Published by William Heinemann, 2006, hardcover, illustrated, index, 390 pages, some wear to covers & spine, otherwise condition: good.
In the spring of 1970, artist Ralph Steadman went to America in search of work and found more than he bargained for. At the Kentucky Derby he met a former
associate of the Hell's Angels, one Hunter S. Thompson. Their working relationship resulted in the now-legendary Gonzo Journalism. The Joke's Over tells of a remarkable collaboration that documented the turbulent years of the civil rights movement, the Nixon years, Watergate, and the many bizarre and great events that shaped the second half of the twentieth century. When Thompson committed suicide in 2005, it was the end of a unique friendship filled with both betrayal and understanding.
A rollicking, no-holds-barred memoir, The Joke's Over is the definitive inside story of the Gonzo years.
Few people knew HST better (or put up with more of his shit) than Ralph Steadman. I can see why he waited until his passing to publish this, as I can only imagine the haranguing and abuse (not to mention lawsuits) that would've otherwise likely ensued, but ultimately this was little more than a factual, mostly tender look back at their thirty-five years of working, fighting, and just generally living it up together. If HST were still around to object, it would be in his finally having to admit that Ralph could indeed write after all, or at least write as well as he could draw.
Some of the stories were only tangentially related to HST, and one wonders why these were even included, but it is Ralph's book after all, and he did spend about half his life in the shadow of HST's own writing, so I guess it was just his time to shine. And shine here he does for the most part.
Required reading for anyone interested in learning more about HST and his friend, foil, and partner in crime.
