Great Shark Hunt (Gonzo Papers) Review

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Great Shark Hunt (Gonzo Papers) ReviewHere's one book which collects, in scores of stories and articles spanning a few hundred pages, every facet of Hunter S. Thompson's career, in which he seamlessly transitioned from staid Air Force newspaper writer to roaming correspondent for the now-defunct _National Observer_ to edgy compatriot of the Hell's Angels to full-bore, drug-addled gonzo journalist. And everything inbetween, to boot.
Nowhere else is the richness of Thompson's talent so fully illustrated than in _Shark Hunt_. Here, in "The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved," a chronicle of the yearly madness in Thompson's hometown of Louisville, the reader experiences the earliest rumblings of what would later become a totally unique journalistic style that he further developed in "Fear and Loathing at the Super Bowl," also found here.
We are also treated to assorted dispatches from Thompson's travels throughout North and South America, written when he was a roaming correspondent for Dow Jones' _National Observer._ Here the true skill and power of Thompson's writing becomes apparent -- an observation both powerful and poignant when these writings are compared to his later works, making it clear that the drugs have indeed taken their toll on his remarkable mind.
For the new Gonzoist, excerpts are included from _Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas_ as well as _Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72._ Through not very useful if you own these books already, they still make for fun bathroom reading.
Also included are most, if not all, of Thompson's articles for "Rolling Stone" about the Watergate scandal and Nixon's resignation -- truly rollicking political tales full of savage grace and fiendish wit. Sadly lacking are Ralph Steadman's original drawings which accompanied the stories in RS.
There's more, too: stories about the "Brown Power" revolts in Los Angeles in the late 1960s; tales of Oscar Acosta, Thompson's mysterious Mexican-American lawyer friend who was the model for the "300-pound Samoan lawyer" in _Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas; Thompson's experiences in Muhammad Ali's training camp; his bizarre times with Jean-Claude Killy and O.J. Simpson as they travel through America hucking Chevrolets at auto shows in the early 1970s.
These are indeed strange tales from a strange time. Buy this book.Great Shark Hunt (Gonzo Papers) Overview

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Generation of Swine: Tales of Shame and Degradation in the '80's Review

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Generation of Swine: Tales of Shame and Degradation in the '80's ReviewWhat we have here are over 100 op-ed pieces (about 2 1/2 book pages each) that ran in the San Francisco Examiner over a three-year period, December 1985 thru November 1988 and are now compiled in Gonzo Papers Volume 2 (Volume 1 was The Great Shark Hunt). These were originally meant to be read at the rate of one a week, but of course you can increase your speed on this compilation. However, I read them in a handful of sittings and suffered from severe overload. First of all, at this fast rate you get a good deal of duplication that waters down the overall affect Thompson was trying to create in his weekly column. Thompson reminds me of the famous Groucho Marx line: "Whatever it is, he's against it!" Just picked at random: "Any baboon with a healthy heart and good diction... could do Neil Frank's job (director of the National Hurricane Center). President Reagan: "...seems to be dumber than three mules." Frank Sinatra: "...is said to be smart, but he was fired and cut off from every casino in New Jersey when he tried to play blackjack by rules he learned in Nevada...They chased him out like a wino. It was an ugly thing to see." And these quotes all come from just one article. Pick a name or event from the headlines of these three years and you'll find a bombastic opinion from Thompson aimed directly at it. It is a fun and funny read. You'll find yourself thinking and speaking in the Thompson style. It's addictive. But, too much at one time can put you over the top. For more reasons than one, this would make for good bathroom reading material.Generation of Swine: Tales of Shame and Degradation in the '80's Overview

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Crash: A Novel Review

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Crash: A Novel ReviewI have only been aware of this book since the movie was released in 1996. It is amazing that this was actually published almost 30 years ago. I'd love to know how it was recieved back then. This is the 3rd Ballard book I've read (Atrocity Exhibition and Concrete Island, were the other 2). He is interested/obsessed with the dehumanizing effect that modern technology is having on the human race.
This is one "icky" read. If you're revolted by textbook-like discussion of body fluids, trauma wounds, and pathologically self-absorbed human beings...stay away. The character Ballard's obsession with Gabrielle's scars from her accident was the most vivid and disturbing image that I will take away from this book...yecch. For all the sex (of any and every flavor you'd can imagine, and some you'd best not) it is written so clinically that it isn't very erotic. Indeed, I don't think Ballard (the author) used one four-letter word in the whole story. Now that's quite a feat in a story that averages a sexual coupling (of whatever with what-have-you)every 2-3 pages.
I bought the three books, because Ballard's name kept popping up on my reco list (Thanks, Amazon). The synopses sounded intriguing. I like dark stuff, I guess. What's missing from this work and from "Concrete Island" is humor. For such "out-there" material, Ballard takes everything far too seriously.Crash: A Novel Overview

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