Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
question
Any other books with a similar interior monologue style?
Wouter
Jan 11, 2015 12:54PM
I absolutely love the interior monologue style of writing of this book, and would love to read more. Problem is, most book recommendations for similar books focus on the drugs angle, which is not the main reason I like this book.
Similarly, if you simply go looking for books written mostly in interior monologue / stream of consciousness style, you find books where the main character's thoughts really go off on a tangent (e.g. Ulysses), which doesn't interest me as much. Instead, in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the main character's thoughts are often still in relation to what is currently happening in the "real world" right now, creating an interesting contrast between the two which makes it so funny and surreal.
Yet other books are from an "I" perspective, but have the main character clearly narrating to the reader. I'd prefer the main character to not be aware I am following his thoughts, if you will :)
Any good recommendations for books that are closest to this particular flavor of internal monologue?
Similarly, if you simply go looking for books written mostly in interior monologue / stream of consciousness style, you find books where the main character's thoughts really go off on a tangent (e.g. Ulysses), which doesn't interest me as much. Instead, in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the main character's thoughts are often still in relation to what is currently happening in the "real world" right now, creating an interesting contrast between the two which makes it so funny and surreal.
Yet other books are from an "I" perspective, but have the main character clearly narrating to the reader. I'd prefer the main character to not be aware I am following his thoughts, if you will :)
Any good recommendations for books that are closest to this particular flavor of internal monologue?
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Actually, parts of William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury are done in a similar style. It's much more difficult to understand though. Hell's Angels is excellent, but more of straight reportage. You might also try Thomas McGuane's Ninety-two in the Shade––not completely interior, but reads similarly, I think.
Curious Incident of the Dog at Midnight, Mark Haddon. Told from the perspective of an autistic young man in England.
A lot of Chuck Pahluniak might be what you want, such as Fight Club.
Stephen King's Dolores Claiborne is the perspective of a middleaged New England woman giving her side of the story in a death case, and in the process giving her life story.
You might or might not enjoy the 1st person narratives by Nicholson Baker in his The Mezzanine (a gentleman buying shoelaces at a shopping mall--a weird, exhaustive analysis about the minutia of modern life) or The Everlasting Story of Nory (a young girl in NY)
Room, Emma Donahue. From the perspective of a 5-year old boy born to a woman kidnapped and held captive, partially inspired by true life events. Not a depressing soap opera by any means, I gave this 5stars for my Goodreads review.
A lot of Chuck Pahluniak might be what you want, such as Fight Club.
Stephen King's Dolores Claiborne is the perspective of a middleaged New England woman giving her side of the story in a death case, and in the process giving her life story.
You might or might not enjoy the 1st person narratives by Nicholson Baker in his The Mezzanine (a gentleman buying shoelaces at a shopping mall--a weird, exhaustive analysis about the minutia of modern life) or The Everlasting Story of Nory (a young girl in NY)
Room, Emma Donahue. From the perspective of a 5-year old boy born to a woman kidnapped and held captive, partially inspired by true life events. Not a depressing soap opera by any means, I gave this 5stars for my Goodreads review.
I wanted Fear and Loathing to continue... amazing book and loved the writing style... read another Thompson book 'The Curse of Lono' and highly recommend it as it's the same style of writing.
There are parts of The Last Toke by A. J Causeway that are like the inner monologues of Fear and Loathing as the book satirizes the excesses of the 70s in the style of Thompson's gonzo journalism.
Hells angels by the same author
I really enjoyed "On the Road" and "Dharma Bums" for their stream of consciousness style. Maybe they're not really funny... but you really feel like part of the story almost. :)
So I wrote a book . . . it's in 3rd person, although it strives from the same elements as Gonzo - so, Gonzo 3rd person Howler Fiction. The sequel 'Stab House' is 100% 1st person Gonzo.
If this story were to have been written in the first person, it would have been described as being “Gonzo” style. It is a style of writing without any claims to objectivity, which draws its power from a combination of real-life experience and self-satire. It favours a non-detached style and strives for a more personal approach. The use of sarcasm, humour and profanity is common; and it is considered to be a sub-genre of new writing in the twenty-first century.
The events described in my book during one month in the year 2160, are entirely fictitious. The language, thinking and personas in the story, produced by widespread drug-taking, alcohol addiction and the violence they both encourage, are not fictional in my city today. I have lived with them, and I have lived through them.
I have seen and experienced much of the violence, philosophy and behaviour described throughout the book. I loathe and abhor the evil they represent. But to do so, is not to deny that it exists and is spreading. The environment that emerges and evolves as a result, whilst not being entirely ordained, is both predictable and already widespread in many of our cities today, not just in Brighton.
The shocking story of a fight for survival against the odds, by a group of youngsters cast adrift in a town that could be any one of our inner cities today. Here could be your children's future, society's future - OUR future if we don't change before it's too late.
If you're concerned at all for the future of your children, you may find it shocking, not only because of the widespread, endemic use of hard drugs which is prevalent throughout the story; but it takes place in the beautiful, picturesque seaside resort of Brighton. And it is happening NOW throughout our country in almost all of our traditional market towns.
The book contains probably the best description of a 'bad trip' you will ever read – together with valuable information on the destructive effects of modern drugs, written by someone who has experienced them personally.
On another level, it is a terrific adventure story: a bunch of no-hope drug addicts up against the kind of thugs and hoodlums that already haunt most of our inner cities; and through a combination of street-wise intelligence, improvisation and effective use of whatever resources they can find at their disposal, winning all the odds. But at what price?
For more information visit www.sketcity.co.uk
15% of charity is donated to the Sussex Bat Group charity in the name of a friend. The Sussex Bat Group was formed in 1984 to help conserve bats in East and West Sussex. The Group is a registered charity made up of volunteers who share a passion for bats. We are affiliated with the Bat Conservation Trust.
Bats are facing serious population declines across the UK. There is a bat group in nearly every county working to help reverse this decline.
Thanks,
Matt
If this story were to have been written in the first person, it would have been described as being “Gonzo” style. It is a style of writing without any claims to objectivity, which draws its power from a combination of real-life experience and self-satire. It favours a non-detached style and strives for a more personal approach. The use of sarcasm, humour and profanity is common; and it is considered to be a sub-genre of new writing in the twenty-first century.
The events described in my book during one month in the year 2160, are entirely fictitious. The language, thinking and personas in the story, produced by widespread drug-taking, alcohol addiction and the violence they both encourage, are not fictional in my city today. I have lived with them, and I have lived through them.
I have seen and experienced much of the violence, philosophy and behaviour described throughout the book. I loathe and abhor the evil they represent. But to do so, is not to deny that it exists and is spreading. The environment that emerges and evolves as a result, whilst not being entirely ordained, is both predictable and already widespread in many of our cities today, not just in Brighton.
The shocking story of a fight for survival against the odds, by a group of youngsters cast adrift in a town that could be any one of our inner cities today. Here could be your children's future, society's future - OUR future if we don't change before it's too late.
If you're concerned at all for the future of your children, you may find it shocking, not only because of the widespread, endemic use of hard drugs which is prevalent throughout the story; but it takes place in the beautiful, picturesque seaside resort of Brighton. And it is happening NOW throughout our country in almost all of our traditional market towns.
The book contains probably the best description of a 'bad trip' you will ever read – together with valuable information on the destructive effects of modern drugs, written by someone who has experienced them personally.
On another level, it is a terrific adventure story: a bunch of no-hope drug addicts up against the kind of thugs and hoodlums that already haunt most of our inner cities; and through a combination of street-wise intelligence, improvisation and effective use of whatever resources they can find at their disposal, winning all the odds. But at what price?
For more information visit www.sketcity.co.uk
15% of charity is donated to the Sussex Bat Group charity in the name of a friend. The Sussex Bat Group was formed in 1984 to help conserve bats in East and West Sussex. The Group is a registered charity made up of volunteers who share a passion for bats. We are affiliated with the Bat Conservation Trust.
Bats are facing serious population declines across the UK. There is a bat group in nearly every county working to help reverse this decline.
Thanks,
Matt
Also, if you can find it, The Curse of Lono by Hunter S Thompson. It's fear and loathing in Hawaii. You can also check out some Charles Bukowski if you want alcoholic rambles and smut. Both are good choices.
