The Rum Diary: A Novel

Since this novels publication in 1959, before its author gained mainstream popularity, The Rum Diary has been overlooked in terms of its literary value. The novel; however, which describes the plight of 30-year-old
journalist Paul Kemp, is making a comeback.
Within the past ten years the book has been put back into print to satisfy the growing fan base of its author, Hunter S. Thompson. Currently being adapted into a feature film set for release in 2008 and starring Johnny Depp (a close friend of Thompson's who also starred in 1998's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.), The Rum Diary is sure to gain additional exposure in the coming year

FULL REVIEW:

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I had read a lot of HST's work when I was a teenager but had avoided "The Rum Diary" when it was published. I'd read that it was something he had finished, disliked, and shoved in a drawer. The only reason it was finally coming out was due to the release of the "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" movie and reviews were tepid. Then, "The Rum Diary" movie came out, which I didn't see, but it made me read the book. All that preamble to say that I had it right as a teenager.

The book is okay. It's an interesting footnote to HST's eventual brilliant writing, integrating himself into the story in order that his often esoteric POV is understood as having come from a specific type of character. "The Rum Diary" is filled with great, well-observed characters and some rich detail, but it's neither here nor there. It's not really HST as we came to know him and it's not pulpy enough to be a solid men's adventure thriller which is seems to be aimed at sometimes. On the other side of the coin, when it's trying to do Graham Greene (or Joseph Conrad, who gets referenced a couple of times), the substance and meaning just isn't there. HST was not Graham Greene and his shelving of this manuscript seems to suggest he knew this.

Sex, lies, alcohol, and love. When my friend first recommended this book to me and those five words came out of her mouth I thought the book sounded like a dramatic play. But when I got a brand new paper back copy of The Rum Diary in my hands I felt as if I was in San Juan, Puerto Rico with Paul Kemp in 1959.

Hunter wrote this novel as a journal from his days soon after he began the art of Gonzo journalism. Gonzo journalism is journalism that can be truthful without following the common rules of the journalistic style. Hunter S. Thompson became my favorite author after reading this book. He keeps you laughing and wondering how, through all the alcohol, Paul can manage to do the job he came from New York to do.

Hunter S. Thompson quoted Dark Eileen O'Connell's poem before he begins the novel saying, "My rider of the bright eyes, what happened you yesterday? I thought you in my heart, when I bought you your fine clothes, a man the world could not slay." At first this made no sense to me but when I turned to page one the story explained the quote and the journey began.

The book begins in 1958 when Paul Kemp explains why this bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico is so important to him. Most of the time that is where Paul ends up as he tries to excel at a job he thought would be great but turns out to be an awful newspaper that could fold at any moment.

Paul makes friends with two of his co-workers, Sala and Yeamon. Yeamon introduces Paul to a new way of looking at the world, not through a small shot glass but through a pint of beer. "We drank for another hour or so, laughing indulgently at Chenault and watching the sun slant off toward Jamaica and the Gulf of Mexico," Paul describes after yet another night of drinking.

After meeting Yeamon, Paul soon meets Yeamon's girl, Chenault. When Paul's eyes first see her he thinks he is in Heaven, but then he soon begins to think why Chenault is with Yeamon and not him. Chenault's raining beauty has Paul captured but Yeamon, being the wino he is, doesn't get the fact that there is more to a relationship than just sex.

This book is a wild ride and you will be on the edge of your seat especially when Yeamon finds out about Paul being in love with Chenault. This book is based on Hunter's personal experiences in San Juan, Puerto Rico he will keep you guessing the whole way through. I fell in love with his writing and now every time I am in a library or book store I search for a book by the late Hunter S. Thompson, who killed himself back in January 2005.

First, let me say this is one of my all-time favorite books, most probably because I feel I relate to the characters. And maybe, foremost, that's Hunter Thompson's greatest strength as a writer: his ability to fold the reader into some kind of an investment in his thoughts. I don't know.

When I discovered this book 10 years ago I was working as a staff writer at a meaningless little newspaper, and the characters in this book reflected the characters I knew in my life. I still find myself reading this story again and again, though I now know it fairly completely. I sometimes just open to random chapters and read the beautifully-crafted sentences that, alone, deserve high praise, in my opinion.

But what Hunter Thompson does so brilliantly in The Rum Diary, I think, is to build lazy and imperfect characters who merely respond to the situation in which they find themselves. Even Sala, the self-proclaimed "only professional on the island," bends to performing minimal work for the paper .. all the while greedily building his own portfolio. I get the feeling that most of these writers would turn in better work at newspapers demanding quality. But Lotterman is unwilling or unable to demand excellence from his people. His imperfection even opens questions to his motivations for starting The San Juan Daily News in the first place. The plot has to then perform through the sluggishness. Thompson describes the place as a backwater, and this feeling pervades the entire book. The story is purposely slow because the plot must fight through a thick malaise, just as the fast and results-oriented American Dream is forced upon slow-moving, sticky Puerto Rico.

Maybe all the "vagrant journalists" and the backwater newspapers just fit well together, but I like to think "el News" was a special case, and the cause of its' own demise. I often wonder what became of Yeamon? He's the most interesting character in the novel, in my opinion, because he's not yet a professional and this world is somewhat new to him. I like to think he somehow survived to become something of a writer while retaining his fire. I don't see him ever compromising. I like to think they all escaped sluggish San Juan. Or, as in Moberg's case, became absorbed by it.

There are no good guys or bad guys in The Rum Diary. There are no morals nor immorality to judge. No one takes a high ground. They are immune to that black and white simplicity as they exist in a dark and imperfect world. It's simply observing these interesting characters swimming in their own environment that is the enjoyment of reading The Rum Diary.

I didnt pick this up expecting to be blown away like I was when I read "Fear & Loathing" (the first half of it, anyway). I expected "The Rum Diary" to be a bit rough around the edges, a bit raw and probably more innocent. As I had guessed, this book is no masterpeice, but it is interesting none the less. The subject matter is a bit tame when compared to Thompson's later work, and the writing sounds a bit innocent, but I found it reassuring that someone as notable as Hunter Thompson came from such relatively humble beginnings. This is an easy read, and the book has its moments, but it wont convert anyone who doesnt know about Thompson's exploits in other books.

I waited a long time for 'The Rum Diary'. A couple of chapters of this book appeared in 'Songs of the Doomed' , one of the two examples of sustained good writing in that anthology. They whetted my appetite for more of the same, and I kept checking to see when the whole book would be published.
Now here's some of it and it's quite a disappointment. It has been bowdlerised, as if readers of HST expected politically correct writing. Here's an example, a passage from the original;
"Drink up", said Yeamon. "We'll invite some of your friends and have a real party!" Then he fell back in the chair. "Ah, the good life," he muttered. "Might as well try to share it with a wild boar as with a woman."
In the new, sanitised version, the "Might as well..." line has been cut. Thus the irredeemable character of Yeamon is watered down. This excision of the character's casual bigotry is even more obvious when it relates to race. Yeamon's view that the Puerto Ricans are eunuchs, and the hero's shamefaced but incorrigible musings on how all blacks look alike simply don't appear. The absence of this bigotry that amuses and offends leaves a big empty hole in the book. It turns the novel into a simple story, not a particularly bad one, but those familiar with HST know story telling is not his strong point. His observations and characterisations are what make him brilliant, and this is what has been deliberately taken out. Perhaps the editor was such a simpleton as to reason that racist characters make a racist book.
This lack is sad from the historical point of view too. In as much as 'The Rum Diary' is a historical artifact, a slice of life from a bygone time, cleaning it up in the service of a modern politically correct agenda turns it into a hollow anachronism.
The editing that cut out the bigotry so roughly has left traces of the knife elsewhere too. A swim in the harbour that happened in the original is referred to ex post facto in the new version, even though it has been cut. This slash and burn approach to publishing is a disgrace.
While half gutting the book, the publishers have seen fit to make a few additions. There is a completely irrelevant map of San Juan, and each chapter heading has a cheesy silhouette of a palm tree taking up a third of the page. This doesn't adequately compensate for the fine detail in the prose that is no longer there. The other addition is a lot of references on the cover to 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas', and some lame attempts to suggest the two books are similar. They're not. 'Fear and Loathing' is for the most part crass, superficial and boring. 'The Rum Diary', fragmentary as it now stands, is well paced, lyrical and resonant with a young man's frustration and terror of middle age. I still hope that one day I can read all of it.

It seems that a book, well bound, was placed at my door one morning and as I live in an apartment, I was rather intrigued that someone hopefully someone of great interest to me, had done this as a fine comment on the person they assumed me to be. Problem was anonymity. I had a run in with the fellow below me and due to my revelling and cvolume of music and companions, he grew angry and came up to see me. I knew what the knowing knock meant so I let the door swing open like the way a dress of satin might glide during a waltz. The neighbor viewed me and did not enter only pointed down below. I knew precisely what he meant, such was my acuity. I slung the door shut and turned the volume up to show him my disdain, afterall it was only a tuesday and we are all food for worms, lads and yes lassies, no tv show irony intended conciously. SO I did read an excerpt in the New Yorker magazine and as soon as I can get my hands on the funds I will buy the book, maybe find it remaindered somewhere. The book on my doorstep? Oh it was some romantic trash. Godspeed.

Thompson wrote this semi-autobiographical novel in his early twenties but put it aside, regarding it as a failure. Nearly forty years later, apparently with the encouragement of his friend Johnny 'The Colonel' Depp, he dug it out and got it published.

This is the Hunter S. Thompson of his pre-gonzo-journalism callow youth, displaying some obvious influence from Fitzgerald and Hemingway - specifically The Great Gatsby and The Sun Also Rises, I would suggest. And yet the tone and the prose are recognisably his own; as a devotee of HST I was fascinated to note just how set his style already was. There is a certain cadence, a recognisable turn of phrase, that is distinctive. He often hits an elegiac strain that melds wounded idealism with a despairing acceptance, and in these phases he reveals his ethical and emotional character in a touchingly poetic mode. There are passages here which point forwards to the sad-beautiful 'wave' riff in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, that paean to a moment forever lost when the generation of idealistic youth gave way to the generation of swine.

The story, such as it is, tells of Paul Kemp, a disillusioned journalist in his early thirties who has moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico, to work on a local newspaper. The atmosphere is perpetually booze-soaked, frequently desperate and, in the end, utterly brutal. The cavalcade of drifters and losers comprised of his fellow journalists provides much comic relief and not a little pathos. Ultimately their chaotic lives seem diminished, their 'liberation' from the banality of conventional life consisting of alcoholic stupor, emotional blindness and a defeated directionlessness. Kemp begins the story in a mood of optimism - he is free, at the tail end of a ten-year period of wandering and decadence; but he ends it in a kind of limbo. There is love out there for him, in the shape of the beautiful but rather sketchily characterised wild child Chenault, and it seems he might take that path; but maybe not. He has to run, but it is unclear to him, perhaps, and to the reader, where he should run to.

The Rum Diary is not a profound book, and indeed it is difficult to discern any real point to it (no doubt this is what HST felt on finishing his manuscript): the comic aspects do not sit comfortably with his attempt at a Fitzgeraldian emotional sweep, and the hints of a sociopolitical critique of the US presence on the island seem as if they could be part of a different, much better novel. Yet it is an entertaining read nonetheless, and not necessarily for Thompson fans only.

This novel is like a film noir script. The prose is terse. The characters are tragic, but don't evoke much in the way of pity. You see them go down and you think "well, it figures".
What I like most about this book was its ability to evoke a time, a place and a certain demographic. San Juan in the late 50s must have been a blast if you were young, American and basically looking for an exotic good time without the bother of getting a passport or changing your money.
If Paul Kemp is Thompson's alter ego, then HST was impressively candid about what a worthless rake he was. I suspect that Kemp is a composite of the worst tendencies of Thompson and several other guys from the same crowd. No eternal verities are even hinted at in this book. If there was one iota of "hey this is literature" in this book, then it would be truly bad. On the contrary, it is just a well-written story about a shabby life.

The style in which Hunter Thompson writes on this early novel is magnificent and easy to read, but he sacrifices nothing in terms of storytelling and character development. This novel is not dense like Kafka, nor easy like the Bearnstein Bears, but it is engrossing and undeniable fun. I actually felt like I was following everyone over Puerto Rico and experiencing all the turmoil they were experiencing. The narrative flair is present and so is the hedonism, but the post 60s paranoia is absent. This book is an exceptional starting point and should not be missed.

With it understood that the book went through several rewrites and editings for posterity and that, while much of the material parallels Hunter Thompson's own experiences in the Carribean, it is not a biographical account, this is one of my favorite books. At the risk of inflaming any Salinger fans, this book is to me what "Catcher..." is to alot of folks. The largely aimless wanderings of a young man, the volatile surroundings and situations, the eclectic group companions, even the inevitable monotony and bordom that punctuate his time in the story, it's all so eerily familar. It certainly isn't the insane romp that F&L in Las Vegas is. In fact, it's written with much less of the mad-cap edge inherent in most of his books. But it's that absence of the fantastic, I think, that makes this book such a touchstone. It's very honest, it's somethimes very unflattering, it's fun, it's impermanent... it's, I think, everything that those "formative" years are when you set out to live your life knowing only that don't want what you've seen growing up. A series of "misfires" and "could-have-beens"; misperceptions and obscure opportunities that sometimes end up with us escaping, to one degree or another, the proverbial sinking ship with the bag we came with and handfull of stories. I close this book like you'd close an old photo album, you shake your head, you smile, you think "it was fun while it lasted"... It may not be such a profound experience for you but it's a great read none the less.

To begin with, fiction isn't Thompson's strength, even though this work is a mesh of fiction and non-fiction. Perhaps it's better to say that novels aren't Thompson's strength. That said, it's a good book, full of his trademark sarcasm and wit and a funny story. Anyone who reads Thompson will of course want to read this book and will enjoy it immensely. However, those who haven't and want to get a taste of Thompson will be ill-advised to begin here. His best works will always be the offbeat Gonzo Papers collections, and provide the most variety

Hunter S Thompson's editors claim that this is his long lost first novel. Why do I not believe them? In any case, it's pretty entertaining even though there isn't much of a plot. It's very much like HST's perceived lifestyle imprinted on a short novella with lots of drinking. Now isn't that a surprise.
One thing I really liked was the size and the type font. I bought mine in Norway and it came in a tall thin format that shrunk each para down to almost newspaper size. For me, this made the book very easy to read and much more enjoyable.

I came to the good old Doctor probably like the good old Doctor comes into life after a drunken night living on his fortified compound near Puerto Rico(book jacket) -- not knowing what to expect.
But I'm glad I crashed my first Thompson novel -- it's a wicked cool party. Some of the passages are just like wine on a Sunday afternoon - "All manner of Men came to work for the News: everything from wild young Turks who wanted to rip the world in half and start all over again-to tired, beer- bellied old hacks who wanted nothing more than to live out their days in peace before a bunch of lunactics ripped the world in half."
The book continues on like this for a quick 204 pages, with Thompson occasionally digging up such gems of lines. It's a wild, brash adventure that doesn't seem dated, and stirs up all the feelings about what fiction should be.

A fun read about a man trying to find his reward for a lifetime of rebellion. The book introduces several very flawed characters with strong personalities and has them run a paper in Puerto Rico. The main character, Paul Kemp is a rebel hero that reads people very well but doesn't get overly neurotic about trying to help them or change them. Underlying it all is Kemp's sense of a wasted past and a more wasted future, and his search for the reward that would make it all worth while. Don't let all the nhilism fool you, the balls of rebellion pull through and the book is a riot!

The Rum diary by Hunter S. Thompson is about San Juan in the late 1950's. The protagonist/author/narrator, Paul Kemp, finds himself on this Caribbean Island eating time and working for a newspaper run by "an ex -communist called Lautermen." The novel contains much of the mad flamboyant drinking shenanigans that Thompson is famous for, yet unlike his more famous work, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, where the comedy is tied to the narrators beastliness, The Rum Diary hints at the associated tragedy and pain caused by the narrator's weakness for pleasure.
The classic Thompson characters are present. In The Rum Diary, viscous cabbies, swine, intolerable scoundrels, mutterers, and rotten old bastards line the pages like glue. Yet here, Thompson has fabricated a classic novel. With compactness and dexterity, he has constructed every scene, every dialogue, to reveal the secrets of the novel's conclusion. With strange fits of madness and carefully recorded dialogue, Thompson reveals just enough about the innards of the cast to make the story work.
The signature of this novel is in its tunnel vision. The characters encountered are not full, realistic people who evoke the empathy of the reader. Thompson concentrates on their cartoonish attributes, leaving the rest of their character to the broad sweep of generalization. The tiny and important details of each character appear in full, clear, detail while the rest of their personality gets blurred away in the surrounding corners of vision. This style of characterization allows the reader to experience the occurrences of the novel with the same, detached feeling of desperation that the author seems to have. Thompson never even attempts to explain his characters. The closest we come to an explanation is in his description of himself:
" Like most of the others, I was a seeker, a mover, a malcontent, and at times a stupid hell-raiser."
When someone gets drunk and starts raising hell with a local shopkeeper, we take it in stride. The reader is given a heightened sense of the strangeness of the world because he is never given enough information by the author to understand the motives behind the character's actions. Thus, seemingly every thing happens without reason, without motive, without explanation. The reader shares a feeling that the state of affairs is nothing more than absolute absurdity. Every action seems crazy because the actors are impossible to understand.
"They served the rum in paper flagons, a chunk of ice and a violent slug of rum to each one."
The Rum Diary is a brief chunk of consciousness. The rum turns violent, as short, crowded scenes and an impending loss of control build the tension of the climax. While some may criticize this book for what it is not, I think the novel should be read for it's watery, liquid prose and it's unique approach to conventional structure.

I liken my experience reading this story to a fun, reckless, and hauntingly memorable road trip. This novel was both compelling and unsettling, as well as a quick and pleasurable read. The characters and setting were eminently plausible; and the dialogue - though not raw - was quite real and credible. The book seems to capture much that is memorable about the early 1960s time period.

The main character, Paul Kemp, is a journalist gets a job at a failing newspaper in San Juan Puerto Rico. He and his co-workers are mostly dysfunctional, abusive alcoholics, but most have some interesting charm or wit about them, and this is presented in a Thompson's typically entertaining style. In between the fights and drunken adventures is some deep commentary about getting older and the prospect of wasting one's life.

Even though Thompson was only 22 when this was written, this is a mature, thoughtful novel -- not at all what I expected.

HST was obviously young and still discovering his voice in this, one of few fictions by the author. For a Gonzo nerd such as myself it was good to see where he was as a young author. For the casual reader, however, this book will be a disappointment. A haphazard narrative filled with inconsistent characters, some of them half-formed yet expected by the author to be major contributors to the storyline, the Rum Diary isn't so much a rollercoaster ride as an awkward memoir of a time HST wished he'd had by a character all too obviously based on the author himself. The characters all spout now classic HST lines and, though penned before any of his major works, simple lines like "the fat is in the fire" become cliched by the end of the work even if this is your first HST read.

Read it, sure, but read other works by the author first... if for no other reason than to see how far the King of Gonzo grew in his writing style by the time he penned Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail. It's light fare and leaves you with a definite feeling of "huh?"

Up till this book, my only impressions of Puerto Rico were formed by the Puerto Rican residents surrounding my grandmother's apartment at 96th & Amsterdam in NYC. They were colorful and very respectful of the aged. They loved America.
I think of them now as I watch the numerous Cuban-Americans caterwauling on CNN about the EVIL U.S. government snatching Elian. My grandma's Puerto Rican friends talked about the old Cuba as a hotbed of prostition and gangsters. According to them, Batista was a venal and sinister old man who catered to his cronies and keep the masses under his thumb via his secret police.
Anyway, this "novel" painted a picture of the Carribean that I heard before. Just not in Dr. Thompson's unique prose. It is insightful without the excesses of his later works. I truly felt the humidity, booze and stink!

I own all of Thompson's books...and several others about him. Although this is a pleasurable read, it fails in the true sense of a novel: there is little to no inner conflict, sketchy characters, no plot...lots of rambling...no climax worthy of a true novel. If any one but Hunter had written it, I doubt it would ever had seen much media attention.

However, it is Hunter, and he has a way to keep you interested in his scribes, that is the nut of thing, isn't it? And in true HST fashion, we are shotgunned with lots of drugs, drink, and humor.

Like I said, you need this in your library if you are a Thompson follower.

When I first picked up this novel, I struggled through the first 30-40 pages, asking myself if the only reason I was continuing was because my brother gave it to me as a Christmas gift. Slowly, very slowly the lose ends of this novel began to come together, and I began to realize what I, personally, could get out of The Rum Diary. Between the lines of this novel I began to see the old words of F. Scott Fitzgerald; suddenly Nick Carraway was moving from the West to the more corrupt East. The Rum Diary offers a similar scenerio, but it doesn't stop there. Get rid of the glamorous Long Island of The Great Gatsby and throw all of the characters into Joseph Conrad's The Heart of Darkness, which happens to be mentioned in The Rum Diary. When you understand that The Rum Diary is a combination of these elements, you will revel in the simple fact that what goes on in this novel is not meant to be completely understood. Thompson does a fine job keeping the reader from caring about his characters until you move past 100-120 pages. Off the top of my head I can't even remember our main character's name, but other characters like Sala, Sweep, Yeamon and Chenault stand out. Everyone has their own agenda for being in Puerto Rico. These inner ambitions become altered as the heat and monotony of the day become the clothing of each character. They only seem alive when they live in this setting like they are meant to -- naked. This book will most likely appeal to a part of you that you were not aware of, but it will take the whole book to find this. Don't simply add this to your bookshelf after reading 20-30 pages. Hang in there because The Rum Diary will prove its value.

The Rum Diary was an excellent book. Thompson was clearly writing about a life, which was similar to the way his was heading at the time. More so a life that he didn't want to get trapped into. The main character Paul Kemp had a job that was taking him nowhere, and a lifestyle that caused him nothing but trouble. Thompson showed the life of an American journalist working in Puerto Rico in the 1960s. The life was wild, the work was poor, and the system was corrupt. Big money and big connections could get you anything, but without it you were stuck.
When I was reading the book, I was always interested to see what would happen next. I could never tell who was about to cause trouble, if someone was going to get mugged, or if the paper would finally fold. Thompson did a great job keeping me hooked on the story, and the plot was outstanding. Thompson provided detailed character descriptions and also filled in the background information as he went. I was never in doubt of how the character got into the position they were in. He told an intriguing story of a young journalist and his experience of a lifetime. Thompson didn't hold anything back. He included all of the successes, failures, and encounters of the San Juan experience. It was my first experience reading a book of this type, and also a first time reading Hunter S. Thompson. I was really impressed with the novel. I would give it five stars.

I must admit that at first, I almost put this book down pretty quickly. HST's character meets a woman and has sex with her on the beach. It struck me as a bit too "penthouse forum" and immature. But I kept reading and I am very glad that I did. This book portrays an HST before he was a notorious personality, before he became the journalist for the drug & counter-cultures.
HST was young when he originally wrote this book, only in his early twenties. With that in mind, the writing style, sensitivity to detail, and compelling storytelling are quite amazing! I got lost in this book, and at times I could even smell the Rum!
Though this is not HST's "Fear and Loathing...", Gonzo-style, it is a must-read for new and old fan's, as well as for people who might be turned off by HST's more popular, drug-addled persona. The Rum Diary shows that he is in fact a great story-teller & excellent novelist.
Last year I re-read "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas" for the first time since I first discovered it over twenty years ago. I am a completely different person than I was when I originally read it, but the story and the writing hold up. I believe that the same can, and will be said of The Rum Diary.

It was a good book and I recommend reading this and skipping the movie.

The story flowed really well and there was no hidden plot, it was a Diary, a journal, a collection of thoughts and events from one writers perspective working for a news paper. Completely fiction, filled with great characters, interesting events and generally good writing overall.

To be honest, this book isn't nearly as entertaining as HST's other works. The first chapter starts off good with a humorous account of the main character's run in with a fellow airline passenger. Right away I knew that this was going to be classic Hunter S. Thompson. Sadly, that was the first and last time I chuckled while reading this book. True, he was only twenty-two when he wrote this, but it seems that he was either too drunk or too afraid to take any chances with the story. The characters are two-dimensional at best. Paul Kemp, the man whose eyes we peer through for the duration of the novel, is the least developed character. The novel flows at a languid pace and often appears to be monotonous in tone. Nonetheless it is an engaging read that should appeal to a larger audience than his other books. To me the ironic thing is, had he not been consumed by alcohol and narcotics, he could have gone on to be one of the greats. As it stands he is a legendary counter-culture journalist who is more famous for his addictions than his writings. Kids my age--in their early to mid twenties--read HST because of the drug laden content; because it's "cool". Which is all the wrong reasons to read. I fell in love with HST's works when I was a teenager--and when I subscribed to the lifestlye that he describes--and although I appreciate his work now, his prose is absolutely remarkable, I can't help to wonder what could have been. As I said it's a respectable first novel, one that could entertain his fans as well as fans of Hemingway or Kerouac, but it's no masterpiece. I would recommend this novel so one could further understand how a talented writer ends up where he is. Or if you're just looking for a solid read that isn't knee deep in artistic integrity or bourgeois sentamentality, then pick this up today.

Admittedly, I am not much of a reader. It takes me months to finish anything. Unfortunately, I am like many of you, who first heard of Hunter S. Thompson through moving pictures. But that gives me the candid, average view of mister Raul Duke. This book took me 4 days to read. I couldn't put it down. I thought most people who said that were a trying to impress the pretty girl accross the hall. Not so. Thompson captures the spirit of the moment. As drab, as awful as it was, he grabbed hold and made it his own. Character development is an art that Thompson has nailed to the wall. The personalities of these individuals come through naturally, and easily, while the story isn't hindered. I have tried reading a few Earnest Hemmingway novels, and strangely, I see parody. It's a story of travel. They both can't paint the picture because they were there. Thompson's approach is much more entertaining, yet seems more severe. Quirky phrases catch your attention and grab hold. I think the pacing of this book does a lot for the readability. It's feverish, but friendly. I hesitated giving 5 stars for this book, only because, as I said, I am not much of a reader, so I can't compare it to much. I will say this, I will be reading more books by Hunter S. Thompson

This is the "lost novel" by Hunter S. Thompson, a book that he started writing in 1959 to make a quick buck. He struggled all through the sixties to get this thing rewritten and published, but because of its quality and Thompson's legendary shakedowns with agents, publishers, and contracts, it died on the vine - until a few years ago. This quasi-fictional account of a New York reporter drifting into a job at the San Juan Daily News is somewhat based on Thompson's experience on the Carribean island in the late 1950. Trying to put Puerto Rico on the literary map like Hemingway did for Paris, he spells out a story of corruption, boredom, and alcohol in a more simple San Juan, before the big booms of the travel booms and technology of the sixties. Paul Kemp, the fictional narrator, describes the coworkers, women, natives, and insane government, riddled with syndicates and kickbacks. The writing here isn't like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - it's more of the Orwell/Mailer/Miller genre, and does a good job of painting memorable scenes of the insanity, camaraderie, poverty, and drunkenness on top of the tropical backdrop. It's not bad stuff, and I wonder if it recently went through heavy rewrites, or if there just wasn't a market for it back in the sixties. Either way, it's a light, fast read at just over 200 pages, and made me wonder if Thompson's other unpublished work would be as satisfying in a trade hardcover. Maybe someday?

We've all been rooting for Thompson to finish what he has called his "failed novel." It's not really a failure, but it does have flaws. The characters are pretty one-dimensional caricatures, based loosely on a bunch of real-life ink-stained wretches (it wasn't hard to spot William Kennedy's ghost). There doesn't seem to be any plot to the thing, just a series of mildly rattling incidents amongst some filthy scribes (well, STOP the presses for THAT one, Jack), nothing like the sort of Truly Alarming Thing that pops up every paragraph in the Vegas or campaign books. Thompson does demonstrate a keen, clear eye for color and description. But the narrative (and dialogue) are hokey and contrived, much like one of those newspaper films out of the 1930s. The endless scenes in the bar are tiresome. Still, any Thompson is better than no Thompson. It was overall a pleasant read. This was a breath of fresh air compared to Better Than Sex, possibly his worst work ever. Thompson ought to move to an island for his next book, rather than continue to soak up the clammy, cynical clime of Aspen.

I bought this book after reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and hearing that The Rum Diary is being adapted into a film, again starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro. Anyway, I felt the book was amazing! The story sucked me right in and had a sense of fantasy and bitter reality all in one. It's also humorous and biting in sarcasm, a great read. It's made me a new die-hard Hunter fan, I've read several books of his since.

That pretty much says it all. Before I decided to read any of Thompson's Journalistic books, I thought I'd see how he produced fiction, and I'd have to say I loved it. Thompson's writing is so smooth and readable. Even though the book is short there is alot of good character development, and interesting plot twists. I just love reading about drunks, and the trouble drinking gets them into. I see it all the time in my own life, and the lives of the drunks I choose to be around to know that even though this book is fiction there are so many true to life events that the book was very heartening/disheartening to read. I give it a recommendation to anyone who is interested in seeing what trouble american journalists can get into when drinking rum, eating cheap food, and writing for a crappy newspaper in a place not so familiar.

HST¹s "long lost" first novel is a preview of the raw (and excellent) prose he would publish in the decades to follow. Through the protagonist Paul Kemp¹s rum-soaked evolution from reporter to fugative in booming 1959 Puerto Rico, HST brings forth all the talents for humor, cynicism, and blow-you-away narrative that come to the fore in Fear and Loathing... Unlike the more journalistic Hell¹s Angels, The Run Diary has the feel of HST¹s short pieces, and while the prose is uneven at times, when it kicks in it has the fresh bite of a tequila shot. For readers unfamiliar with Thompson¹s work, I recommend reading this alongside Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas. The diary will set you up for Fear¹s pay off. And while I can see why no 1960¹s era publisher would touch this first novel, it is more than ready to fit into HST¹s legacy as a trully great American author.

Mostly a very flippant, merry tale that could have been better - or much worse. It did not elicit strong opinions in me either way, in regard to style or substance. The story is very post-modern, a little beat and, yes, quite drunken in parts. The form is distractingly lazy and light. If there is a charm or allure of this book, it would stem almost absolutely from Hunter S. Thompson's later fame and cult status and the romantic idea that "The Rum Diary" represents some kind of "lost" work. Those are interesting angles, but this novel is not strong enough to merit loud praise where literature and storytelling are concerned.

Read this while on vacation in Puerto Rico. This was my treasured time - at night while the wife and kids were asleep, I read a few chapters with a local rum and a cigar. All I needed was some debauchery and violence to complete the picture.

The story itself did run on towards the end, but overall it was very enjoyable. Inspired by the book, I tried watching "Fear and lathing in LV"...couldnt stand it.

There are those of us who decide to live our lives in the safe plastic bubble of capitalism. There are others who yearn for adventure and appease their desires by living vicariously. And then, there is a select group of unwavering countrymen who make their way in the world by unleashing whatever forces they may deem necessary. They have merit, and Hunter S. Thompson holds rank. The Rum Diary is novel that delivers this message. We travel with Thompson in Puerto Rica through the midst of dangerous beauty and bile heaving scoundrels. This is Thompson's first novel, from what I understand, and is a true work of art. Once again, he takes us into a world we hardly know and comes back with the story. And, what a story it is. Thompson makes you feel. There is a disturbing section near the end of the book that I continued to go over in my head as I stared out blankly onto the city street. Thank you Hunter.

I recommend this book only to those who are Hunter S. Thompson fans and have already read his other books first. I found much of the Rum Diary to be too slow; however Thompson's brilliant literacy was able to keep up my interest throughout the sluggish parts. Overall, this book is good and worthy of reading, but only if you have already read some of his better works first, i.e. Hell's Angels, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.Vegas

Hunter S. Thompson is just such an amazing, kooky writer. He brings such a cool voice to everything he touches. My only complaint was that after reading Fear and Loathing, this book just wasn't wacky enough for me.

Paul Kemp, a New York journalist leads you through the twists and turns of a time when a corrupt goverment and ignorant tourists ran rampant throughout San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Hunter's first novel displays a knack for the uncanny and unheard of style of writing only destined to be gonzo. Although his trademark style of writing is not yet developed in this book, this relatively short (200 pg) book still grips you by the innards and forces you to read on.

Strangely enough, the narrator and main character, Paul Kemp reminds you a lot of Hunter and leads you to believe you are reading a non-fiction account of his days spent in sunny San Juan until you look on the binding and realize that it is indeed a novel. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a brief yet illustrious getaway into the depths of the caribbean underworld.

So I have been a Hunter S. Thompson fan for about 15-20 years, and when they finally published this novel I did not hear about it. I recently picked it up (when I heard about the movie) and it was worth the wait. Excellent story, just a lot of fun, this is pre-drug era stuff!

This is the second HST book I've read and I'll say I really enjoyed it.

I spent more than a few muggy Oklahoma nights on the back porch with this novel and a beer, getting transported down to ole San Juan. The book really has a cadence and rhythm that just floats you through it.

I don't know what I was expecting, but this book is nothing like Fear and Loathing. I think it shows off another side of HST as a honest to God writer. A side more people should see.

The story is romantic, gritty, desperate and nomadic. Worth a read.

i had a hard time getting past the first chapter but i really go into it and enjoyed it. i'm not sure how they will turn this into a movie. as i was reading i could see some parts playing out really well for a movie but for the most part it's him thinking and the emotions behind it. i am looking forward to the movie and am sure johnny depp will make paul kemp memorable :)

Building on the success of his previous and more popular novel, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Thompson once again depicts the life of a gonzo journalist in all its neurotic glory. Building on his own experiences as a journalist, Thompson is able to give a real-life feel to this novel. He puts to paper the stripped-down, stark-naked definition of his profession, and what the reader finds may be quite surprising. The book delves deep into the heart of journalism, exploiting its fallacies, corruption and the midguided mindsets of those who carry a press pass. The plot centers around Paul Kemp's life as a reporter for the San Juan Daily News, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The tale is that of Kemp's lust for alcohol, women, and the latest scoop; and is set among Puerto Rico's 1950's civil unrest and discord. Thompson's strong points in this novel include descriptive language, inherent to his previous writings, and a relaxed, almost drugged-up tone. The weakness of this book is that in order to be completely clued-in to the subject matter, the reader may need to be familiar with the workings of journalism as a profession, and as a way of life. I recommend this book to all lovers of Thompson's previous writing, journalists wanting to get a good laugh at one reporter's struggle to overcome his obsessions, or to all lovers of good humor and unique stories.

first i gotta say that this is by far my favorite book ever. there are so many things i love about it:
i don't know how dr. thompson does it but reading this book i felt like the main character, paul kemp, himself. though not always getting along with his life in puerto rico, he approaches life in a way that makes me feel like nothing can ever go too wrong.
the athmospere that the author creates makes you feel like being on a tropical island yourself and reading this book you just wanna sit there yourself and have a drink of rum.
i wished this book would have never ended - this story about a guy i can identify with, a guy who only wants to be at peace with where he lives. a guy who doesn't care at all.
don't miss it, this could change your life...

I really liked this book. Reading it you can definitely see glimpses of the style of writing that eventually became "gonzo". Most reviews of the book describe it as autobiographical with the character Paul Kemp being Thompson and this may be true but it kind of seemed to me that Kemp was an idea that Thompson had of what he might one day become with the character Yeamon more closely resembling himself. Of course, this is pure speculation but it's mine so as far as I'm concerned I'm right til proved otherwise. The book itself is easy to read and is written almost as if it was planned to be a movie script. I liked it alot.

The Doctor of Journalism finds the American Dream in the most unlikely of all places in Hunter S. Thompson's, The Rum Diary. Not only does Thompson portray the American Dream in an alcholic frenzied environment, but finds it in Puerto Rico. Although this is not a typical Dr.Gonzo prose, The Rum Diary confronts conformity and shares a few drinks with him. A simple tale of middle-aged journalist, trying to find out the meaning of his existence, while at the same time, traveling thru exotic lands. This is honestly one of the best books that i have ever read. After getting through the first couple of chapters, i found that i couldnt put it down. If anything, this novel has the same type of storyline as in Hemingway's, 'The Sun Also Rises.' Anyone who rates this book under five stars, doesn not know what they are talking about.

If you have ever read one of Mr. Thompson's books, then you will definitely want to read this one. . .If you haven't then this is as good a one as any to get you started. . .
An interesting irony. . .This book lacks the satirical brilliance of his later works. . . "Tame" is the word that leaps to mind. . .In comparison to the jaded monster we've grown to love, The Rum Diary evokes a remarkable sense of innocence. . .This innocence juxtaposed against the perceptions created by his later works, make the timing of the release of this work quite remarkable. . . Remarkable in that by releasing it as he has here in the Autumn of his career Mr. Thompson serves to remind us that he, too, sold something out a very long time ago. . .

I could sit here and jerk Thompson off like everyone else, but I won't. I'll just give you the lowdown on the book. The characters were not as strong as his other books, but it was his first novel. It flows great and is easy to read. The humor of HST is there, and I think that he put a little bit of his own personalality in a few different characters which I found interesting. The book is set in San Juan. I think the description of the island was the strongest aspect of the book. After reading it, I really feel like I've been there, and that I would even know my way around once I got there. Let me put it this way, when I think of the Carribean, I think of this book. HST is one of the greatest writers of all time. When he lets his fingers fly in the keyboard he doesn't hold back any punches. PEACE

If this had not been my first Hunter S. book, I probably would have lost interest in him pretty easily. I wish I had this book when I was staying in Mexico. Very vivid imagery, well written, smacks of Hemmingway's tales of Cuba.

I've still never been able to get to excited about any of his other books, so this may be a good book for the reluctant fan. This book left me day dreaming of being a journalist in fifties Puerto Rico.

It reads like what it is: a first novel from a writer who was years away from hitting his stride (in another genre). I am a big fan of Thompson's major pieces, but this is just not even close to being a 5-star novel, either on literary merit or popular appeal. Even on a scale of Hunter Thompson pieces, it is only a 2. Thompson knew it wasn't terribly good: that's why he did not publish it until so much later.

For me, Paul Kemp is just not an engaging protagonist. He is not really likable, nor is he a fascinatingly bad person. Hunter also must have had trouble writing female characters, because there is really only one, and she too is vaguely repulsive.

This is being made into a movie, and it should not be. I just cannot imagine this making an appealing film, unless perhaps the script is a radical departure from the novel.

I love Thompson's writing voice. He is direct and declarative, but literate and lyrical. His scenes are turned all the way up and then turned up just a notch more, and his characters are always fun. There are certainly no lasting lessons in this work (unless you are a writer) but as a slice of life, blown up just enough to make it worth our time, it is well worth our time.

I wanted to read this so I could see the movie and now I can. They did a good job with Fear and Loathing, so I am optimistic.

Not as good as Fear and Loathing, but if you were expecting it to be then you'd have to be stupid anyway. The story doesn't really ever get going enough and the character of Paul Kemp is a little bit 2 dimentional. Having said that, I really enjoyed it, and that is the main idea, is it not.

i bought the dvd for this but i heard i should read the book first.. the book came 3 days after i ordered it! and it was an easy read, took less than 3 days to read it! definitely recommend reading the book first!

Based in SanJuan, Puerto Rico, Hunter Thompson wrote his first novel at his best, revealing the young start of a great Author. Lust, love, and treachery, This book is quite the novel to begin,especially if one has yet to read Hunter S. Thompson. The Rum Diary would be a perfect book for anyone who has not yet read Hunter S. Thompson, and the story definitly exploits the side of human nature that most are not yet ready to recognise, also adding a bit of shock to ones that pictured the 1950's as "Leave it to Beaver". Highly spirited and full of drunken adventure, The Rum Diary exploits human nature(and Thompson's nature at that), In this fun, alchohol filled adventure.

Thompson's best work for beginners as well as a favorite for seasoned fans. Written more like a screenplay than any of his other works, The Rum Diary takes you on the journey of a degenerate journalist's time as a sports writer for an English rag in San Juan. From the interesting characters to the usual Thompson antics this book will not disappoint. The length lends itself to consumption of an afternoon, so if you are easily engulfed with storylines make sure you have the time. This is one of the most heavily used books in my Thompson collection as it is a great story that never seems to grow old. I can't wait to see what happens when the movie starts filming.

I have to say I saw the movie first, and then got the book for my Kindle/iPad. This is not always a good experience in that you usually wind up hating one or the other.This is one of those great exceptions.
I loved the movie, and I loved the book too! They actually follow each other closely, but of course the book has all the extra nuances that Hunters writing always offers!
Great book!

Reading Rum Socialism, you can't help to notice how it was written before Thompson realized his gift was for non-fiction. The prose is distinctly Gonzo, but used for a fictional account, it doesn't have the same outrageousness it does when you know they're being used to describe real accounts. Nonetheless, definitely worth a read for any HST fan.

"The Rum Diary" is a vivid tale of drinking, writing, and hopelessness. I was disgusted with all the characters but at the same time I connected to them. Thompson displays his protagonist with a clarity that is unflattering, yet strangly alluring. This book represents people who struggle through their daily lives, some going mad in the prosess, others clinging to a worthless code of ethics that mean nothing in the sultry sea air of San Juan. Potent, like a shot of rum, this book can leave you with a hangover.

I read Fear and Loathing a while ago and thought it was pretty good. I didnt really like it as much as I thought I would. But I love Johnny Depp and I heard T.R.D. was going to be made into a movie, so I figured I should read the book. I got it over christmas and finished a few other books before I started it. I went through it, so fast. I loved it. It was so different from F.A.L.I.L.V. I think the end was the best part of the book, so I think everyone who wants a different kind of love story should read it.

In the 50's, before the twisted madness of Fear and Loathing, Thompson still had the wit and observational skills of the master cynic. His characteristic exposure of human hypocrisy and corruption once again shines through. Man's low points are manifest in this epic of a lone journalist who's trying to figure out the point of all the chaos. Hunter's most distinct gift is the ability to satirize, criticize, and tear down the evil world, but by letting the reader take in the simple observations and form their own criticism. It's not propaganda. It's journalism. A man against the masses, once more into the battle. Definitely a must-read.

This book does not reach the humor or excitement that Fear and loathing in Los Vegas did but is still a good book, with a day-to-day style of a middle-aged man working for a newspaper that consists of mostly drunk and oddball employees. This book isn't really for the people who are looking for another exciting Thompson book but for someone interested in the Thompson style character in a late 50's setting (before drugs and true craziness). A great look into a working class Puerto Rican life but nothing over the top.

I just finished this and it is a real hoot. I have never read any of his other works and intend to. I recommend this book for anyone who wants a laugh and enjoys reading about people who live at the bottom of the bottle. Enjoy!

If you're reading this page, you're probably thinking, "Good God! Hunter S. Thompson wrote a novel? And it wasn't published!? WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?"

It's eminently possible that this novel was not published until recently because, well, it's just not a very good book.

Don't get me wrong, Hunter S. Thompson became a great writer, once he got his hands on a lucrative contract and a handful of hallucinogens; however, it barely shows through here. With the exception of one exchange (for those who have read it, the suckerfish diatribe), this novel conspicuously lacks the delightful spasmodic lunacy of his other works.

Furthermore, the story and the characters just weren't that interesting. There was nothing particularly likeable or dislikeable, it was just...dull.

So unlike Thompson.

Good book and an interesting insight into the gonzo journalistic world of Thompsons writing. I would suggest getting a higher priced version if you intend on keeping the book long term. My copy was incredibly cheap and it shows.

It is not written like a typical novel, it is more of a narrative. Great characters! I found it very amusing how it depicted puertorricans being that I am one of them. Bear in mind that this is a drunken American's point of view, we are not really like that.

I had the good fortune to be able to follow the filming closely and when it comes out on film (it will star Johnny Depp; filming was wrapped in June) I can't wait to watch this book adapted into a screenplay.

Brilliant! Thomas surprises us with his witty, saterical look at Puerto Rico at the end of the 50's in the spirit of classic Hemingway. This guy can write fiction and it makes me wonder what else he has hidden in his trunks.

This book starts a little slowly and doesn't have all of the drug induced craziness of some of his later works, but I really liked it. The tension builds slowly at first, but before I knew it, I couldn't wait to start the next page. Good work Hunter!

A head-on load of pretentious clap-trap reading these reviews.
I haven't read the good Doctor on this one yet, but ordered it instantly after reading "Jack Kerouak's" review below.
A fine and salient piece of journalism by Jack, despite his being both a dharma bum and dead before I was born. We could do with more of him.

A Tarrantino cast of booze sodden journalists trying to put together an American newspaper down in Puerto Rico. How they ever get a story written is beyond me. Lives lived at a maddening pace on the edge of the precipice. Civilization unhinged. A sweat-soaked, drug-addled tropical nightmare and an affront to decency. Doc's readers would have it no other way.

I've just started exploring the works of HST. So, far I've found his works to be quite enthralling. The Rum Diary is no different.
It's a fun book that brings you into the strange world of a few drunken journalist in San Juan. Filled with alcohol and debauchery the story sent my mind wandering to things I should've done.
At any rate, I've recommended the book to all my freinds. If I do have a complaint, it is that the story leaves you wanting more as the book can be quickly finished.

Thompson gives and amazing account of a young drunk. It is the life if you can stomach it. This book is not for the weak willed. I'm not daring you. I'm warning you. The writing in this book maybe a little too real.

Whatta fine, seedy trip through debauchery-by-default. Believe it or not it brought to mind Sartre, with its characters' inertia and focus on maybes, mights, and almosts. Well written (I'm not sure I really believe Thompson wrote it at 22... perhaps the basic idea was worked out then) and wonderfully evocative of place and time. The characters are brilliantly drawn. And it is clearly indicative of what Thompson's later literary path would be.

This is a perfect example of Mr. Thompson's ability to capture the thoughts and feelings of regular people. The grass is always greener on the other side. This novel accuratly shows why people are discontent with what they have. People always want something better. The characters in this book are drifters, of a sort, set in a place where the white men are drifting in and the Puerto Ricans are trying to drift out. Always keep moving.

I just finished the audiobook. I got interested in it (like many other people, I imagine) because it has been made into a movie with Johnny Depp. The book certainly didn't make me want to rush out to spend the $30 tab for tickets and popcorn. Having not seen the movie, I'm hard pressed to see what they might have done to the book to make it interesting. It's the only HST book I've been exposed to, and some of the reviews of this book lead me to think that perhaps I should give him one more chance. As for this one, I'll wait until the movie hits the DVD or HBO.

If you are looking for something fun to read, this book is for you. It follows a newspaper writer who becomes intertwined with his fellow journalists and their problems. The book takes you to a different world, and I would recommend it to someone who is interested in escaping into an unusual life.

If you have toyed with the idea of selecting a book for the beaches of Greece, for the pools of Portugal or the fields of France, them here's your summer answer. Forget Garlands Beach and the Tesseract, and pick up the work of a dude who lived it and wrote it. Whilst the book stands on its own, don't limit your HST reading with this. The dude could/can seriously write.
Just buy it, read it and recommend it.

I really enjoyed the tales of the Rum Diary and the characters there within. Thompson does an outstanding job of bringing characters to life and giving them enough of an edge to make you wary of thier next move, but real enough to make you really relate to them. Rum Diary has inspired me to think of future possibilities for adventure in my own life. Porta Rico, here I come!

let me start by saying i am a huge HST fan...with that said this book is not as "gonzo" as some of his fans might want or expect. this is an early work (i think even his first book) and you can hear in his narrative that he's still finding his own style and seems to mimic more of a hemingway style. it's not a bad book, but for true gonzo fans it might not be gonzo enough. it's not fear and loathing (of '72 or vegas)!

I read "The Rum Diary" because I am a diehard fan of HST.

"Rum Diary" has no plot; HST had the setting but he couldn't figure out a story line. "The Rum Diary" is simply that, a diary. The back cover of the soft cover edition says that "The Rum Diary," begun in 1959 "by a then-twenty-two-year-old Hunter S. Thompson, is a brilliant, tangled love story of jealousy, treachery and violent alcoholic lust in the Caribbean boomtown that was San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the late 1950s. Exuberant and mad, youthful and energetic, 'The Rum Diary' is an outrageous, drunken romp in the spirit of Thompson's best-selling 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' and 'Hell's Angels.'"

Nothing could be farther from the truth. "Fear and Loathing" is an outrageous, drug-filled, hilarious, biographical sketch of HST's various assignments for "Rolling Stone" and other publications. "Hell's Angels" was also biographical, but written for an entirely different audience, a more newsworthy account of a new American phenomenon in the 1950s.

"The Rum Diary" is simply a diary of a few months in HST's life on Puerto Rico, where he got his real start in life. This is his coming-of-age story and established the course for his future. "The Rum Diary" chronicles his raging hormones and his short-lived relationship with a beautiful woman on the island.

After reading a biography of Ernest Hemingway's last years (from 1941 to his suicide in 1961) I am convinced that HST wanted to re-live Hemingway's life. The parallels are eerie: Hemingway's "home" was Cuba; HST left for Puerto Rico to write "The Rum Diary." Hemingway struggled to write a book when he first arrived in Cuba, one that was never published while he was alive. Hemingway was known for his participation in wars around the world. HST was "Rolling Stone's" foreign correspondent during the Vietnam War. HST was in Vietnam the day it fell, and used his wits to get out of the country alive. And, finally, of course, the last eerie parallel: HST committed suicide - he was 67 years old; Hemingway was 61 when he committed suicide. Shortly before his suicide, HST traveled to Hemingway's home in Idaho trying to get a better feeling why Hemingway committed suicide.

If you want to complete your HST library, this will be the last book to read. Other than seeing HST's early writing style, this book has little to offer.

This is honestly the most enjoyable book I've ever read. Hunter S. Thompson is absolutely brilliant. You would have no idea that this was his first novel. I kept having to limit what I read in a day so that I could read it longer. I would recommend this book to anyone (and have!)

This was the first Hunter S. Thompson book I read. It was a great read. The story started off slow for me, but as I got further into it I began to see his writing style. It was almost like he was writing this story as it was happening to him.

This book was great. Through the characters and their relationships, you could see the purity and honesty in Thompson's work. He doesn't beat around the bush and try to be politically correct. The book may have been set in the 50's but it parallels today. I hope the movie will hold the same integrity as the book.

Reading this book was like opening a time capsule of America before things went really wrong and all the fun stopped. It is hard to believe that a 22 year old writer could capture a view of the gears and wheels of the ramshackle machinery in this country that is the awful truth.

I must say with out fail, that Hunter S. Thompson is perhaps one of the most outlandish authors. For myself reading this book was like watching a full length movie. I absolutely loved it. I couldn't see how anyone who knows about this man would not want to peer into his mind.

Although it only took me 2 days to breeze through this one, it was a very enjoyable read. As a big fan of HST, I found it very interesting to read of his early years as a writer, before all the bad craziness to come in susequent years.

This dreary tale celebrates the lives of people who live to get drunk and stay drunk. Later I believe Thompson went on to glorify other controlled substances. The only female character of any consequence, ironically named Chenault, a name not evocative today, but surely in the late fifties when this dirge is alledged to have been written--General Chenault was a hero of WWII--is as vapid as the guys, as drunk, more abused.
Completely aimless. A waste of trees.

After Hunter's passing i got this and it was worth it, a fun book that shows alot of raw emotion. I would recommend this book to all of my friends and to you as well. It's not too long as has a great rythim to it.

This is one of my favorites. If you are ever getting ready for a vacation and need a little motivation to push yourself "to the edge", you have to read this. It's a quick read and a great story filled with many memorable Hunterism's.

What happened to Mr. Gonzo? This book could be read by third graders. It is silly, try-to-puff-out your skinny chest type of stuff. Mr. Hunter, actually drinks rum in this novel. Daring. Makes love to two women. Scandolous. If Thompson's name was not attached to this "novel," it would never have been published. In short, it is Ernie Hem's dental floss.

Very enjoyable book on Hunter S Thompson's time in Puerto Rico. And interesting time capsule for the island, as it was undergoing a development boom, about to put it on the map as a tourist destination. Fun read!

If you like Hunter Thompson and his crazy advntures this is the start. It shows you the side of peurto rico when it was first beggining and funny, crazy, and really well described in ways that is weird and beautiful.
Id get it

As others have said, this book has little in the way of plot. Character development goes nowhere. Important events are shrugged off and quickly glossed over. Simply put, this book has little substance and does NOT belong on your kindle, bookshelf.

Spoilers? I don't need to reveal anything to describe the book because nothing happens. Essentially, if you read the sample, or read the first few pages at the bookstore, you'll have read the entire book. What he sets out in the first chapter is exactly what happens by the end. Like a bad lover, the book builds slowly to a climax that never happens.

Save yourself the money, I wish I did.

The Rum Diary was very posibly the worst book i have ever read. There were seldomly any parts that you coild relate to in real life. This book was a blury hang over filled with a rocks stars life style. The book says that it is a romantic drama but there was realy no romace in the book becides the orgys that took place every once in a while. When the main character bored a plane he tryed to throught the old man that was out of his seat, just to get with the atractive girl that had just bored the plane. They go to Porto Rico and he has a job as news reporter ,he very rarley goes to work becouse he is always drunk. I think that this i the worst book ever and i dont think any one should be forced to read it.

Okay, I'm only giving this book a "1" because there was no "0." It started out okay, but it got bad, and really fast. It will probably put you to sleep like it did to me.. so do yourself a favor.. and spend your hard earned money elsewhere.