Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga

· Ballantine Books
4.4
172 reviews
Ebook
288
Pages
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About this ebook

Gonzo journalist and literary roustabout Hunter S. Thompson flies with the angels—Hell’s Angels, that is—in this short work of nonfiction.
 
“California, Labor Day weekend . . . early, with ocean fog still in the streets, outlaw motorcyclists wearing chains, shades and greasy Levis roll out from damp garages, all-night diners and cast-off one-night pads in Frisco, Hollywood, Berdoo and East Oakland, heading for the Monterey peninsula, north of Big Sur. . . The Menace is loose again.”
 
Thus begins Hunter S. Thompson’s vivid account of his experiences with California’s most notorious motorcycle gang, the Hell’s Angels. In the mid-1960s, Thompson spent almost two years living with the controversial Angels, cycling up and down the coast, reveling in the anarchic spirit of their clan, and, as befits their name, raising hell. His book successfully captures a singular moment in American history, when the biker lifestyle was first defined, and when such countercultural movements were electrifying and horrifying America. Thompson, the creator of Gonzo journalism, writes with his usual bravado, energy, and brutal honesty, and with a nuanced and incisive eye; as The New Yorker pointed out, “For all its uninhibited and sardonic humor, Thompson’s book is a thoughtful piece of work.” As illuminating now as when originally published in 1967, Hell’s Angels is a gripping portrait, and the best account we have of the truth behind an American legend.

Ratings and reviews

4.4
172 reviews
Susan White
June 15, 2024
It's interesting history but Hunter Thompson plays down the behavior of taking over towns, the eventual rapes of 2 women and and a razor blade assault on a young man who happened to be an Indian. You can't sugarcoat anything about Hell's Angels behavior, period.
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A Google user
April 16, 2015
Its Hunter S meets the Hells Angels..sounds like a Roger Corman film and reads like it too. Brilliant tale of the seedier side of life with all your favorite HST antics.
19 people found this review helpful
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Sarah
September 29, 2019
What can I say? Its Hunter S. Thompson rolling with the notorious Hells Angels. Read it!
1 person found this review helpful
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About the author

Hunter S. Thompson was born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1937 and died in Colorado in 2005. He contributed regularly to a wide variety of publications but is probably best known for his work as national-affairs correspondent for Rolling Stone, in which Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72 originally appeared. He originated “gonzo journalism,” in which the reporter is a part of the story. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was made into a major motion picture, directed by Terry Gilliam and starring Johnny Depp.

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