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I've read Pratchett, MIlligan and so many others but I genuinely think that Fear and Loathing might be a contender for the funniest book ever written.

I could identify with so many of the situations in the book so maybe that made it so much funnier for me but I was wondering if others, who had not had similar circumstances found it as funny.

Its a comedy extravaganza for sure. A regular laff-riot. I definitely LOL'd throughout.

But there are other superb works of comedy in American lit which most people don't know about these days.

SJ Perelman, James Thurber, HL Mencken, Walter Kaufman (Kaufman & Hart); Ben Hecht; Anita Loos; Dorothy Parker; Bob & Ray; Bertrand Brinley; Garrison Keillor; Ted L. Nancy; Will Rogers; Joseph Heller; Nichols & May; Dan Greenburg; Woody Allen... certainly stand in any ranking which might include Hunter S. Thompson.

I must of missed something, or maybe while reading this book years ago I was just having many, many bad days and was taking myself way to seriously. Whatever the reason funny was not a word that comes to mind when I think about reading this book.

It is fun to impress your companions on a long road trip by quoting extensive passages from this book. However, I think that "The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved" from The Great Shark Hunt is Thompson's funniest piece.

Denise wrote: "Whatever the reason funny was not a word that comes to mind when I think about reading this book. ..."

You don't think the book is funny?

Sorry, but it kind of reminded me of times when I was too messed up and the party was no longer fun and I just wanted it all to stop. and at that point the panic starts to set in. It's my own issues for sure but that's pretty much why I failed to see much humor in this book. No doubt Thompson is a great writer and has his moments but the moments in Fear and Loathing passed me by without much humor.

Denise wrote: "Sorry, but it kind of reminded me of times when I was too messed up and the party was no longer fun and I just wanted it all to stop. and at that point the panic starts to set in. It's my own issue..."

I was absolutely howling at it in places. I was getting all sorts of looks on the train.

Easily one of my favourite books, Hunter has a style that many have tried to match but never quite managed. Funniest book ever? It's definately up there, it's a great balance of exceptional journalism and complete farce.

It's funny to us, but for Hunter S. Thompson and his Samoan attorney it is as the title says full of fear and loathing. Thompson's writing represents the counter culture of the time, as he is rather sarcastically in search of the American dream.

The account is loaded with barbed irony, Thompson explains what he sees as the beginning of the end of the values that established his country.

Yes it is funny, but it is also a tragic portrayal of the end of the American dream.

Hunter S. Thompson did a lot of drugs. He wrote while he was on drugs, so I am not surprised that his writing could be read as funny--"I live in a quiet place, where any sound at night means something is about to happen: You come awake fast--thinking, what does that mean?" p. 63

It's a very funny book, to be sure, but I don't know that you can reasonably set it above Catch-22 or The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. At a certain point, you just have a collection of books that are all very funny.

Darren wrote: "Denise wrote: "Sorry, but it kind of reminded me of times when I was too messed up and the party was no longer fun and I just wanted it all to stop. and at that point the panic starts to set in. It..."

Denise, try it again after all these years. You might find the laughs you missed then. If nothing else, the art can't help but give you the laughs.

And, yeah the Kentucky Derby piece Denise mentioned above is awesome too... and similarly illustrated. I couldn't decide which I like better. Maybe F&L because you laugh for longer?

I was trying to think which of the books others have mentioned above are as funny as F&L? Heller is good, but less manic. The only competitor is outside of America... maybe Celine's Journey to the End of the Night, which I'm pretty sure has to have been an influence on Thompson.

John wrote: "Darren wrote: "Denise wrote: "Sorry, but it kind of reminded me of times when I was too messed up and the party was no longer fun and I just wanted it all to stop. and at that point the panic start..."

yeah maybe I will give it a go and reread it. After all there were a lot of things I didn't like when I was younger. Tastes change for sure. And there are always the pictures

If you guys liked Fear and Loathing I can't possibly recommend PJ O'Rourke enough. Especially his Parliment of Whores and Eat the Rich. O'Rourke is the only other writer who i can think of who wrote with an exceptional style, sharp satire and great political insight.

One wrote: "If you guys liked Fear and Loathing I can't possibly recommend PJ O'Rourke enough. Especially his Parliment of Whores and Eat the Rich. O'Rourke is the only other writer who i can think of who wr..."

That's awesome, thanks for the tip, definitely will check this out.

Thanks for the reading list! Fear and loathing was hilarious but nevertheless I can relate to Denise's feelings of scary over the top drug worship.

"Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris, not political but can still go on the funny list.

Anne wrote: "Thanks for the reading list! Fear and loathing was hilarious but nevertheless I can relate to Denise's feelings of scary over the top drug worship.

"Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris, not ..."

Sedaris is an excellent addition to any list of funny writers, though I have always been more fond of Holidays on Ice personally.

Is that the Santa land one? Hilarious. I'm picturing the elf now. ha ha Thanks for the chuckle.

Anne wrote: "Is that the Santa land one? Hilarious. I'm picturing the elf now. ha ha Thanks for the chuckle."

Yeah, it's a good one. Most of his are good. And funny.

Yeah, it was funny and good. That first chapter just drew me in. Made me feel good to read about a party I wasn't at!

James wrote: "It's funny to us, but for Hunter S. Thompson and his Samoan attorney it is as the title says full of fear and loathing. Thompson's writing represents the counter culture of the time, as he is rathe..."

Black Humor is the best humor, at least to me.

HerodotusMao wrote: "James wrote: "It's funny to us, but for Hunter S. Thompson and his Samoan attorney it is as the title says full of fear and loathing. Thompson's writing represents the counter culture of the time, ..."Hey I'm with you on that one.

FEAR & LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS is BY FAR, the funniest book that i've EVER read. Not only is it the funniest book i've ever read- but it's the book that made me want to read more books. It was honestly a book that changed my life; it ignited a feeling in me where I all of sudden was driven to read, and to just, learn more. I read it after the movie came out, but I hadn't ever seen the movie and I don't intend too. My grandfather gave me the book, and it isn't 1st edition but was published mid 1970's and is one of the items I cherish, and I consider priceless.

Well, here's a short list, in no particular order, from a dolt who enjoys reading comedy:

The aforementioned "Fear and Loathing" and yes, I agree that the Kentucky Derby piece is one of Thompson's funniest...

"The Fan Man" by William Kotzwinkle;

"Dr. Strangelove, or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb" by Peter George and Terry Southern -- a novelization of Kubrick's extraordinary movie;

"Another Roadside Attraction" and "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" by Tom Robbins;

"Kleinzeit" by Russell Hoban. Who knew hospitals were funny ?

"Appaloosa Rising: Or, the Legend of the Cowboy Buddha" by Gino Sky. The next Buddah is given birth by a teen-age Wyoming cheerleader.

"Armageddon: The Musical" and "Nostradamus Ate My Hampster" by Robert Rankin. Anything by Rankin will bring a smile, and sometimes tears of laughter, but these two are my favorites of the dozen+ that I've read.

"Expecting Someone Taller" and "Faust Among Equals" by Tom Holt. If you enjoy these, Holt's written many more...

Should you live outdoors, try reading "The Grasshopper Trap" and "They Shoot Canoes, Don't They?" by Patrick F. McManus. If you've always been a couch potato, don't bother, you probably wouldn't enjoy these...

The funniest ever? Almost anything by Christopher Moore. "Island of the Sequined Love Nun", "The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove", "Practical Demonkeeping", "Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story",... Take your pick.

Dave Barry - Greatest Hits is funny and the 'episodes' are reasonably short...

There's always Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail. The references are (of course) dated, but it was quite funny as well. Then there's Nancy Mitford, of the famous Mitford sisters. Love in a Cold Climate and The Pursuit of Love: hilarious, crazy upper class British silliness

I have read this book over twenty times and every time I read it, it is still just as funny. R.I.P H.S.T

I was late to come to Fear and Loathing. I actually just read it a month ago and thought it was funny, but in sort of a sad way. Maybe because in the back of my mind I think of Thompson later in life and his suicide.
What I really loved was the commentary on the American dream and the need for diversion. I thought Thompson's insights into life were extremely interesting.

I agree with Anne and Daniel about Sedaris, though I would recommend Naked, in particular the essay marked "Ticks." I peed a little.

Bob wrote "Almost anything by Christopher Moore. "Island of the Sequined Love Nun", "The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove", "Practical Demonkeeping", "Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story",... Take your pick.
I would recommend Lamb, Dirty Job or Fool, thought they were particularly Hilarious, though I do love everything by him

I've always seen his suicide as more of a positive solution to a shit situation. Suffering from health problems made him seriously depressed, the main issues being with his hip, leg, back and so on. I think he flipped his car doing a skid or something and that's how he damaged his hip and leg. For someone who thrived off life the way he did, living in that condition is just not plausible. I'd probably of done the same thing. The guy had already seen and done it all, and when you've seen and done it all, the natural thing to do is to try and find anything else you can; if you're unable to do that, what's the point? I'm guessing that's how he looked at it. Plus, he had his family over that week and he thought it would be the best time to go; around family. At first, I did think that leaving your family at the dinner table and blowing your brains out in the yard was a little strange, but then considering how honest the man was . . . what do you expect? He didn't want to become a burden on his family, he didn't want to a live a life where he was unable to do as he pleased, so he offed himself. Sad? Yes. Pointless? No.
I see fear and loathing as more of a reminder of what he'd once been and the things he'd accomplished; the positive out-weighs the negative, so to speak.

Will have to check out some of the above titles!