Product Description

The best, the fastest, the hippest and the most unorthodox account ever published of the US presidential electoral process in all its madness and corruption. In 1972 Hunter S. Thompson, the creator and king of Gonzo journalism, covered the US presidential campaign for Rolling Stone magazine alongside the establishment newsmen of Washington. The result is a classic piece of subversive reportage and a fantastic ride on the rollercoaster of Hunter's uniquely savage imagination. In his own words, written years before Watergate: 'It is Nixon himself who represents that dark, venal and incurably violent side of the American character almost every other country in the world has learned to fear and despise.'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7547 in Books
• Published on: 2005-04-04
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

Review
'The best stuff on the campaign I've read anywhere.' Nicholas Von Hoffman, Washington Post 'Obscene, horrid, repellent ! driving, urgent, candid, searing ! a fascinating, compelling book!' New York Post 'Hunter S. Thompson is the most creatively crazy and vulnerable of the New Journalists. His books are brilliant and honorable and valuable ! the literary equivalent of Cubism: all rules are broken.' Kurt Vonnegut Jr 'Gaze in awe ! Hunter Thompson does in his own mad way betray a profound democratic concern for the polity. And in its own mad way, it's darned refreshing.' New York Times 'Shocks you into laughter.' Detroit Free Press 'Unnerving!' Newsweek

About the Author
Hunter S. Thompson is incomparably the most celebrated exponent of the New Journalism. His books include Hell's Angels, Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 and Generation of Swine. Ralph Steadman is one of Britain's best-known cartoonists and illustrators. His books include I, Leonardo and the bestselling illustrated Animal Farm.

Customer Reviews

Essential Hunter; If not the best yet!
Fear & Loathing in LV was a classic right out of the gate but Fear & Loathing on the Campaign Trail 72' is Hunter's "Pet Sounds" or "Seargant Peppers". The Campaign Trail like LV has Hunter diving into all sorts of fun stuff (Booze, Reds, Ibogaine, Mary Jane, Good ole fashion opium); but this book seperates itself from just an all out wacked out mess to the tune of "You learn about what makes a Political machine work". In reading this book you get a crash course on how it really is to be on a campaign. You don't get a pampered victory trot like you see in all of your gov't 101 courses in college. WARNING you'll get your hands dirty with this one but it's so worth it. Hunter jumps on the right bandwagon, McGovern, and with it he gets inside the heads of the power men behind the machine. Up close interviews with a then unknown to the masses Gary Hart, Dougherty, Stearns and Frank Mankiewicz. You even get some Football talk with Public Swine #1 Nixon. It's about seedy motel/hotel rooms, Wild Turkey and enough speed to kill a Wooly Mammoth. Fear & Loathing on The Campaign Trail is what made Hunter an American Legend.

Astute but crazed view of American campaign politics
This is probably a minority view but...I think 'Campaign Trail' is Thompson's best work. Why? Because it a perfect synthesis of satire, unique personal vision and presentation of the forces which shape our political circumstances. And it's f**king funny. Let me enlarge on those main 3 elements though...

Thompson's satire is like Swift's (read the 4th part of Gulliver's Travels and realise that it's more than a children's book if you want to know what I mean), in that its vicious tone is prompted by the author's own dissapointment at the way the more noble tendencies of man are constantly dirtied by human stupidity and greed.

Thompson's writing is probably familiar to most people who will read this review. Rest assured there is more 'Las Vegas' style writing which alone should keep some of you entertained if you don't like the politics.

Thirdly, you probably won't get a better book dealing with the 'noble' art of politics, how it is conducted, and why, despite its ofttimes rotten core, it is still important to have an awareness of the shitpool leaders of the free world have to swim in before being elected. And do you really expect them to smell of roses after this?

Not having had to write for a while has meant that I realise this review could be better. In summing up could I just say that 'Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail' is an excellent and funny piece of reportage which deserves a place in the library of those any interest in modern writing.

Best and rawest account of electoral politics
This is a great book - I have never read a better or more raw account of the low politics of election campaigns. Hunter S Thompson has an unmatched understanding of the forces that drive American politics and, although some tactics have changed, the book remains remarkably fresh over thirty years on. The historical perspective we now have on the figures (Nixon, McGovern, Humphrey, Mayor Daley, Gary Hart etc) may even add to the appeal of the book.

One minor quibble and a little warning. First, the book is a collection of dispatches written for the Rolling Stone and this inevitably means some repetition and an occasional disjointed feeling. Secondly, the book will appeal most to people with an interest in electoral politics - those who simply liked the good Doctor's style in the Rum Diaries, Hell's Angels or F&L in Las Vegas will still enjoy it but get a bit less out of it.