The Dean Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 there are few better opening lines to a book than this: "We were someplace around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold." this trumps "best of times ... worst of times" and much of everything else in my book.by comparison, Rum Diaries is a far different book and might be Thompson's most sober (?) and straightforward account. it's a very good book in my opinion, though completely different than many -- perhaps all -- of the other things he's written. jw Indeed. I wouldn't recommend Run Diaries as the next one to read...but that's me. Great Shark Hunt, Hell's Angels or the wonderfully bizarre and very short Curse of Lono, might be better choices. If you are into politics, Campaign Trail, Generation of Swine and Songs of the Doomed are good, as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 there are few better opening lines to a book than this: "We were someplace around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold." this trumps "best of times ... worst of times" and much of everything else in my book.by comparison, Rum Diaries is a far different book and might be Thompson's most sober (?) and straightforward account. it's a very good book in my opinion, though completely different than many -- perhaps all -- of the other things he's written. jw Heh. After being introduced to HST by the same bad influences who handed me my first bottle of Harp (as discussed earlier in the thread), I used to have that intro damn near memorized. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/704...ng_in_las_vegas Regarding the movies, I haven't seen the Johnny Depp one, but I thought Bill Murray was brilliant in "Where The Buffalo Roam." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delete This Account Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 Heh. After being introduced to HST by the same bad influences who handed me my first bottle of Harp (as discussed earlier in the thread), I used to have that intro damn near memorized.http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/704...ng_in_las_vegas Regarding the movies, I haven't seen the Johnny Depp one, but I thought Bill Murray was brilliant in "Where The Buffalo Roam." what's funny is my memory of the line differs from the actual line, and i think might have actually improved it. rather than the vague "someplace," i always think the line was "We were 40 miles outside of Barstow when the drugs began to take hold ..." but it's still a great and inspired opener. funny, i've never seen the Murray version but went to the theatre to see the Depp version, which was a wildly strange affair. and by that i mean it was as true to the book as creatively possible, which didn't make for a great movie (especially if you didn't read the book) but certainly something to see. and of course, Depp developed such a close friendship with HST that he paid for the erection of the big fist-cannon and light show that marked the formal sendoff of Hunter's ashes. note: we did an HST vacation last year. Puerto Rico first and then Denver/Aspen. wound up having drinks at both the Jerome Hotel and then the Woody Creek Tavern, where i had an enlightening encounter with a regular. throughout our whole trip to Colorado, people would always ask us where we were from. and when we replied Buffalo, everyone responded by saying: "isn't it cold there?" well, for the umpteenth time, this happened at the Woody Creek, where i had finally had enough and launched into a mini rant (which i hope the good Doctor would've been proud of). it went something like this: "Cold in Buffalo? You folks, of course, realize where you are presently, in the mountains, where it gets cold, where it snows and where they don't plow the Independence Pass until Memorial Day. ... right, cold in Buffalo ... " it got a good laugh out of the locals at the bar and my wife and i both felt welcomed. jw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Heh. After being introduced to HST by the same bad influences who handed me my first bottle of Harp (as discussed earlier in the thread), I used to have that intro damn near memorized.http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/704...ng_in_las_vegas Regarding the movies, I haven't seen the Johnny Depp one, but I thought Bill Murray was brilliant in "Where The Buffalo Roam." Murray and Depp were both excellent in the role. The movies, unfortunately, were sub par. I know there are some who will read the beginning of Fear and Loathing, and then just put the book down. But I'm not sure I could be friends with any of those people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Murray and Depp were both excellent in the role. The movies, unfortunately, were sub par. I know there are some who will read the beginning of Fear and Loathing, and then just put the book down. But I'm not sure I could be friends with any of those people. Damn, Bri, you gotta get back up here to a game. Been too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delete This Account Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 Murray and Depp were both excellent in the role. The movies, unfortunately, were sub par. I know there are some who will read the beginning of Fear and Loathing, and then just put the book down. But I'm not sure I could be friends with any of those people. you're absolutely right. that's a good gauge to determine whether people are worth talking to or not ... the fear and loathing meter, perhaps. jw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooderson Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Indeed. I wouldn't recommend Run Diaries as the next one to read...but that's me. Great Shark Hunt, Hell's Angels or the wonderfully bizarre and very short Curse of Lono, might be better choices. If you are into politics, Campaign Trail, Generation of Swine and Songs of the Doomed are good, as well. I've heard the Hells Angels one is very good, and seeing as I'm an avid fan of Gangland, that might be an interesting one to pick up. Thanks for the tips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennesseeboy Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 from Wikipedia Gilchrist then joined the roster of the Buffalo Bills of the fledgling American Football League. Incidentally, Gilchrist was Buffalo's backup plan: they had actually drafted Ernie Davis to be the team's franchise running back in 1962, but Davis instead chose the NFL and furthermore died of leukemia before ever playing a down of pro football, and the Bills instead signed Gilchrist as a free agent. While with Buffalo, Gilchrist played fullback and kicked, though he insisted he could have played both ways. He was the first 1000-yard American Football League rusher, with 1,096 in a 14-game schedule in 1962. That year he set the all-time AFL record for touchdowns with 13, and earned AFL MVP honors. Gilchrist rushed for a professional football record 243 yards and five touchdowns in a single game against the New York Jets in 1963. Though he was only with the Bills for three years (1962-1964), he remains the team's fifth leading rusher all-time, and led the league in scoring in each of his three years as a Bill. Gilchrist was legendary as a pass defense blocker. Cookies' teamwork and willingness to "step up" and block for quarterbacks was a key part of his Bills contributions, and made the Bills offense of the era a unique challenge to defend. Gilchrist ran for 122 yards in the Bills' 1964 American Football League championship defeat of the San Diego Chargers, 20-7. His 4.5 yd/rush average is second as a Bill only to O.J. Simpson. Cribbs was nothing compared to Cookie. And Cookie was perhaps the greatest pass blocking fullback that ever lived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delete This Account Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 from WikipediaGilchrist then joined the roster of the Buffalo Bills of the fledgling American Football League. Incidentally, Gilchrist was Buffalo's backup plan: they had actually drafted Ernie Davis to be the team's franchise running back in 1962, but Davis instead chose the NFL and furthermore died of leukemia before ever playing a down of pro football, and the Bills instead signed Gilchrist as a free agent. While with Buffalo, Gilchrist played fullback and kicked, though he insisted he could have played both ways. He was the first 1000-yard American Football League rusher, with 1,096 in a 14-game schedule in 1962. That year he set the all-time AFL record for touchdowns with 13, and earned AFL MVP honors. Gilchrist rushed for a professional football record 243 yards and five touchdowns in a single game against the New York Jets in 1963. Though he was only with the Bills for three years (1962-1964), he remains the team's fifth leading rusher all-time, and led the league in scoring in each of his three years as a Bill. Gilchrist was legendary as a pass defense blocker. Cookies' teamwork and willingness to "step up" and block for quarterbacks was a key part of his Bills contributions, and made the Bills offense of the era a unique challenge to defend. Gilchrist ran for 122 yards in the Bills' 1964 American Football League championship defeat of the San Diego Chargers, 20-7. His 4.5 yd/rush average is second as a Bill only to O.J. Simpson. Cribbs was nothing compared to Cookie. And Cookie was perhaps the greatest pass blocking fullback that ever lived. um, thanks? perhaps you should try that number again t-boy, heh, as this post might have been meant for another thread, unless i'm missing something in regards to the connection to 1) Dublin, 2) Jameson or 3) Hunter. you make a good point, though. jw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 um, thanks? perhaps you should try that number again t-boy, heh, as this post might have been meant for another thread, unless i'm missing something in regards to the connection to 1) Dublin, 2) Jameson or 3) Hunter. you make a good point, though. jw "I was right in the middle of a fukking reptile zoo, and somebody was feeding booze to these goddamn things!" One of my favorite lines ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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