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Review
" Thompson has presented us with a close view of a world most of us would never encounter. His language is brilliant, his eye remarkable."
--"The New York Times Book Review"
" Superb and terrifying." --Studs Terkel, "Chicago Tribune"
--"The New York Times Book Review"
" Superb and terrifying." --Studs Terkel, "Chicago Tribune"
Product Description
'A phalanx of motorcycles cam roaring over the hill from the west ... the noise was like a landslide, or a wing of bombers passing over. Even knowing the Angels I couldn't quite handle what I was seeing.' Huge bikes, filthy denim and an aura of barely contained violence; the Hell's Angels could paralyse whole towns with fear, so terrible was their reputation. But how much of htat reputation was myth and how much was brutal reality? Only one man could discover the truth about these latter-day barbarians; Hunter Stockton Thompson, Dr Gonzo himself, the man who saw the fear and loathing in the heart of the American dream. This counter-culture classic is the hair-raising result.
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First Sentence
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. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
An interesting historical account of one side of 60's American Society which still remains hidden territory to this day.
Hells Angels is a well written, informative and entertaining book documenting the history of, and the author's involvement with the Hells Angels. It illustrates the conflicting views of the Angels, society, press and authorities of the mid 60's. Though the accuracy of the account is still limited to that of an outside observer, so readers may wish to also read the leader of the Oakland Hells Angels own account : Sonny S. Barger's 'Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club' to get an insider viewpoint. The two books provide an interesting contrast in views.
Never-the-less 'Hells Angels' remains a rich and involving read which, once started, is difficult to put down - a must for all who are even mildly interested in Biker culture.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is certainly an interesting read and who better to cast his eye over the last outlaw group of the 20th century than one of the original outlaw journalists. This is a very entertaining read and I would reccomend this to anybody who lives any kind of "alternative" lifestyle. However once you have read this you must read Hells Angel by Sonny Barger who is mentioned throughout this book and reading his book you notice that Thompson's book is not quite as good as it first seems so read it before you read Sonny's. Enjoy
Format:Paperback
I first bought a 1967 copy of this book in the seventies, which is now falling to bits. So in order to read it for the six or seventh time I ordered a new copy. If you are happy to read it on the understanding that it is a very one sided version of events from Hunter S Thompson - it is a great read. You get a real feel and appreciation of what life amongst the original sixties Hells Angels must have been like, written by a clever and interesting writer in Thompson.
For a balanced and I would guess more accurate view of events you need go no further than original Angel - Sonny Barger's autobiography, in which references are made to Thompsons book, and from reading both - interesting comparisons and view points can be made.
For an acid tripping, drug and booze fuelled crazy view of the Hells Angels, and the best of all in my opinion has to be 'Freewhweelin Frank' by an early Frisco member Frank Reynolds. A great read, mainly I think because Frank comes across as wild, stoned and crazy as most of us imagine these guys were back then,
For a balanced and I would guess more accurate view of events you need go no further than original Angel - Sonny Barger's autobiography, in which references are made to Thompsons book, and from reading both - interesting comparisons and view points can be made.
For an acid tripping, drug and booze fuelled crazy view of the Hells Angels, and the best of all in my opinion has to be 'Freewhweelin Frank' by an early Frisco member Frank Reynolds. A great read, mainly I think because Frank comes across as wild, stoned and crazy as most of us imagine these guys were back then,
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good book.
This is a good book. He is a good writer, very interesting. It was well-packed and came in time for christmas.
Published 4 months ago by Patsy
A journalistic masterpiece
With brutal, verging on foolhardy, honesty Hunter S Thomson chronicles his extensive dealings with, and observations on, the Hell's Angels. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Doc
More defence than offence
Written at a time when the psychology of gangs was an amnesia, Thompson took
Merton's anomie theory and gets to grips with some big sociological and psychological themes. Read more
Merton's anomie theory and gets to grips with some big sociological and psychological themes. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Dr. Delvis Memphistopheles
Not the Doctors greatest work, but still very easy to read
This book is not Hunter's finest work, but is still very easy to read and very funny in places.
I dont regret buying it as I'm a collector of HST work. Read more
I dont regret buying it as I'm a collector of HST work. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Neil Gibbs
A brilliant piece of journalism about America's dark side
Written in 1966 this is a classic work on the Hells Angels phenomenon that emerged out of the 1950s in Northern California. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Neil Kernohan
The Hell's Angels in Transition
This is a very good examination of the Hell's Angels in the early to mid 1960s, at a time when they started to generate lots of news coverage and concern in the US, to the point at... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mr. D. E. Calladine
Interesting period piece
A good read, with Hunter S Thompson's writing style particularly enjoyable.
Would reccomend to anybody looking for a book to digest on a journey, or over a couple of nights as... Read more
Would reccomend to anybody looking for a book to digest on a journey, or over a couple of nights as... Read more
Published 22 months ago by James Connolly
Nice one Hunter. RIP.
Hunter S. lives on a dangerous tightrope trying to stay factual and alive in his expose` of life with the big 81. (8=H and 1=A) Get it? Read more
Published on 26 Mar 2010 by S. Donald
Useless and irritating
Foreword: I am a motorcyclist and not a puritan at all.
This book is useless because it is not a novel drawn from the Hell's Angels, it is not about travelling in the... Read more
This book is useless because it is not a novel drawn from the Hell's Angels, it is not about travelling in the... Read more
Published on 12 Nov 2009 by F. Panin
Getting drunk and running amok amongst the worthy citizens
Hunter S Thompson depicts the rise of the phenomenon known as Hell's Angels from the early 1950s, when they were epitomised as lonely, misunderstood rebels in the film The Wild... Read more
Published on 4 Oct 2009 by Eileen Shaw
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