Reading 1001 discussion

11. Please post a review or a few short comments about the book. Do you think this book should be included in the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die?

Rating: 4 Stars
Read: December 2016

I began this book with the mindset that I was not going to like it, mainly since it centered on drugs and counterculture. The book did make me feel uncomfortable at first, but before I knew it I was sucked in. Wolfe did a great job relating the story. I did not know that the book is non-fiction prior to reading it, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that the main character is another 1001 author (Ken Kesey - referred to in the book as just "Kesey"). I learned a lot about that time era through the book and found the information quite fascinating. I think the book definitely deserves its spot on the list since it was an important chronicle of time, place, and events, and since its descriptions of the Merry Pranksters helped to connect the Beat generation with the hippies.

3 stars from me

I did enjoy parts of the story and learning about events was fascinating, however there were sections that just dragged and were constantly repeated.

I rate the book 3 stars

I enjoyed a lot about this book mostly in the first part as it was like a who's who and about so many famous people and authors but when it veared off into total "on the bus stuff", I really lost interest. I really lost respect for Ken Kesey and I kept thinking "what a waste".

I had no interest in LSD back in the sixties and I still don't but I was really surprised to learn it wasn't illegal, that the patent was held by Sandoz.

I think Tom Wolfe did a good job writing the book but I much prefer his fiction Bonfires of the Vanities. A good example of New Journalism using literary technique in such a way as to make fiction read like nonfiction.