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HELL'S ANGELS by Hunter S. Thompson
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HELL'S ANGELS (original 1966; edition 1981)

by Hunter S. Thompson

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4,583412,470 (3.89)65
Sociology. Nonfiction. HTML:Gonzo journalist and literary roustabout Hunter S. Thompson flies with the angels??Hell??s Angels, that is??in this short work of nonfiction.
 
??California, Labor Day weekend . . . early, with ocean fog still in the streets, outlaw motorcyclists wearing chains, shades and greasy Levis roll out from damp garages, all-night diners and cast-off one-night pads in Frisco, Hollywood, Berdoo and East Oakland, heading for the Monterey peninsula, north of Big Sur. . . The Menace is loose again.?
 
Thus begins Hunter S. Thompson??s vivid account of his experiences with California??s most notorious motorcycle gang, the Hell??s Angels. In the mid-1960s, Thompson spent almost two years living with the controversial Angels, cycling up and down the coast, reveling in the anarchic spirit of their clan, and, as befits their name, raising hell. His book successfully captures a singular moment in American history, when the biker lifestyle was first defined, and when such countercultural movements were electrifying and horrifying America. Thompson, the creator of Gonzo journalism, writes with his usual bravado, energy, and brutal honesty, and with a nuanced and incisive eye; as The New Yorker pointed out, ??For all its uninhibited and sardonic humor, Thompson??s book is a thoughtful piece of work.? As illuminating now as when originally published in 1967, Hell??s Angels is a gripping portrait, and the best account we have of
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Member:knownever
Title:HELL'S ANGELS
Authors:Hunter S. Thompson
Info:Ballantine Books (1981), Mass Market Paperback
Collections:Your library
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Work Information

Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs by Hunter S. Thompson (1966)

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» See also 65 mentions

English (37)  Dutch (1)  All languages (38)
Showing 1-5 of 37 (next | show all)
NF
  vorefamily | Feb 22, 2024 |
interesting enough, and i like what the author ended up doing for writing. funny to see this contrasted now with our clear view of the angels as a drug smuggling group. some of the stuff (particularly on sexual assault) has definitely not aged as well
  rottweilersmile | Jan 12, 2024 |
April monthly reading theme for (counter culture/drugs) read #1

Great book, unsurprisingly, from the great Hunter S. Thompson. HTS's Gonzo style of journalism is superb, and beautifully mixes journalistic exposition with evocative and thrilling narrative. It really allows you to get absorbed into the scene that HTS is writing about.

The Hell's Angels have an extremely complex culture and morals. HTS's portrayal of them is extremely interesting, and feels very honest. Very curious to read other sides of it, to see how accurate Thompson was. ( )
  Andjhostet | Jul 4, 2023 |
It was good, but his writing jarring.

The subject matter is what made it writing, and after hearing so much from this legendary gonzo journalist, I was a bit disappointed.

His story of what he was involved in was very interesting, but seemed downplayed from other sources I have read about this guy. The hell's angels were portrayed as very neutral and misunderstood, a far cry from what we understand about this band of outlaws today.

Things may have changed, so my views may be skewed, but luckily it was a short read. His other stuff is better. ( )
  zenseiii | Dec 13, 2022 |
This was, through and through, a great piece of writing and an amazing chronicle of non-fiction by Hunter S. Thompson. The writing was vivid, descriptive, electrifying, and insightful and provided entertainment and knowledge on multiple levels- providing an optimal reading experience that resounded with force and keen insight on the topic that Thompson wrote so expertly about. This is a great book, for American literary enthusiasts and non-fiction admirers alike, and I recommend that all interested read it. You will not waste your time- not one bit.

4.75 stars! ( )
  DanielSTJ | Apr 2, 2020 |
Showing 1-5 of 37 (next | show all)
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Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Hunter S. Thompsonprimary authorall editionscalculated
Sowers, ScottNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
In my own country I am in a far-off land
I am strong but have no force or power
I win all yet remain a loser
At break of day I say goodnight
When I lie down I have a great fear
Of falling.
FRANCOIS VILLON
Dedication
To the friends who lent me money and
kept me mercifully unemployed. No
writer can function without them. Again,
thanks.
H.S.T.
First words
California, Labour Day weekend...early, with ocean fog still in the streets, outlaw motorcyclists wearing chains, shades and greasy Levis roll out from damp garages, all-night diners and cast-off one-night pads in Frisco, Hollywood, Berdoo and East Oakland, heading for the Monterey peninsula, north of Big Sur.
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Sociology. Nonfiction. HTML:Gonzo journalist and literary roustabout Hunter S. Thompson flies with the angels??Hell??s Angels, that is??in this short work of nonfiction.
 
??California, Labor Day weekend . . . early, with ocean fog still in the streets, outlaw motorcyclists wearing chains, shades and greasy Levis roll out from damp garages, all-night diners and cast-off one-night pads in Frisco, Hollywood, Berdoo and East Oakland, heading for the Monterey peninsula, north of Big Sur. . . The Menace is loose again.?
 
Thus begins Hunter S. Thompson??s vivid account of his experiences with California??s most notorious motorcycle gang, the Hell??s Angels. In the mid-1960s, Thompson spent almost two years living with the controversial Angels, cycling up and down the coast, reveling in the anarchic spirit of their clan, and, as befits their name, raising hell. His book successfully captures a singular moment in American history, when the biker lifestyle was first defined, and when such countercultural movements were electrifying and horrifying America. Thompson, the creator of Gonzo journalism, writes with his usual bravado, energy, and brutal honesty, and with a nuanced and incisive eye; as The New Yorker pointed out, ??For all its uninhibited and sardonic humor, Thompson??s book is a thoughtful piece of work.? As illuminating now as when originally published in 1967, Hell??s Angels is a gripping portrait, and the best account we have of

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