Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Blogging A to Z - F

Had a busy day today, so just getting this in in the nick of time.

This former jockey was a prolific writer publishing a novel a year from 1962 until his death at the age of 89 in 2010. His books all center around horse racing with quite a few of the protagonists being jockeys. They are usually quick, entertaining reads, with tons of information about horse racing and associated fields.

Book:  Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 by Hunter S. Thompson
This was the main book that turned my college career to political science (the other one being "The Boys on the Bus" by Timothy Crouse).  Fear and Loathing is true Gonzo journalism, and a collection of articles originally written for Rolling Stone.  The Good Doctor focuses mainly on the campaign of George McGovern. By the end of the campaign and the overwhelming McGovern loss, Thompson was totally exhausted and burned out on politics. While you have to take some of his stories with a grain of salt (Edmund Muskie and his addiction to Ibogaine for example), the book is a terrific examination of political campaigning and the media of that era. I recommend it highly.

1 comment:

Book Dragon said...

I came over for G but had to comment on F.

Dick Francis is one of my favorite authors. I've been reading him for over 30 years. I was so sad when his wife died. Now he's gone but at least his son Felix is writing!

Gina, I'm #1302 today, blogging at Book Dragon's Lair