Just Jennifer

The Footloose American: Following the Hunter S. Thompson Trail Across South America by Brian Kevin (Broadway Books, 2014)

Just over fifty years ago, journalist Hunter S. Thompson embarked on, and completed, a yearlong trek across South America, the then unknown journalist sending back reports to a relatively new newspaper National Observer, in the manner of what today would most likely have been a blog.  I routinely read acknowledgements and author’s notes first, even if they are at the end of a book; I’ve even been known to read the Epilogue to certain non-fiction works, including this one, which I think I am glad I did.  In the Epilogue, Kevin indicates, in a perhaps somewhat self-deprecating manner, that the trip didn’t illicit any profound personal revelations, though am skeptical that such a trip could not leave an indelible mark, even if it didn’t become apparent for years.  The man who became known as original gonzo journalist traveled throughout South America in the year leading up to Kennedy’s assassination, a time that would become tremendously tumultuous for the United States of America and leave it irrevocably changed.  Thompson followed his whims through this sometimes rural, sometimes violent continent, reporting back on countries many had very little firsthand knowledge of.  As Kevin follows Thompson’s trail, many things, though not all, have changed.  Several places, such as Machu Picchu have become routine tourist destinations while others are still largely off the beaten tourist path.  Each chapter begins with an epigraph of Thompson’s work, either a report to the newspaper or a personal letter, and sets the tone for Kevin’s travels and observations.  Kevin writing is accessible, writing as if he is writing a letter to a friend back home, reflecting not only on his experiences but Thompson’s and often his response and reaction to what he is experiencing using Thompson’s writing and observations to filter his own through.  This book will appeal to arm-chair travelers as well as those with a keen interest in mid-century journalists and be a good introduction to Thompson and his work to those unfamiliar with him, as well as a welcome addition to those who are well-steeped in Thompson’s work.  FTC disclaimer: I received book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.