‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ by Hunter S. Thompson

Since its initial publication in 1971, Hunter S. Thompson’s seminal Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas has been reprinted more than a dozen times, in addition to being adapted into a cult (although commercially impotent) film by Terry Gilliam starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro.

The novel barrels along at a pace equal to that achieved by Thompson’s main players as they traverse Nevada in their various all-American automobiles, and the author’s evocative and often psychedelic prose style leaves one feeling like they possess the frequently alluded to ‘head full of acid.’

Foregoing a traditional linear plot, or really any plot at all for that matter, Thompson succeeds in creating a world that is at once wildly surreal and startlingly reverent to reality. His writing style will certainly satisfy those who like their reading material to be fast-paced and impactful without being too tangled up in the constraints and continuity of a highly structured plot. 

Fear and Loathing reads a great deal like the hallucinogens to which it refers throughout, refusing to relent or offer respite to the reader who favours a slower pace. Unlike most hallucinogens however, this book will stay with you for a long time after consuming it. As your attorney, I advise you to read this. And then read it again.

This piece was originally published on alisonlaurabell.tumblr.com in July 2011.