Searching for the American Dream
<Tab/>"We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold." Hunter S. Thompson makes this statement at the very beginning of his memoir Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. In this Thompson tells us of a time that he, as Raoul Duke, and Dr. Gonzo travel to Las Vegas to cover a dirt bike race and, most importantly, to search for the American dream. Taking us along through his drug addled stupor, Thompson can delight, scare, and confuse his readers in just one paragraph.
<Tab/>Thompson's ability to capture his audience with the most unusual yet powerful description is nothing short of remarkable. Somehow disturbing and laughable, the account of wandering through Circus-Circus had me clutching my poor stomach muscles from laughing so hard. The incident in the North Star Coffee Lounge had me on the edge of my seat, my eyes glued to the page. …
