|
There are heavy doses of Iran/Contra, Ollie North, the possible impeachment of Reagan, and what he perceives as the general criminality of the people in power. Is there some Gonzo genius buried in here. There are plenty of cracking sentences, too.his mind, clouded as it may have been by lord knows what, could come up with some real gems. But for the most part, the column deals with the politics of the day: the climate, the scandals, and the '88 election. If anything, the randomness of the columns (even when chronological) will enhance the overall effect of the good doctor's writing.and further highlight the insight he had even while under the influence.
Indeed, some weeks the 'story' is nothing more than an anecdote discussing how a hobo followed him onto a train from Penn Station, or an enjoyable two-part bit on a random football bet he made with a rich man from Arizona at the airport. Absolutely not. This was the most regular gig the writer had in some time, and other books chronicle the trials and tribulations of getting HST on anything resembling a 'normal' schedule with deadlines.The columns are presented in chronological order, but I don't think it's critical to read them that way. Plenty of Gary Hart (and his own scandals), George H.W.
There was a definite rhythm to his best writing, as if he understood how to read himself and make it sound. Is it always coherent. HST takes aim at the rampant greed and the depravity of the decade, and few are safe. Bush (see aforementioned criminality), Ed Meese, senators and congressmen and televangelists. The column titles are part of the fun, revealing everything or nothing about the contents.
Volume 2 of 'The Gonzo Papers' compiles HST's material as a weekly columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle in the mid-80s. And of course, there are some marvelous barbs at villains of the day (Reagan, Bush, Swaggart, and Oral Roberts, recipient of perhaps my favorite barb in the book).Can it be erratic. Definitely. For sure. Unfortunately, as has become clear from so much of the biographical output that's appeared since his death, he wasn't always interested enough (or certainly focused enough) to be that great writer. Some are funny, cryptic, or tempting all by themselves (The Worst People In The World, Ronald Reagan Is Doomed, White Trash With Money, etc).In terms of an intro to HST, I probably would not begin here (start with Gonzo Papers Vol 1). This was really more a 'money project' than a true passion, though HST seemed to have a lot of leeway.
Newcomers, or less than-fanatical HST fans may want to knock a star off the rating. Needless to say, sometimes it's hard to tell them all apart.What comes through is that HST was a very good writer when he wanted to be. However, if anything, the Chronicle columns served as some of his most 'regular' outlet in a long time, and though I'm sure there were great pains to get him to produce every week (some wonder if his assistant(s) sometimes filed these pieces in a pinch), there is a lot of good insight into the USA, into politics, and into the new age of cynicism that really struck the author as far harsher than the Nixon days. But the thread through much of the material is indeed the shame (or lack thereof) and degradation (plenty) in the 'Me' decade. However, for the fan, it's an interesting chapter in the author's celebrated life and unpredictable output.
Hunter Thompson is a good writer. He is very good at writing about Ollie North.This collection benefits from not being overly immersed in drugs and alcohol abuse. Some of the allegorical articles went over my head.
It's hard to believe that these columns are the work of the same author who wrote "Hells Angels" or some of the articles in "The Great Shark Hunt." While "Shark Hunt" was often uneven (and had one of the worst editing jobs in modern publishing-his article on the NFL is still screwed up),it also contained some of the finest satire written during the 20the century.Like William Burroughs,Thompson was capable of writing which was insanely,savagely funny. Thompson's refusal to compromise,with life, with his drinking, with his drugs, led to the almost complete destruction of his talent and career, and the man whose work was a huge draw for Rolling Stone (they serialized his Las Vegas book)was reduced to churning out a weekly column for a newspaper.His biographies are truly sad-Thompson was a supremely selfish man who left a trail of destruction and pain everywhere he went. His ability to write brilliantly and hilariously about the damage he'd done was what made his a success, but by the time of his pathetic suicide Thompson was finished. The articles in this book help document his decline.
You find that for everything that has changed over the past 30 years, that politics is quite static. The other compilations are:The Great Shark Hunt (Gonzo Papers Vol. This is another in a series of collections of Hunter's columns. Corrupt presidents, sex-scandal plagued politicians, and more. 1) about the 70's, mostly post Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail, Better than Sex (Volumen 3) about the 90's, and his final release before his untimely death, Hey Rube (about the early 00's).I should mention here that I'm only in my 20's, and the first administration I ever really paid attention to was the second Clinton term.Reading this book and the other Gonzo Papers books, along with Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail, gives you a perspective on the past 30 years that is hard to find elsewhere in this context. Since these columns were written as critiques on current events, you get a feel for what was going on in the 70's, late 80's and early 90's. There's not too much to dislike about this book, assuming you enjoy Hunter's writing style. And it is valuable to those who can't get enough of Hunter's style.
Nevertheless, although he was far from any thought of a socialist solution and would reject such a designation we could travel part of the way with him. Read all his books. Generally the most the trenchant social criticism, commentary and analysis complete with a prescriptive social program ripe for implementation has been done by thinkers and writers who work outside the realm of bourgeois society, notably socialists and other progressive thinkers. Others will have to push on further.One should note that `gonzo' journalism is quite compatible with socialist materialism. This is particularly true when it comes from a known dope fiend, gun freak and all-around lifestyle addict like the late, lamented Dr. All honor to him for pushing the envelope of journalism in new directions and for his pinpricks at the hypocrisy of bourgeois society. Such men are dangerous.I am not sure whether at the end of the day Hunter Thompson saw himself or wanted to been seen as a voice, or the voice, of his generation but in any case he would not be an unworthy candidate.
Obviously each book is formatted differently but whether Thompson was skewering the Nixon era, the Reagan era or the Bush eras the song is the same. This review was originally used to comment on Hunter Thompson's Songs of the Doomed. However the total effect is to blast old bourgeois society almost to its foundations. Hunter, I hope you find the Brown Buffalo wherever you are. As with all journalists, as indeed with all writers especially those who are writing under the pressure of timelines and for mass circulation media these works show an uneven quality. That is, the writer is not precluded from interpreting the events described within himself/herself as an actor in the story. Hunter S. He was not one of us- but he was one of us.
Thompson. And it aint pretty. Thompson went way out of his way, and with pleasure, skewering that man when he was riding high. Reality is better served if the writer puts his/her analysis correctly and then gets out of the way. The worst swindle in journalism, fostered by the formal journalism schools, as well as in other disciplines like history and political science is that somehow one must be `objective'.
We saw him as a kindred spirit. His earlier writings show that effect. Nevertheless, only a few, and with time it seems fewer in each generation, allow themselves to search for some kind of truth even if they cannot go the whole distance. Since most of the points I made in my review of that book apply here I will let that review stand in here. Hunter, like many of us, cut his political teeth on one Richard Milhous Nixon, at one time President of the United States and all- around political chameleon.
In his best work that was Hunter's way.As a member of the generation of 1968 I would note that this was a period of particular importance which won Hunter his spurs as a journalist. Thompson was moreover just as happy to kick him when he was down, just for good measure. Nixon represented the `dark side' of the American spirit- the side that appears today as the bully boy of the world and as craven brute. Read this book.
Bourgeois society rarely allows itself, in self defense, to be skewered by trenchant criticism from within. Anyone who wants to rehabilitate THAT man before history please consult Thompson's work. In any case, his was not the voice of the generation of 1968 being just enough older to have been formed by an earlier, less forgiving milieu. This compilation under review is a hodgepodge of articles over the best part of Thompson's career.
If for nothing else Brother Thompson deserves a place in the pantheon of journalistic heroes for this exercise in elementary hygiene.
|
