Hell's Angels

Gonzo journalist and literary roustabout Hunter S. Thompson flies with the angels—Hell’s Angels, that is—in this “superb and terrifying” (Chicago Tribune) work of nonfiction.

“Shattering . . . A truly rough, stomach-turning, yet fascinating view of Pop Sociology.”— San Francisco Chronicle

“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.

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.