The Curse of Lono
by Hunter S. Thompson
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Book Reviews of The Curse of Lono
Book Review: paradise reconsidered
Summary: 5 Stars
This particular piece by Hunter S. Thompson is less appreciated or even overlooked in favor of his more popular works, particularly his adventure in Las Vegas. Lono is the perfect follow-up to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, as it reflects the recipe which catapulted Thompson's method of gonzo: travel to some exotic locale, cover some seemingly trivial yet ultimately bizarre sporting event, overstay your time exploring the local culture which will ultimately prove equally or even more entertaining than said sporting event, and finally hide in retreat after the blur of intoxication and savage alienation have been extolled upon friends, family, and locals. Not a bad formula, and not a bad writer.
I doubt that the similarity was deliberate to Fear and Loathing, but who really knows? Where Lono is unique is through the division of labor. Thompson's presence is requested in Hawai'i to cover both the brutal exertion and mindset associated with the Honolulu Marathon; he covers it well, but predictably, the real action begins afterward. Unpredictably, accompanying Thompson during his exploits is the illustrator Ralph Steadman, along with each of their families. Without going into too much detail, his companions slowly dwindle due to the harsh conditions on the Kona coast in winter as well as the mental fatigue precipitating it, thereby leaving Thompson to associate with the more seedy element of Hawai'i (within which he fits nicely). Needless to say, chaos ensues, and the reader is exposed to a Hawai'i not normally described in tourist books. Marathons, deathly pounding surf, flooded cottages, elusive marlin hunting, Samoan war axes, dreaded red fleas, and mass quantities of alcohol make for a paradise reconsidered.
Intertwining parts of pure gonzo narrative, the lush, colorful drawings of Ralph Steadman, Thompson's own correspondence, and excerpts of Hawaiian history and lore, The Curse of Lono is nearly as exhilarating as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas; it's an evident example of Hunter S. Thompson, in the twilight of his writing, creating yet another brilliant exposition that's humorous, informative and entertainingly bizarre. Weird. Terrifying. Fascinating. Pass the grapefruit.
Book Review: Amazing visual collectors item
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is so big that it won't fit on my flippin' book shelf, and the reason for that is because of Ralph Steadman's full size color pictures throughout. As a matter of fact, there's more to the pictures than to the actual writings of the good doctor. It's an interesting read, all in all, but the book itself is only 200 some odd pages and a little less than half of these pages are dedicated to Ralphs artwork. The actual read only takes about an hour, and during the read, one can't help but think that there is whole chapters missing from the text. Anyways, I consider this an essential "collectors item" from the king of Gonzo, but not quite essential reading. Just because of the unique book design and layout (and artwork) it is a real treasure to own, but it is not the "Fear and Loathing in Hawaii", as some have called it. It is worth the money (36$)and if you find one cheaper (not hardcover) I would not buy it. This is an essential hardcover buy, and if it was reduced to anything less than it is, I would have been disappointed.Book Review: Least known, but still in HST style
Summary: 3 Stars
The problem with a writer like Hunter is all of his works are compared to "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Whether that is fair or unfair no one can decide. This book has all the workings of Fear, but doesn't carry the punch that work did. He gets stoned, drunk, and into trouble the way in did in Fear, while trying to cover the Marathon in Honolulu. The book was hard to get and out of print for the longest time, but any fan of Thompson will like the read. The Ralph Steadman illustrations are a compliment to the book, but the essential Hunter that "The Great Shark Hunt," or "Fear and Loathing On The Campaign Trail," made famous is missing. Some of it becomes downright boring at times. The book is hard to get and expensive, maybe not worth the price. Overall, if you are not a serious fan, you could avoid the price and find other works of his to read.Book Review: the coattails of one Hunter S. Thompson
Summary: 5 Stars
excellent book. i was completely new to his writing beefore reading this gem. crazy bleep* guy! his work seems to be more of a writers' journaling than serious novel-stuff. a travel-blog; if you will.. i haven't gotten into many of his other works yet plan to, eventually. even a holy-roller could come out freshpresssed and standing tall after one of his tales. good stuff, though. very good stuff. if you were one of those, 'say no to drugs' individuals then a lot of this might come off as tumultuous and confusing and weird and odd and, basically, not ur cup of tea.. take care and rest that crazy mans' soul. cheers.Book Review: Good, clean fun
Summary: 5 Stars
Well, not exactly "good, clean fun" but it is fun. I loved this book because it's not as acid-adled as a lot of HT's writing and it's funny as hell. Also, it's a primer on what is actually happening (around you) when you catch a trophy fish in Hawaii (which I did before this book came out). At the time, I was baffled by how fast my fish dissapeared and how I was being treated (like a cheap trick) but this made it all painfully clear (after the fact). Well worth the read.