Hell's Angels (Penguin Modern Classics) (Paperback)

by Hunter S. Thompson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

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 that 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.

About the Author
Hunter S. Thompson's research on the Hell's Angels involved more than a year of close association with the outlaws - riding, loafing, plotting and eventually being stomped. A native of Kentucky, he began writing as a sports columnist in Florida. He has worked on newspapers and magazines, becoming South American correspondent for the National Observer. His novels include: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail, 1972 and The Great Shark Hunt.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014118745X
• ISBN-13: 978-0141187457
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #512,291 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exploring the Dark Side of the American Dream, February 20, 2007

By	Nick (Switzerland) - See all my reviews

Like most people, the only thing I knew about Hunter S. Thompson was that he was the author of "Fear and Loating in Las Vegas" and that mostly because I had seen the movie. I then went on to read the book (a long time ago, in a French translation, since that's my mother tongue) and quite liked it. But even with this background, I wasn't sure what I'd find with this book.

I wasn't disappointed. Quite to the contrary. In fact, this is a most well-written book, well researched, very insightful and thought-provoking. Thompson makes very interesting analyses about the relationship between the actual Hell's Angels and the way they are portrayed throughout the media; that alone is worth the interest. Naturally, you also get to know about the Hell's Angels proper.

I especially like how they fit in historically. To put it in simple terms, here's how it'd be: the world after World War II seems to have no idea where to go anymore, and the mix of wasted energy and confused lives led in an existential vacuum brings about self-destructive behaviour. That doesn't sound quite right, because things are way more complicated than this, but that's a model, so don't take it too literally. The Hell's Angels were started shortly after the end of World War II, and many of them were war veterans who couldn't get back to a normal lifestyle. So I think it's fairly legitimate to put it in such a perspective.

As to the book itself, I definitely love Thompson's style. Not only is he clever and witty, he's also hilarious at times, and moving at others. I never once got bored reading this book: it's a pure reader's delight.