3 Stars

To be frank, I lack the sufficient knowledge to fully relish this book. This collection centers around politics in the late 1980s, particularly the 1988 presidential election. My understanding of this historical era is rather limited, so a great deal of the information presented in the book seemed to pass over my head. Nevertheless, I truly relished his writing style. The manner in which he opted to incorporate quotes from Revelations was constantly captivating, and I thoroughly enjoyed the metaphors interspersed throughout.

Even though I didn't possess the appropriate background knowledge to comprehensively understand everything within this book, I still greatly enjoyed the writing. I will most definitely read more works by Hunter S Thompson in the future. However, I will be more discerning in my choices and select books that don't demand as much background knowledge as this one did. This way, I can fully immerse myself in the story and gain a deeper appreciation for his unique literary voice.

In conclusion, while this particular book wasn't a perfect fit for my current level of knowledge, it has piqued my interest in exploring more of Thompson's work. I look forward to delving into his other books and uncovering the hidden gems that lie within.

One of the joys of reading Hunter in this day and age is that you can quickly Google some of the completely obscure people he’s always referencing.

This allows for a deeper and more enriching understanding of his works. By looking up these lesser-known individuals, we can uncover the context and significance behind Hunter's mentions. It adds an extra layer of depth to the reading experience, as we are able to explore the connections and relationships that Hunter is making.

Moreover, it broadens our own knowledge and视野. We may discover new historical figures, artists, or thinkers that we were previously unaware of. This not only enriches our understanding of Hunter's writing but also enriches our own intellectual lives.

In conclusion, the ability to quickly Google the obscure references in Hunter's works is a valuable tool that enhances the reading experience and enriches our knowledge.

Thought this book was truly great!

It is more of a diary than anything else, consisting of snippets and logs taken from throughout the 80's - The Generation of Swine, all from Hunter's point of view - and it's the best kind!

There are lots of short pieces, political madness, quotes from The Revelation, stories about gambling, corrupt swine, and a whole load of other weirdness.

It's obvious that Hunter had deteriorated somewhat at this stage (it was a known fact even then), so anyone who goes into reading this should expect it to be, what seems like, anyway, the crazed ramblings of a guy who'd been completely washed up, thrashed around, chewed, swallowed, digested, regurgitated, and spat out by a life of drugs and politics.

Yet, miraculously, it all makes sense. For someone who had deteriorated, it's funny how he was still more clued up than the majority of the people around him.

This is a great book to just glance through; you can open at any chapter and just start reading. It's like a pocket book for the strange. I will definitely be going back to this book from time to time. It's good stuff! Loved it!

The End.

The Iran-Contra affair was a major political scandal in the United States during the 1980s.

It involved the secret sale of arms to Iran in an attempt to secure the release of American hostages held in Lebanon, and the diversion of the proceeds to the Contras, a rebel group in Nicaragua.

This illegal activity was carried out by elements within the Reagan administration, despite the fact that Congress had prohibited U.S. aid to the Contras.

The scandal came to light in 1986 and led to numerous investigations, hearings, and indictments.

Several high-ranking officials were convicted of crimes related to the affair, including Oliver North and John Poindexter.

The Iran-Contra affair damaged the reputation of the Reagan administration and raised serious questions about the role of the executive branch in foreign policy and the rule of law.

He wasn't as humorous or as caustic as I had anticipated. It seemed as if he was overly enamored with the people in Washington, to the extent that he couldn't cause any real harm. I'm willing to wager that they made copies of the articles and distributed them to their friends and loved ones, saying things like, "HST calls me a swine in this latest one, Mum!" and "Oh, I'm so proud! I'm going to frame it."

There was a tattoo that read: "I'd Rather See My Sister in a Whorehouse Than See My Brother on a Jap Bike."

A tugboat captain from Pittsburgh attempted to put a harpoon in the animal and drag it backward down the river. However, on the night before he was scheduled to do battle with the whale, he was arrested for aggravated sodomy in a parking lot behind the Stamm Theatre in Antioch.

There was also a T-shirt with the slogan: "HE'S TAN, RESTED AND READY!... NIXON IN '88."

"If Ben Franklin and Tom Jefferson had been nickel and dimed to death by lawyers, bimbos, and preachers, we might still be some kind of rich and stolid British colony like Canada – or just another continuous new-world experiment in mutated democratic giantism like Brazil."

"Well... Bush is a genuine 1980s-style Republican, a quintessential type, and he thinks that way. High labor costs? Uppity workers? Pintos exploding and a whole line of new vans catching fire whenever you turn on the radio... Who needs it? Get rid of those lazy buggers. Fire them and bring in Russian scabs. At least they're honest about being Communists."

Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson's collection of stories from the mid-1980s is filled with interesting and wild events that seem to be a time warp. It's true that living in the US during that time might not be something one would desire. The Republican president and his team initially seem just as "crooked" as today's Donald Trump, if not more so. Perhaps Trump is unrivaled in his megalomania and intellectual gifts, but the scandals of the Reagan administration were not as low-class and pious, and the personal demons of some were quite significant. Reading Thompson's work, I often ask myself: what would Thompson write about Trump and his gang today if he hadn't put a bullet in his head 15 years ago? In my opinion, not much different, because Trump is both loudly blustering and making stupid decisions, but compared to the weaklings of the 1980s, it's all just child's play. What complex game could a 70-year-old baby play to be considered one of the most intellectually and psychologically unpredictable people today, who is not afraid to unleash the beast within himself to become a free man?

An Ideal Book for the Current Era. A collection of articles and gonzo notes by Thompson from 1986 - 1988. It describes the overall situation in the world, the pre-election presidential race, a lot about US politics, a bit of sports, and all of this is intertwined with the author's daily life stories. It is easy to read with enthusiasm, although the number of unknown names and references can be intimidating.

The book offers a unique perspective on the events and happenings of that time. Thompson's writing style is engaging and full of energy, making it a captivating read. Whether you are interested in politics, sports, or just a good story, this collection has something for everyone.

It provides a snapshot of a particular moment in history, allowing readers to gain a better understanding of the world as it was then. The combination of personal anecdotes and broader social and political commentary makes it a rich and multi-faceted work. Overall, it is a must-read for anyone looking for an interesting and thought-provoking book.

Hunter S. Thompson was writing about politics 12 - 15 years older than he was during the time of "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ‘72."

Undoubtedly, he was still sharp in his political insights. However, the overall lack of the wild antics that had characterized his earlier work led to a sense of trudging through the fourth quarter of his political writing career.

Perhaps with age and experience, his approach had mellowed, but this also meant that some of the excitement and energy that had made his earlier pieces so captivating were missing.

Nonetheless, his writing still carried weight and significance, offering a unique perspective on the political landscape of that era.

Even in this later stage, Hunter S. Thompson continued to be a force to be reckoned with in the world of political journalism.

Hunter S. Thompson is truly at his most incisive and brutally honest in "Generation of Swine".

The pieces within this work are characterized by their brevity and directness. They are short and sweet, not wasting a single moment in getting straight to the heart of the matter.

Each word is carefully chosen to convey Thompson's unfiltered thoughts and opinions.

It is a collection that showcases his unique writing style and fearless approach to journalism.

"Generation of Swine" is an essential read for any fan of Hunter S. Thompson or anyone interested in thought-provoking and hard-hitting writing.

It offers a raw and uncompromising look at the world as Thompson saw it, and continues to resonate with readers today.

Whether you agree or disagree with his views, there is no denying the power and impact of his words.

This is HST at his best, and a must-have for any bookshelf.

At first, I had the impression that this compilation of Thompson's columns from the San Francisco Examiner between '85 and '88 was a pale imitation of his work from the 60s and 70s. However, upon further reading, it's not as bad as I initially thought. In fact, it has its merits. Each column is approximately 2 3/4 pages long in my paperback copy, and most of them contain two or three thematically related elements that interact in a sharp and dissonant yet still enjoyable and familiar way. It's like the sound of pool balls breaking in a smoky airport lounge in Phoenix or Denver, where bets are being made on a Dallas Cowboy's season rushing total or the speed of a motorcycle.

Thompson, as always, delves into politics, sports, and world events. But in this collection, I found myself particularly entertained by some of the hilarious set pieces or simply appreciating the way he could effortlessly set a scene. For example, he writes: "It was the middle of a slow afternoon on a cold day in the Rockies, and there were only a few paying customers at the bar, all of them deeply engrossed in their own business...they were locals, cowboys and gamblers, and the last thing any one of them needed was a high-speed Italian motorcycle."

Nixon, Coleridge, Frank Mankiewicz, Joseph Conrad, Reagan, H.L. Mencken, Susan Atkins, Sitting Bull, and "the hapless Warren G. Harding" all make appearances in these pages. These are the recurring mental characters Thompson used to try to make sense of the world. The words "baleful" and "balefully" also recur frequently, indicating their importance to Hunter in the late 80s.
Disconcertingly, Biden also shows up a few times. We see him running for the Democratic nomination in '88 until he plagiarizes Bobby Kennedy or does something equally unethical. Thompson's treatment of Biden and the others reminds me that one of the truly subversive aspects of his writing is his resistance to ideology and his refusal to align with any one side. This would perhaps be even more subversive in '20 than in '88, and just as justified.
In my view, what sets this collection apart from some of his earlier work is that the topics feel more like topics rather than experiences he has lived and breathed. He seems like a man out of his element. The era in which he came of age and produced his best work has passed. The 80s, with its ruthless competition and greed, was a strange fit for him. Despite being caricatured as a wisecracking cynic, he was actually a romantic and an idealist. I sometimes think that the reason I can't remember much about the Reagan years is that they were so depressing that they sapped the will to write or even live.
Thompson had previously captured the zeitgeist in works like The Hell's Angels and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He had been at the center of events, like in Chicago in '68 and with McGovern in '72. But here, he doesn't seem as connected. Maybe he was tired of it all. As he says in his author's note: "There are times - and this is one of them - when even being right feels wrong. What do you say, for instance, about a generation that has been taught that rain is poison and sex is death? [If that's true], there is not much left except TV and relentless masturbation." And as I read this again, I think of another passage where he talks about getting his cable TV hookup with 200 channels and worries about "the danger of too much input." Hunter, little did he know what was coming. And I guess we don't either.

I read this when I was a teen, in the early aughts. At that time, I was much too young to understand much of the eighties politics he rants about.

So, considering that I finished it, it must have been pretty entertaining even without the context. However, 15 years on, the only detail I remember is a part where Thompson traps a fox that keeps daring to live near his home. And he torments it for absolutely no reason other than sadism.

This incident left such a strong impression on me that it's probably why I never bothered to read any of the rest of his work. I couldn't get past that one cruel act described in the book. It made me question the author's character and values.

Maybe if I had read it again as an adult, with a better understanding of the context and the author's intentions, I might have had a different perspective. But as it stands, that one memory has colored my entire view of Thompson's writing.

This has been the only thing helping me make sense of the current political upheaval.

It's as if in this chaotic and ever-changing political landscape, this one thing stands out as a guiding light.

The turmoil and uncertainty that seem to grip the political world can be overwhelming, but this particular aspect provides a glimmer of understanding.

Gonzo forever.

It's a statement that perhaps encapsulates a certain attitude or approach to dealing with the madness.

Maybe it represents a refusal to be swayed by the mainstream or a determination to see things from a different perspective.

Whatever the case may be, it gives a sense of purpose and meaning in the midst of the political storm.

It's a reminder that even in the most difficult of times, there are still things that can help us make sense of it all.

And with that, Gonzo lives on, a symbol of hope and clarity in a murky political world.