(no subject)

[katallison]

HST's suicide leaves me feeling gut-punched. Oddly, not really *surprised*--I never saw him expiring peacefully in bed, or anything. But shocked, and kind of old and emptied out, and deeply sad.

Comments

Hunter S. Thompson

[bimo.livejournal.com]

Due to the transatlantic gap, I didn't realize any of HST's relevance until one of our weekly news magazines featured an obituary. (translate: just another proof of what a poor excuse for a cultural scientist I am *g*)

I would love to read some of his work, but have absolutely no idea where to start. Is there anything you would recommend?

Re: Hunter S. Thompson

[katallison.livejournal.com]

I'd say Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which is pretty much quintuple-distilled essence of HST. (Do *not* watch the movie first--in fact, I'd say [unless you are a fanatic Johnny Depp completist] do not watch the movie ever, because it's pretty terrible.) Alternatively, The Great Shark Hunt is a collection of shorter pieces, and while it doesn't have the sustained, cumulative brutal frenzy of F&LinLV, it does have his short piece on the Kentucky Derby, which is a classic.

My favorite work of Thompson's is actually Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail, but it's going to be much less accessible for someone who doesn't have a good working knowledge of the American political scene circa 1972. *g*

Re: Hunter S. Thompson

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

I disagree about the film, offhand; it's got its problems, but I think it gets a lot of the rhythm of the language and I like the way it ultimately takes responsibility for its own excesses.