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The Great Shark Hunt: Strange Tales from a Strange Time (1979)

by Hunter S. Thompson

Other authors: See the other authors section.

Series: The Gonzo Papers (1)

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2,677175,388 (3.98)12
The first volume in Hunter S. Thompson's bestselling Gonzo Papers offers brilliant commentary and outrageous humor, in his signature style. Originally published in 1979, the first volume of the bestselling "Gonzo Papers" is now back in print. The Great Shark Hunt is Dr. Hunter S. Thompson's largest and, arguably, most important work, covering Nixon to napalm, Las Vegas to Watergate, Carter to cocaine. These essays offer brilliant commentary and outrageous humor, in signature Thompson style. Ranging in date from the National Observer days to the era of Rolling Stone, The Great Shark Hunt offers myriad, highly charged entries, including the first Hunter S. Thompson piece to be dubbed "gonzo"--"The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved," which appeared in Scanlan's Monthly in 1970. From this essay a new journalistic movement sprang which would change the shape of American letters. Thompson's razor-sharp insight and crystal clarity capture the crazy, hypocritical, degenerate, and redeeming aspects of the explosive and colorful '60s and '70s.… (more)
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» See also 12 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 17 (next | show all)
i read this book in high school. often, and over and over. and i thought, "this is what i want to be when i grow up." not the myth, or the "lookit me!" or the intermittent macho. but, oh, the writing. the writing. ( )
  J.Flux | Aug 13, 2022 |
Great first line:

“Well... yes, and here we go again.”

Indeed! Lots of good reads in this collection, both serious and Gonzo, though I am a bigger Gonzo fan than serious fan. Hell, the book starts with two scathing letters of reprimand from his Air Force days! And LOTS of different subjects covered within! Quite a bit about Nixon - Hunter's hatred of him, a little bit more about the '72 election, and a lot about Watergate and Tricky Dick's resignation. We get Hunter's first crazed meeting with Ralph Steadman and a trip to the Kentucky Derby! Jean-Claude Killy, Muhammad Ali, and the Super Bowl!
Great stuff about the Brown Buffalo in "Strange Rumblings in Aztlan" and "The Banshee Screams For Buffalo Meat"! Quite a bit from South America. Jimmy Carter, Hemingway in Idaho, and Marlon Brando!
A note on the scene in S.F. from "Hashbury" - a term I've never scene before! Politics in/near Woody Creek! And excerpts from "Hells Angels" and "Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas" including my favorite piece from the later - the piece about the 60's movement coming to an end:

"…We were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave. . . . So now, less than five years later, you can go up on a steep hill in Las Vegas and look west, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark—that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back."

My favorite piece of new-for-me in here came from the book's title, "The Great Shark Hunt"! Very Gonzo and Thompson and insane! Sport fishing in Mexico probably was never the same after that excursion! Just horribly wonderful! I think the bottom of the book's cover says it all:

"Strange Tales from a Strange Time, America's Quintessential Outlaw Journalist"

Yeah. That's what I was trying to say. Balls. ( )
  Stahl-Ricco | Mar 11, 2019 |
Filled with stories about politics and sports, I really should not have liked this book. (I am not a fan of either sports or politics.) Somehow it was still interesting to me, though. Maybe it's the stream of consciousness style of writing or the absurd drug induced mania often described. Anyway, I will likely seek out the next couple if books in the series. ( )
  ktlavender | Jul 17, 2017 |
Probably the book (collection of essays) that made me want to write. ( )
  Gordon.Edgar | Nov 29, 2016 |
Great collection of articles from the foremost journalist of the late 20th century. We need a Fear and Loathing On the Campaign Trail 2016 so badly, and he's not here to write it. What a shame. ( )
1 vote 5hrdrive | Mar 26, 2016 |
Showing 1-5 of 17 (next | show all)
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» Add other authors (4 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Thompson, Hunter S.primary authorall editionsconfirmed
Sowers, ScottNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed

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Speed17 (Humanoïdes associés)
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Information from the Italian Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.
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Epigraph
'When the going gets weird the weird turn pro.' -- Raoul Duke
The milkman left me a note yesterday.  Get out of this town by noon, You're coming on way too soon And besides that we never liked you anyway ... -- John Prine
Dedication
'To Richard Milhous Nixon, who never let me down.' H.S.T.
'To Juan and ...'
First words
Woody Creek, Col. - Strange epitaph for a strange year and no real point in explaining it either.
Quotations
"Absolute truth is a very rare and dangerous commodity in the context of professional journalism."
"What in the fuck am I doing here? What kind of sick and twisted life did I fall into that would cause me to spend some of the best hours of my life in a cryptlike room full of cameras, hot lights and fearful politicians debating the guilt or innocence of Richard Milhous Nixon?"
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The first volume in Hunter S. Thompson's bestselling Gonzo Papers offers brilliant commentary and outrageous humor, in his signature style. Originally published in 1979, the first volume of the bestselling "Gonzo Papers" is now back in print. The Great Shark Hunt is Dr. Hunter S. Thompson's largest and, arguably, most important work, covering Nixon to napalm, Las Vegas to Watergate, Carter to cocaine. These essays offer brilliant commentary and outrageous humor, in signature Thompson style. Ranging in date from the National Observer days to the era of Rolling Stone, The Great Shark Hunt offers myriad, highly charged entries, including the first Hunter S. Thompson piece to be dubbed "gonzo"--"The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved," which appeared in Scanlan's Monthly in 1970. From this essay a new journalistic movement sprang which would change the shape of American letters. Thompson's razor-sharp insight and crystal clarity capture the crazy, hypocritical, degenerate, and redeeming aspects of the explosive and colorful '60s and '70s.

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