This may be my favorite Hunter Thompson book. It's a collection of letters (he saved carbons of everything he ever wrote) from a young writer, not yet proven, but cocksure and brash as they come. He reaches out to publishers, politicians, and friends as he begins to carve a niche as a journalist and novelist.

It's his most honest writing, and as all these letters were written before his legend had surpassed his talent, you don't get the 'Gonzo' treatment, or the lazy indignation that fueled his later work, but a hungry, ambitious craftsman, pummeling his readers with words in an effort to impress, inspire, and intimidate.

Before the drugs and the madness, the fear and the loathing, there was a simple Southern Gentleman, trying like hell to become the next Hemingway. ( )

Good book.

I think I finished? I may have lost it... ( )

Totally agree NateJordon. I read a majority of this book during my breaks at work and I think people around me thought I was crazy because of how often I would laugh out loud at his writings. It was pure Hunter, same style of writing as his journalism, but with a more personal feel and added insights to what was going on in his life. I also felt like it took forever to finish, but I tried to view it as a marathon, not a sprint. I recommend this to any HTS fan! ( )

Jesus Harvey Christ, finally! It took me an eternity to get through this. That's not a complaint as it is an observation; frame that in this: though a wonderful read - I can't count how many times I laughed, no, guffawed out loud - it is a bit long in the tooth. Some letters are a bit redundant and the book could have been better served with a few deletions. On to the next volume...