Customer Reviews

The Gonzo Way: A Celebration of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is a very short and simple insight in to Hunter S. Thompson's lifestyle written by his wife. It is an interesting enough read. Definitely lacks the originallity and verve of a work authored by Thomspson.

In her touching tribute The Gonzo Way, Anita Thompson beautifully exposes intimate details of her husband's life and passions through poignant personal accounts and anecdotes from those who knew him best. This wonderfully written book uses Hunter's life as an example of the true significance of learning, fun, family, friends and love to a life well lived. In short, The Gonzo Way reminds each of us of what's important - and like the Good Doctor - I only wish it had gone on longer.

Anita Thompson's celebration of her late husband's life is a real delight to read. The Gonzo Way is a thoughtful, consistently entertaining analysis of what inspired this larger-than-life figure. No one is better suited to write such a book than the doctor's wife, Anita, and she draws liberally and judiciously from his works to give us a rich and nuanced portrait of a man so often and famously caricatured. In this way her book is both a volume that old fans will want to own, to enhance their understanding of HST and his life, and a book that those just discovering HST would appreciate as a guide to the life and philosophy of a towering figure of American letters.

A refreshing & touching look at the good Doctor from the person who was closest to him, his widow. A VERY quick read, it offers the reader an insight into what made Dr. Thompson OUR Dr. Thompson. It describes what drove the man that drove a generation. Written as a list of code of ethics{yes,I here you laughing},it shows the humane side of H.S.T.
I was skeptical at first after reading some of the reviews. Most of the negatives are not deserved. If your looking for same old Hunter madness,this is not for you.
If your open to see another side of the good Doctor, as he said best, "buy the ticket, take the ride"....

Don't waste your time with this book. It's horrible and lacks any insight despite being written by Thompon's wife (though she wasn't with him long and it shows!). Why does she feel the need to apologize for his "stoned twisted, ripped...good people" side? I mean REAL Thompson fans KNOW that's not the only essence of him...even though, yes, his "lifestyle" did provide a sort of romatic idea for the outsider to think about while living mundane lives. But thanks to Anita she does a good job of ruining that too...I don't smoke, use drugs of any kind, and have always loved Thompson for his work and his life and I can tell you, this book has NOTHING!. So sad and it only diminishes my ideals for true Gonzo and Thompson since it appears he really did have a load of "leeches" at his side. So sad to see his legacy degraded this way!

I was excited to buy this book, thinking that it would give a personal glimpse into the "real" life of Hunter. My excitement was in vain. It is poorly written. She says the same things over and over in an attempt to clarify her point. Reading half of this book was a waste of time. I ended up really disliking Anita and learning nothing about Hunter.

I am a huge Hunter S. Thompson fan. I have been reading his books since I was 13 (starting with Hell's Angels). I was given this book as a gift and was fooled by its size (only 100 pages or so). I thought that a tribute to such a man as Hunter (especially from his wife) would be easily 1000 page book. But as I read the book I discovered that Anita Thompson did not set out to write "my life with Hunter". What she has written is a guide to living your life how Hunter did, to the fullest and without fear. It does not concentrate on his use of substances or his crazy antics, it talks about his love of politics, sports, and his observations of the decline of the American Dream. I loved this book. The love that Mrs. Thompson has for her husband, and the respect and admiration she holds as a student of his, shines through these pages. Don't buy this book expecting her to write like the Good Doctor. She has a style and rhythm all her own and it is fantastic! Thank you Anita, you have given the world another piece of Hunter and his wisdom through your own experiences. Such a beautiful tribute. This will be something I share with my children and my grandchildren.

and she was a good learner!

I adored this book and am buying four more copies to give away. The reviews before mine sum up the particulars. I just wanted to add my four stars worth, for what it's worth.

This is a really short book, but it's a really, really good book. It paints a picture of the kind of man Thompson was outside of his literary persona. Was he really the larger than life, drug addled, boozed up, gun crazy wacko we all loved? Or was he just another man searching for his place in this wild world? Although we may never really know, this book does give some answers, and some closure for those of us who were startled, saddened, and confused by his death. Anyone who is even remotely a fan of Hunter S. Thompson should read this.

If I had to find fault with The Gonzo Way it would be that Anita Thompson occasionally repeats hereslf in the text. I found myself reading one description of a person or place and seeing it again paragraphs later.
That being said the book, at about 110 pages, is not long. A good primer for people wanting to learn the distinction between Hunter S. Thompson and the myriad personas he created over the decades.

I hope there is more to come.