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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Written by: Hunter S. Thompson
Narrated by: Ron McLarty
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Publisher's Summary

Maverick author Hunter S. Thompson introduced the world to "gonzo journalism" with this cult classic that shot back up the best seller lists after Thompson's suicide in 2005. No book ever written has more perfectly captured the spirit of the 1960s counterculture. In Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race, Raoul Duke (Thompson) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (inspired by a friend of Thompson) are quickly diverted to search for the American dream. Their quest is fueled by nearly every drug imaginable and quickly becomes a surreal experience that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. But there is more to this hilarious tale than reckless behavior, for underneath the hallucinogenic facade is a stinging criticism of American greed and consumerism.
©1971 Hunter S. Thompson (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC
  • Unabridged Audiobook

What the critics say

"The best book on the dope decade." (The New York Times Book Review)

What listeners say about Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Average Customer Ratings
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Fun Fun Fun AND Totally Tasteless

Lots of foul language. Completely improbable scenes. In first person narrative. Enjoy if you dare!

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2 people found this helpful

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Hunter S Thompson's voice will stay with me forevr

This is an incredible work that is beautifully voice acted. It's not easy to capture Hunters unique way of writing in sound but McLarty does an excellent job. This book sent me spiraling into an obsession with hunter s Thompson's work. It's incredible. haveing read the physical copy and listening to this the one thing I can say that this version lacks from the print version is Ralph Steadman's illustrations which I think have a lot to add. if you love this book as I do it's worth getting your hands on a print version of their work.

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I just don’t get it

The whole book is just drug addled psychotic rambling. Maybe I missed the true message of the book, I also suspect this would be more enjoyed as a physical book complete with the illustrations. I had to force myself to finish it

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1 person found this helpful

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entertaining and easy listen

finished the whole thing while I was sick in one day, very similar to the movie if you have seen it with a lot of identical quotes but the book gives you more detail and a deeper understanding of the events

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  • Overall
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Terrific reading of a classic

A very well written story of intense drug use in the desert. Hunter S Thompson is a legend. The guy reading it does a fantastic job. Very entertaining.

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A trip in itself!

Could hardly put it down. Much better than the movie. I really enjoyed it. Like a 6 hour trip report on Erowid but we'll written.

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Gonzo

i wish they had got a thompson impersonator to read it, truly i do. a fantastic and crazy time.

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  • tox
  • 2021-01-15

A wild book in every chapter

Not the book to read if you are trying to kick drugs, the main character makes drugs and grape fruit sound awesome

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

good but probably won't listen again.

I've seen the movie more than a hundred times and loved it but the book was ok. I had a hard time with some parts. Trying to concentrate on what was happening was hard because he jumps around so much in and out of story. all in all I did enjoy it and am glad I finally got around to the book but will not read again. loved the narrator though. i feel he really captured the essence of the situation and the utter chaos that the characters were dealing with.

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the perfect narrator for this book.

This is the way to enjoy this story. It's one best experienced relatively blind. Enter with confidence and enjoy the ride.

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  • Ryan T. Nichols
  • 2008-07-03

Ron McLarty?

This is one of my favorite books of all time. Unfortunately, I think Ron McLarty's narration really missed the mark. He sounds like a stoned surfer from Malibu, rather than Hunter. Maybe my problem is I had seen Hunter speak a few times, seen documentaries, even met him once, and McLarty comes off a little too much like Jeff Spiccolli from Fast Times. If you've never seen or heard Hunter speak or read, you might really enjoy it, but for the more familiar, hardcore Gonzo fans, you might want to skip this one.

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74 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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  • Mitch
  • 2008-05-31

A Review

Have read this at least 20 times since high school,college, grad school. I couldn't get past the narrator's voice. It kills me to not finish a book but this one was "ejected" after 10 painful minutes.

Warning: listen to sample before spending $$$!

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63 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Hugh
  • 2011-05-21

Too Much Fear and Loathing

Just goes to show, you can have great ingredients, but with the wrong chef, you still don't get much of a meal. First audio book in a year that I just stopped listening to, and put on the shelf. I felt like there was a little too much Ron McLarty and he overpowered Hunter Thompson's writing. Accents we're odd and inconsistent. Just my personal taste, take it with a grain of salt.

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56 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2016-08-12

narrator could have respected hunter's cadence

I felt the narrator was not familiar enough with Hunter's cadence and style so parts of this were too dry

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14 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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  • Kathleen
  • 2005-11-02

Boring

Do you want to hear Hunter S. Thompson talk about how really really really high he is? Do you want to hear him restate his one idea -- Americans are greedy consumers -- over and over and over and over? If so, then this is the book for you.


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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Lawrence P. Allen
  • 2006-01-03

Gonzo Lives!

This is one of the best books I enjoyed on Audible. It is certainly not for everyone, "R" rated, but captures the essence of Gonzo journalism and Rolling Stone Magazine in the 60s and 70s. Exceptional narration.

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13 people found this helpful

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  • Tim
  • 2014-02-10

Over The Top

I'm not really sure how I feel about "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." It leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Vegas and acid trips were very redundant, than again I didn't find the movie much better either. Maybe I was born a different time to respect Hunter S. Thompson, but I'm not into bikers, dopers, or hoes. I found the book completely over the top and to be very basic.

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9 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Marius
  • 2007-10-18

Fear not

Not quite sure how to describe this all-time classic, so I won’t. Suffice to say that you shouldn’t miss it! The narrator, Ron McLarty, hits the spot exactly. There’s nothing about this book that could be improved.

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9 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • James
  • 2006-05-24

Sharp and Still Relevant

This is a highly entertaining download. It is occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, but also is filled with searingly sharp observations of American culture. Thompson is writer of rare skill, his mastery of the craft sometimes takes your breath away, he's that good.

The book is occasionally a little disjointed (not surprising given the drug use it chronicles in great detail) and will certainly offend those who tend to very straight-laced, conservative Republican views, but it richly deserves its status as an American classic. It translates well into an audiobook format and the quality of the narration is very high. Recommended.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Ian
  • 2005-10-23

One of the best on Audible

This book oon the drug counterculture in california iin the early 70s is a masterpiece as written.
The reading is as good or better--
Brilliant--if you are in any way interested in this American period sociologically.
Almost done with it---definitely will listen again.

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9 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2023-08-08

An excellent listen!

Truly enjoyed listening to this mind-bending, chaotic journey. Well narrated, and brought to life by the excellent narrator. Highly recommend!

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