The Great Shark Hunt by Hunter S. Thompson

I listened to The Great Shark Hunt over the course of about a year in small bursts, and man, I am glad I did. He was a brilliant man and to listen to this collection is to briefly touch that very brilliance. Thompson was also deeply committed to promoting racial equality, fair and respectable democratic government, and a compassionate criminal justice system. He comfortable using racial slurs, bragging about his criminal past/present, and completely blitzing away mind away though various drugs. Thompson was a man of extreme contractions. Thompson as, 'the least factual, but most accurate journalists alive.' That description works well for this collection of Thompson's various articles, published in numerous magazines throughout his legendary career. And be grateful you never had to swallow a faceful of mace or dance around a swinging cattleprod to witness the impotent rage and lunacy of navigating an evolving nation arm in arm with an eloquent, seditious maniac.ĭavid Letterman once described Hunter S. If you don't like the sound of fear and loathing, go cradle some Kerouac and snuggle into your pillows.

This book is not exactly pleasant to listen to, but it shouldn't be. You'll almost feel the spittle flying out of your speakers or headphones-just like you would if you were to sit down with Thomson and a Wild Turkey in '68. Yes, this whole book will be screamed into your ear. I think the narrator coveys the auto-masticating rage and tenuous, brittle sanity of the writer perfectly. Depp popularized the myth of the man by distorting him into an affably lovable loon, people have forgotten just how grating and pugilistic the father of gonzo really was. But I don't think the folks railing against the narrator really *get* HST.

A seminal piece of writing, obviously-no one seems to disagree with that sentiment.

The Great Shark Hunt by Hunter S. Thompson