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deltabelta's review against another edition
4.0
Rating: 7/10.
A fascinating and impactful ethnography of a piece of Americana that once dominated our collective imaginations. It analyzes outlaws from all angles, how they fascinate us as much as they disgust and terrify us, and throws fair criticism at the police and media. At times, you almost come to sympathize with the outlaws. Then you read about statutory rape or women having teeth pulled out with pliers, and you go back to hoping, as Thompson writes, that “the God of the righteous could swoop down one night and char every Hell’s Angel to ashes”.
A fascinating and impactful ethnography of a piece of Americana that once dominated our collective imaginations. It analyzes outlaws from all angles, how they fascinate us as much as they disgust and terrify us, and throws fair criticism at the police and media. At times, you almost come to sympathize with the outlaws. Then you read about statutory rape or women having teeth pulled out with pliers, and you go back to hoping, as Thompson writes, that “the God of the righteous could swoop down one night and char every Hell’s Angel to ashes”.
janikeustermans's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
fast-paced
3.75
chrisburlingame's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
CW: This is a book about the Hell's Angels. Just assume all of the content warnings apply.
spitzig's review against another edition
3.0
Gave some insight into a subculture, which is really what I wanted. Unfortunately, it's kind of dated, now. It was about the time period 1965-1967. I doubt the culture is unchanged in almost 50 years. Also, Thompson's commenting on political figures is mostly lost on me. I think the only one I even recognized was Goldwater, and he was only a footnote to me.
But, what really distracted me was that throughout most of the book, he seemed to treat the Hell's Angels beating and raping of people as not a big deal.
I think he idealized them while writing most of the book. The last part of the book was about the Hell's Angels getting in a fight with some Berkeley war protesters. Like he only got disillusioned with them because he disagreed politically with them.
But, what really distracted me was that throughout most of the book, he seemed to treat the Hell's Angels beating and raping of people as not a big deal.
I think he idealized them while writing most of the book. The last part of the book was about the Hell's Angels getting in a fight with some Berkeley war protesters. Like he only got disillusioned with them because he disagreed politically with them.
wheelerwerks's review against another edition
5.0
If you like Hunter S. Thompson books, then you'll enjoy this. A fascinating look at a notorious group at one of the more pivotal times in American history.
mdstepp1998's review against another edition
3.0
A quintessential Hunter Thompson book. Uniquely written. Gritty. Unforgiving. The book is worth a read for his vignettes on his active time with the Hell's Angel's and the crazy moments he finds himself in. the three stars is really because of pacing. It's not a long book by any means, but the detailed back-story interspersed throughout often drags and takes away from the book IMO.
mpayne18's review against another edition
4.0
only good ol’ hunter s. can write a book about a biker gang from the 60s and find a way to name drop allen ginsberg and ken kesey and finish it on a reference to joseph conrad.