompson they probably could not have found. I could not recommend a book more highly. (less)

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Jul 20, 2012 Christopher Rex rated it 3 of 5 stars

HST is best taken in small doses. This is a 500pp. beast of a book. I don't recommend reading it cover-to-cover unless you want HST Burnout. Leave by the side of the bed or the crapper or wherever you read and pick it up from time to time.

The book is a collection of HSTs political (and other) writings spanning some 40 years, though the bulk is dedicated to the Nixon-Ford-Carter years. There are also some copies of correspondence between HST and Rolling Stone magazine, but these added very little...more

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Jun 05, 2012 John rated it 5 of 5 stars

Bookended with some weaker material struggling for a style, the meat of this is a long account of the fall of Nixon. Thompson's insights on the campaign trail in 1972 would prove on target as Watergate unfolded and chased the President from office. Much of his topical considerations of a weak primary contest reflects well on this year's Republican contests. Excellent pieces on Mohammed Ali and Roxanne Pulitzer, each at the tipping point into decline, show Thompson moving more into the role of ob...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Anthony Mathenia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone collects Hunter S. Thompson's multi-decade work for the title music magazine. The majority of the book is made up of Hunter's political writing and includes his expansive "On the Campaign Trail" coverage the 1972 Democrat candidate nomination and the presidential election. During the course of the coverage an optimism for the political process, and specifically the McGovern ticket, ends with a jaded letdown as evil Nixon triumphs. Hunter's most scathing, and hi...more Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone collects Hunter S. Thompson's multi-decade work for the title music magazine. The majority of the book is made up of Hunter's political writing and includes his expansive "On the Campaign Trail" coverage the 1972 Democrat candidate nomination and the presidential election. During the course of the coverage an optimism for the political process, and specifically the McGovern ticket, ends with a jaded letdown as evil Nixon triumphs. Hunter's most scathing, and hilarious, words are reserved for Nixon. Even after the ex-president's death, Hunter pulls no punches in a eulogy entitled "He Was a Crook":

"If the right people had been in charge of Nixon's funeral, his casket would have been launched into one of those open-sewage canals that empty into the ocean just south of Los Angeles. He was a swine of a man and a jabbering dupe of a president. Nixon was so crooked that he needed servants to help him screw his pants on every morning. Even his funeral was illegal. He was queer in the deepest way. His body should have been burned in a trash bin."

Other favorites of mine include "Fear and Loathing in Elko" and "Polo is my Life". "Elko" is a short story which purports to be a true run-in with Judge Clarence Thomas. The audacious piece includes a traffic collision with a herd of sheep, a police shoot-out, and general delinquency on the part of "the Judge". "Polo is my Life" is a segment from an unreleased Hunter novel, which captures the general insanity of the professional polo circuit.

As a writer, I also enjoyed reading Hunter's correspondence with Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner. The letters show, not only the genesis of many of Hunter's pieces, but also of the two's professional relationship.

One thing should be noted about this collection. Many who are familiar with these stories as they originally appeared in Rolling Stone have said that these works have been heavily edited (if not "butchered") by Wenner. If so, that is a disgrace. However, since I'm new to Hunter's works, I'm unable to make such an assessment. I can only judge what I read, and I can say that I found these pieces extremely entertaining and enlightening. I'm in awe if better versions exist out there.

(less)

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Apr 07, 2012 William Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-american, bat-shit-crazy, history

Like most people my age, I know about HST because of the movie adaptation of 'Fear and Loathing' where he is portrayed capably by Johnny Depp (probably the last good movie he appeared in). I must have watched that damn movie 100 times and could probably still recite all the lines without having seen it in years. I thought it was absolutely hilarious when i was younger, and as I gre older I saw it for something more than a comedy. I started seeing through all of the drugged out interludes into th...more Like most people my age, I know about HST because of the movie adaptation of 'Fear and Loathing' where he is portrayed capably by Johnny Depp (probably the last good movie he appeared in). I must have watched that damn movie 100 times and could probably still recite all the lines without having seen it in years. I thought it was absolutely hilarious when i was younger, and as I gre older I saw it for something more than a comedy. I started seeing through all of the drugged out interludes into the heart of a fringe opinion of America. It wasn't until later that I''d read the actual book, and for years, I knew HST only as a comedic genius with a style like Lenny Bruce. At the time, I would have been skeptical of anyone likening HST to Tom Wolfe.

Now, as an adult, I know that they are in fact cut from the same cloth. Although Tom Wolfe looks like a straight-laced square with too much money and too much time on his hands who gets in and out of limos for a living, his 'New Journalism' cut to the core of America and lampooned, criticized and recorded what he felt was history. Most at the time wouldn't have considered his work as history- many now probably still don't- but there is no denying that it is American History. HST is right there with him, turning the new journalism into American History, accessible and biased from a completely different perspective than we're used to.

Not all of the essays here are worth reading, and not all of them are completely relevant. The'72 campaign and all of the details about McGovern and Humphrey has become obsolete, lost in the annals of history and long, long forgotten even by its own participants. The bulk of the essays in this volume, though, show us the keen eye of a master observer and a complete understanding of those he was observing. To think that these essays were published in Rolling Stone magazine boggles my mind. At one time Rolling Stone must have taken itself very seriously as a source of news and politically relevant commentary, instead of a hype rag for bloated rock-n-roll musicians. Reading this book is like taking a tour of America through the eyes of HST and it is worth every penny you pay to see the sights. Tom Wolfe said that HST was a modern Twain. He wasn't kidding. It's too true.(less)

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Feb 08, 2012 Taffy rated it 5 of 5 stars

A necessary read for Hunter fanatics. This book goes many layers deep into revealing what an irreplaceable , no holds barred gonzo journalist & author he was. His '72 presidential campaign ramblings ring ridiculously true to what we are facing in 2012. For example, when comparing McGovern & Nixon, Thompson states " Jesus! where will it end? How low do you have to stoop in this country to be president?" .
It was such a pleasure to read a book that emboldened perfect strangers to approach...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Gus Sanchez rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: essays, non-fiction, politics-and-current-events

In Hunter S. Thompson, Rolling Stone magazine found a voice that legitimized the periodical from its' earliest musical journal trappings. In Rolling Stone, Hunter S. Thompson found himself the perfect home from which to fire off breathtaking, foul-mouthed, drug-fueled, and superbly crafted missives against the political and social monsters slowly destroying the American Dream he still believed in. Clearly, the magazine and writer found kindred spirits within one another, forging a mutually benef...more

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May 07, 2012 Mick rated it 3 of 5 stars

I remember laughing at Hunter's books years ago. His gonzo stories may have been funnier back then, perhaps I've aged and mellowed. The dope and drugs don't humor me anymore, but the outrageous stories are still hilarious. Occasionally his stories are right on target. One of my favorite quotes is, "But the prevailing attitude among journalists with enough status to work presidential campaigns is that all politicians are congenial thieves and liars." Damn, this will never change.

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Feb 19, 2013 Post Defiance added it

Shelves: nonfiction

Originally posted at http://postdefiance.com/literary-gift..., written by Sweet Pea Flaherty.

Thompson made his name writing masterpieces, like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Rum Diary, but made his literary home at Rolling Stone, writing for the magazine for more than three decades. This book collects his best writings, including previously unpublished correspondence between Thompson and his editor.

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Oct 22, 2012 Celeste rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If there is one writer who can make politics interesting, it's Hunter Thompson. A good chunk of the pieces chosen for this anthology are from Fear & Loathing on the Campaign Trail, about the presidential race in 1972, and I thought it would be fairly dull subject matter. On the contrary, it was a nice history lesson and gave me a peek into the mad craziness of the 1968 Democratic Convention, the assassination of Robert Kennedy, and that devious crook Nixon. It's made even more relevant toda...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Great insight, or at least as close as one my get, to seeing the inside of Hunter's real life. Fun to read once, and it will be fun to go back and re-read excerpts. I'm an HST fan, so I thoroughly enjoyed this, but it might take a fan to hold interest through 500+ pages of what amounts to a collection of nearly unrelated short stories.

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Jun 11, 2012 Az rated it 5 of 5 stars

I like this because it's Hunter. And because I've had my head far too deep into the news lately. Between the presidential election, the goings on in Tunisia, Syria, and everywhere else (and me paying far too much attention to them)...this was perfect.

It might not be later. But it was perfect for now.

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Oct 01, 2012 furious rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: NO ONE!

WARNING!

this book of HEAVILY edited/butchered HST material represents the latest disgusting attempt by the vile pig fucker Jann Wenner to suck cash out of the Good Doctor's corpse. this is the shameless desecration of Art by a greedheaded whoreson with no modicum of human decency.

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Jan 05, 2013 Todd Dial rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While I still rate "The Great Shark Hunt" the best collection of his work, this collection is a must have. It collects only his pieces from Rolling Stone and contains his brilliant Nixon obit and "Fear and Loathing In Elko", one of his best pieces.

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Mar 01, 2012 Cherie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

A-/B+ Some of the writings of HST that were published in RS. Some of the things were quite outdated and not as interesting to me (super political) but really hilarious, he has great POV and I love his ridiculous attitude!

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Feb 06, 2012 Kimberly rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is an excellent collection of Thompson's stories that were published in Rolling Stone magazine. Along with unpublished memos and letters between Thompson and Jann Wenner, the book is a great read and resource for Thompson fans and scholars.

I read a library copy, but plan to purchase a copy for my library.

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Jun 24, 2012 Artie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a bit like those infamous Jimi Hendrix re-issues. If you're a fan you've probably already read most of the good stuff, but there are few nuggets of interest.

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Nov 14, 2011 Philip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hunter S. Thompson is the single most important political writer in my lifetime. His perspective is just as explosively wild as modern capitalistic Republican logic.

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Dec 07, 2012 Israel Rogers rated it 3 of 5 stars

Skimmed it. If your a super fan there isn't much in here you haven't read already. And it's all edited to hell. Couldn't find anything new so back to the library it goes.

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Mar 12, 2012 Daniel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Not that i am unbiased....since I love Hunter's prose. The section about Clarence Thomas is worth the price of the book all by itself!

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Aug 15, 2012 Mike Randall rated it 5 of 5 stars

An epic, essential collection from the most unique voice in the history of American journalism. Every word is shot from a gun.

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Jan 15, 2012 John Dziennik rated it 5 of 5 stars

He was an astonishing writer and journalist. It's too bad he believed his made up persona was invincible. Very worth reading and maybe buying.

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May 05, 2012 Dean Brodhag rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was my first Thompson read an d my last. It brought back the gonzo journalism of the 60's and 70's

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Jan 27, 2012 Lyn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-book, didn-t-like-didn-t-finish

Sadly, not my cup of tea.......not big on biographies, which I didn't realize this was. Onward....

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Jan 06, 2013 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

Interesting cat for sure. Enjoyed hearing all of his articles and the letters behind a lot of them.

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Sep 09, 2012 Bryan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio

Phil Gigante's Thompson is spot on, that's what really brought this volume to life.

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Aug 28, 2012 Todd rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: audible

Always a great ride with Hunter!

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Apr 13, 2012 Raimo Wirkkala rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The "essential" of the title is very true. Jann S. Wenner has done a terrific job of compiling Thompson's best writing for RS into this one volume. It made me smile and laugh-out-loud to revisit classic pieces like his eulogy to Richard Nixon and to go back in time with his articles about the '72 presidential campaign. We miss you, Hunter!

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About Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author, famous for his book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to such a degree that they become the central figures of their stories. He is also known for his promotion and use of psychedelics and other mind-altering substanc...more

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Books by Hunter S. Thompson

Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72

The Great Shark Hunt: Strange Tales from a Strange Time

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“I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feeling for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright ... or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I ... and I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can bteween the high spots.” — 15 people liked it

“Reality itself is too twisted.” — 5 people liked it

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