Product Description
A three-decade retrospective of Ralph Steadman's caustic, witty, outrageous art-including illustrations from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and the other legendary collaborations with Hunter S. Thompson that spawned gonzo journalism. Illustrated throughout in color and black-and-white, with an introduction by Hunter S. Thompson.Amazon.com Review
Hunter S. Thompson, in his drunken, rambling introduction tothis volume of paintings and illustrations, calls Ralph Steadman "theAlbert Gore of twentieth century art." It's hard to imagine a less aptappellation: Steadman's drawings and paintings are the wild antithesisof the notoriously stiff V.P. His pop art is also the opposite ofWarhol's clean lines and soulless imagery; it screams with pain andnightmare power. While Steadman is best known for his illustrations toThompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and other works, herehis art is given free rein, and works with titles like "Earliest man,full of the sense of his own worth, screaming into the blackness,needing no god but himself..." and "Good time crucifix" combineSteadman's trademark splattered ink and unfolded figures with collageand sloppy airbrush. Although the text may offend those with no senseof irony (Thompson compares Steadman to artist manqué AdolfHitler; Steadman relates the story of his first bowel movement), thehyperactive visuals are sure to delight even those who've neversnorted ether while tripping on pure human adrenochrome. --JamesDiGiovanna ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Artisticly written
Being both a fan of Ralph Steadman and Hunter S. Thompson this book was well written, and goes deep into the dark drawings that most can't come close. The minds of these two individuals are bizarre which make it even more enjoyable when these two were together. The art and the words combined are amazing. Ralph Steadman's work is presented very well.

Gagga over Gonzo
A comprehensive collection for fan's of the gonzo artist, filled with stories or explanations that accompany each piece. Very satisfied

Awesome
This book was sooo much cheaper than any website or bookstore I looked at. I loved it!

Postal problems
I ordered this product, and there were no major problems, until I got a crushed and bent book over a week later. However, there was no insurance on the package, so I'm just out over $20.00.

Steadman is great
any book by Ralph Steadman requires serious and not so serious reading. his perspective on life is truly unique and worthy of consideration. ... Read more

Product Description
Genuine weirdness is a rare quality. To be truly weird demands character and wanton disregard for the social mores of the day.

Unleashed in Tales of the Weirrd is Ralph Steadman's fantastic interpretations and biographies of nineteenth century grotesques, oddities, imposters and eccentrics. The book is a hilarious catalog of nature's freakish humor and, in the best Victorian tradition, it instructs as well as entertains. This crazy collection of dwarfs, and gluttons, wits and water-spouters includes:
- Charles Charlesworth, who grew a beard at age four and died of old age at the age of seven
- Old Boots, who could hold a piece of money between his nose and chin
- Barbara Urselin, the hairy-faced woman
- Henry Lemoine, an eccentric bookseller
- Guillaume de Nittis, who tried to eat himself
- Fakir Agastiya, who kept his arm in the air for ten years
- Neville Vadio, the blind caricaturist, who was claimed by many to be a better draughtsman than Rembrandt.

Tales of the Weirrd is an extraordinary celebration of the bizarre brought to life by the astonishing energy, imagination and power of Ralph Steadman's pen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

What a cool book...
This is a very cool book that can be used for both Children and Adults as it is not very descriptive or "R" rated.Would highly suggest this to anyone who enjoys some odd and wierd reading.

Very cool book.
A very interesting book with wonderful art. Nice if you enjoy Ralph Steadman :) This was bought as a gift and was well received.

Poor layout greatly harms this book.
The stories in this book are fun documentations of abnormal individuals.

The illustrations are as dynamic and charming as you'd expect from Mr. Steadman.

It can be very hard to enjoy them, however, as the publisher has taken all of the best illustrations and buried them in the spine of the book crossing the page breaks.What the hell were they thinking?!You can tell there's a great drawing there, but you can't even see most of it without mangling the book.This is true on page after page.

Somebody who really doesn't care put this thing together slap-dashedly.It's a shame. It makes the whole thing not worthwhile.

Bizarre Art + Bizarre Tales = Excellent Book
This book is not just a worthy purchase because of the Steadman artwork.The short stories and accounts of the faboulously odd fellows and delightfully abnormal ladies would make this book a definite keeper even if there were no pictures.But add the refreshingly unique artwork to the equally interesting tales and you have a book that you'll pull off the shelf more than once.I also like that this book is somewhat oversized, which means the reader can appreciate the artwork on a more grand scale.Also, if you don't have the time or the energy to read a book from front to back in one sitting, this is an ideal book for you because it is full of short stories that you could walk away from for months and come right back to without having to remember a thing.

Must Have!
Along with Steadman's unique and inspiring art, this book explores the land of the weirrd....humans who once entertained the boring people with their bizarre and unusual oddities. With each tale of a sideshow star, Steadman draws us a picture and weaves an eloquent and highly entertaining story about his subject. Steadman is literate as all hell. When you're done with this be sure to check out his latest...DOODAA - a triography. No doubt this man has a bundle of fun with himself - his mind is a treasure chest of wacky good times and he seems to have a great grasp on our human reality - every inch of dystopic madness. With books like this, Steadman does his part, in keeping the rest of us sane and amused. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (27)

Good Deal. Fast Delivery
Bought the book as a gift.I needed it quickly and it arrived with plenty of time left. I was happy and my boyfriend was happy!

HST was right: Ralph should stick to drawing
The book should be commended as it offers some great insight into the, at times, testy relationship between Ralph and Hunter through the years. What I found disappointing is that Ralph's used this book as his latest medium to again whine on about the fact Hunter did not invite him on either of the vegas trips that were the basis for the infamous Fear and Loathing novel.At times, Ralph's continued bitterness is quite appearent and to me just comes off as very unflattering.In Hunter's life, there were many stories and trips that Ralph was not a included. Hunter had many friends and traveling companions like Michael Solheim (a.k.a. Yail Bloor), who accompanied the good doctor on drug and booze filled coverage of fishing tournament in Cozumel.I think a casual gonzo reader may find the book more enjoyable than those who are more avid and longtime fans.

The Jokes OVer by Ralph Steadman
If your a fan of Hunter I highly recommend this book. I'ts written by his best friend, not some second hand source of filtered information,
so it's told how it is, how it was, and what really wend down on their adventures on the job.
The book is also full of Ralph's Gonzo Art - some of the very pictures Hunter requested him to draw.
I feel like I'm on Reading Rainbow right now, but this is a book I'm happy to have added to my collection.
My prop's to Amazon for the best deal I could find on the internet, Thanks.
So if you want to hear about Hunter from the man that was with him on his mission's and how that man was influenced and likewise, than this book is for you, I'ts well writted also. Peace.

Fantastic reading
Ralph Steadman gives and honest, insightful and funny glimps into the work he and Hunter S. Thompson did over the years.

It wasn't a question of if, but when.
I'm going to miss the good doctor.Hunter S. Thompson, with his faithful English mad man gave us the ultimate in gonzo journalism.This is Ralph's side of the love/hate partnership they shared.For the most part, he does a good job.There are some rants and he pulls off some of his own scabs from life with Hunter.The artwork is first rate and of course, that is what Ralph does best.Still, all in all, it was a good read and I recommend it for anyone who has ever been the sidekick of a huge ego or savagely bludgeoned by the wierd that has gone pro. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The perfect accompaniment to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Ralph Steadman was the perfect artist to accompany the crazy, drug-addled travel writing of Hunter S. Thompson.Even though Steadman is not a serious user of hallucinogenics, his art can be very deceiving otherwise. A real gem of an art book. ... Read more

Product Description
One genius takes on another.

Bursting defiantly and gleefully beyond the bounds of orthodox biography, Sigmund Freud is a wildly humorous exercise in bending, stretching and speculating on the activities of the so-called Father of Psychoanalysis. Ralph Steadman wields his shrewd wit and fierce pen to highlight the movements of Freud's life and career, from early childhood to the moment of death.

But there's a twist. Through a masterful interplay of text and illustration, each scene is transformed into a "joking situation," which the artist hilariously examines according to the techniques discussed by Freud himself in his 1905 book, Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious. The result is a fantastic Freudian festival of visual and verbal puns, unexpected insights, and sheer intellectual enjoyment.

Originally published in hardcover in 1979, released in paperback in 1997, and now back in print, Sigmund Freud is superbly illustrated with more than 50 major drawings and 25 vignettes. It remains one of the most original illustrated books of our times and a Ralph Steadman classic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Siggy my friend
I read this book many years ago. Good info about Frued . Read it and bought it because you cant go wrong with Ralph Steadman.Outstanding drawings asif I had to tell you that. ... Read more

Product Description
During World War II, a British plowman discovered a hoard of Roman silver while plowing a field in the Suffolk countryside. Unaware of the treasure's value, he was cheated out of the fortune that should have been his by the man who hired him. The 34 pieces of silver were discovered after the war by the authorities and taken to the British Museum, where they reside today. Master storyteller Roald Dahl relates the unforgettable and true tale of the greatest treasure ever found in the British Isles.
Amazon.com Review
Buried one foot below the surface of a field called Thistley Green in the English town of Mildenhall, a most fantastic Roman treasure lay for centuries until a ploughman came along in the 1940s and accidentally dug it up. What followed was the worst kind of tragedy, because it involves human greed and abuse of a good man's innocence. Gordon Butcher, discoverer of this treasure, was entitled by British law to the full amount of its market value. Butcher was not aware of this law; however, another ploughman named Ford did know about it, and managed to bamboozle Butcher out of the fortune.

This remarkable story was written in 1946 by a young Roald Dahl, who went on to write such beloved classics as James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Dahl's inimitable style blazes through even in his early career. The true story, republished with stunning art by Ralph Steadman, is as riveting as if it had happened today, with heartbreaking notes of unbearable unfairness and sincere naiveté. Each page, thickly covered with rich, dark splashes of paint, sketchy faces, and bits of collage, has a wild and ominous tenor, reflected in the ferocious weather that fateful day when the hapless farmer found--and lost--the greatest treasure ever found in the British Isles. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A fabulous true tale oftreasure lost and found and lost again!
A short but wonderful story of finding real treasure!!! The biggest find of Roman Silver ever in the UK. However it is the 'human' element within this story that makes it so thrilling. Greed does terrible things to us all.....
This is a great story for kids but I was 28 when I first read it. I have remembered it so vividly for all these years ( I am now in my 40's..) I just had to buy a copy to keep for myself. If you love archaeology and can imagine the thrill of finding something truely gobsmackingly amazing... this is a great read!

The BEST book in the world!
I've read this book snd LOVED it. It's about a worker on a rich mans farm who finds something hard in the ground and it turns out to be TREASER! The man forgets about it after digging it up and a year later his boss (the man who kept the treaser) was cought by one of his freinds. The man who found it becomes rich and is poor no more.
This true story can show that any ordinary person can find a treaser.

Roald Dahl met and interviewed the finder of the treasure
One might argue that this book about the greatest treasure ever found in the British Isles is itself a rare find. Roald Dahl was able to interview Gordon Butcher, the man who originally found the Roman silver on his land, no small feat since Butcher had become suspicious of writers and journalists after being cheated out of a fortune that should have been his. The account, mostly in Butcher's own words, of the discovery is absolutely entrancing and Dahl has the wisdom to keep the story tight and lean, while preserving the details about Butcher and that memorable day when his life changed forever.
I have had a hard time finding true historical accounts which I can share with my entire family and which will hold the interest of both children and adults. With pictures on nearly every page (by the inimitable Ralph Steadman) and vivid writing which makes history come alive, this one fits the bill.

Mildenhall
The easy reading style of Dahl is at its best in the Mildenhall treasure, when fast development mixed with a human element are concerned. He allows the user to empathise with characters and feel the disapointment not only of the good but also those of more dubious character. He gives an insight into peoples lives which should not be possible in such a short space. A very good read, to see the darker side of human character and the way in which naivity is often ruthlessly exploited, however despite this the book is kept light and readable with vivid images and interesting content,a worthwhile read. ... Read more

Product Description
Ralph Steadman, the author of The Grapes of Ralph, turns his brilliant, irreverent eye toward the artistry that is single malt whiskey. As he embarked on the whiskey trail, Steadman quickly became fascinated by the industry, rich in folklore and mysteries as dark as peat--and even more so by the magical liquid it produces. Here is his unique look at this venerable art. Color illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

If you really want to know the history of scotch wiskey...
This is the pentultament source for the history and intrigue of scotch...who is "doing" who and how does scotch go from hops, water, and copper pot to the necture of the gods - this is the ultimate source book...And it is written with a sense of irony and humor.Buy this book...if you love scotch you will adore this book.

Great illustrations and zany sense of humour.
Being a fan of single malt whiskies myself, I really appreciate his knowledge, at the same time that I am taken by his whimsical humour.(I am Canajian,eh?) His illustrations are outstanding, and he is a truly inspiredwatercolourist. ... Read more

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Product Description
Through pictures and prose, readers take a good look at the great wines of the world and the people who make them, including a lively, illuminating, often hilarious view of the world of vineyards, presses, and wine tasting. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Buy it, great gift too!
Ralph Steadman fan? Wine fan? This journal is for you. Seperated by reds, white, rose, port, etc.Rate the wine, where it's from, vintage and price. Plus, Steadmans classic style pictures.

Charming travel journal about wine
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3ADCC7WQ3YIIP This is essentially a travel journal, and it's a very good one.

We join Ralph Steadman on his journey around the world to different countries, looking for wine. He walks on the dirt track leading to vineyards, watches grape being crushed and savors them in a glass. The writeup is excellent and detailed, looking into the life of people in the business of making wine.

The wonderful illustrations are a bonus, and complementary. It makes the reading so much more enjoyable.

Highly recommended to people who likes reading travel journals or loves wine.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

Trampling Out the Vintage
Ralph Steadman is a very wicked person. Has no respect
for nothing, this guy. Anybody who could do drawings
for Hunter Thompson couldn't possibly get serious
enough to do justice to wine, could he?

The Grapes of Ralph is a semi-serious, very funny
look at the world of wine by a guy with a truly enviable
talent for illustration. His drawings range from wistful
to wildly exaggerated. The text, which is sometimes as
funny as the drawings contains a good bit of information
along with the humor.Ibought two copies, one for
the bookshelf and one to cut up andframe inthe
winecellar.

--Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINEand
the novel bang BANG. ISBN 9781601640005

Ralph, wine & pen
Ralph Steadman is a wonderful artistic talent.In this book he combines his love of wine, humor, and his comedic illustrations.If you are a true wine lover (i.e. someone who just doesn't take the whole wine tasting thing too seriously, but knows what she or he likes) you will thoroughly enjoy this book.It is also a wonderful gift for wine-lovin' friends.

Enjoy! ... Read more

Product Description
Bierce's classic work of satirical wit and Steadman's pointed pen redefine the way we see even the seemingly simplest of terms.

Acquaintance, n.: A person whom we know well enough to borrow from but not well enough to lend to.
Bride, n.: A woman with a great future behind her.
Consult, v: To seek another's approval of a course already decided on.

Ambrose Bierce's "dictionary" of epigrams, essays, verses, and vignettes targets the religious, the romantic, the political, and the economic, in equal measure. The book you need to define both friends and enemies, The Devil's Dictionary is also the perfect gift, showcasing Bierce's razor-sharp wit and Ralph Steadman's incisive pen to their best advantage.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Bitter Bierce at his very best...
Also known as "The Cynic's Workbook" this collection is classic and belongs in any library. Ambrose Bierce, like Mark Twain and few other of his contempories, had a biting wit that always left a mark.
Here is just a taste of his humor.

Philosophy: A route of many roads leading from nowhere to nothing.

Eulogy. Praise of a person who has either the advantages of wealth and power, or the consideration to be dead.

The large font is a plus in this book.Good illustrations.

Good good stuff.

A most accurate Dictionary
.
If you, from time-to-time, need a little whimsy in your day; a little humor to add a smile when else it would not shine, then open to any page and read at will. You will be rewarded with a chuckle and perhaps a laugh and perhaps a new perspective on the word you just learned.

If you think you have a potent vocabulary, read this book; because you will get the most from it. These definitions, while not literal, are in fact most accurate and as it seems, timeless.

It must have been a great privilege to know and converse with such a man as Ambrose Bierce.

review of the Devil's Dictionary
Sharp-wittewd and pointed "defitions" of common day words from the 1800's that still hold humor and truth.

Good Read
It was an excellent read and I could not put it down.Very tantalizing for anyone who prefers to be pulled into a story.

A great addition to your collection
Well worth having in your personal collection -- very entertaining. :) ... Read more

Product Description
Tell Me Lies is a rampaging last collection by the late and much lamented Shadow Poet Laureate. The title-poem is a 21st-century remix of his celebrated anti-war poem, ""To Whom It May Concern."" Much and nothing has changed since then, and Mitchell's new (now sadly final) poems are just as powerfully relevant 40 years on. Here are visions of war and peace, celebrations and elegies, daft adventures, a gentle explanation of his new job as a Senior Sheep, and exuberant outbursts-like his version of Beowulf told from the point of view of Grendel the Swamp Monster. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

So Thrilled I Got a Second One!
This was almost too good to be true -- a new book and FAR less than what I would have paid in a book store.

A coffee table book you'll actually read cover-to-cover
Few people today remember that Ralph Steadman grew to fame for his Gonzo art that complemented some rather famous Gonzo journalism.Today, his is arguably best known for his art that complements wine bottles, as well as a number of wine books published over several decades.

In Untrodden Grapes, his latest book, we get to read and see a number of small wineries through his artist's eyes.Focusing on small but premium producers (hence the title) from around the world, Ralph intersperses his personal editorial on the state of today's wine world along with descriptions and renderings of what he's seen.

A great read for wine lovers, and well worthwhile for anyone who enjoys the intersection of memorable art and great writing.

Once again - brilliant!
Steadman has outdone himself with this latest book of narrative and artwork.You will be taken on a tour of the wine producing areas of the world, portraying the author's love of the drink.Each story is highlighted with artwork as further interpretation.I especially enjoyed the account of a bottle of wine's ability to transform a mountain of greasy fish, chips and extra peas at a local chip shop to a culinary masterpiece.The writing is honest, expressive, humorous and straight-forward.Those who appreciate a witty turn of phrase will be delighted.Those too drunk on wine to notice will wonder why they feel suddenly lighter.

The artwork is quintessentially Steadman.If you are not familiar with his work, you need to be sure to approach this book with an open mind - as it is not for the faint of heart.Figures can be what some would describe as ugly - maybe even grotesque, there are great splatterings of ink and often quite a bit of mayhem.But, the overall effect is intoxicating with rich colors and visually shocking contrast.

I have collected and appreciated Ralph Steadman's work for over 20 years now, and like any good wine, he just keeps getting better. ... Read more

Product Description
An illustrated book for young children which tells the story of Tom, whose room is so cluttered with toys that there is no room to swing a cat, or a moose, or even a dinosaur - until his mother comes up with a solution. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

no room, plenty of whimsy...
Ralph Steadman.You may not know the name, but believe me, you'd recognize the art style at a glance.His furious, spastic pen-and-ink drawings laced with blown inks and blots of thick black-- as if someonesnuck up behind him and yelled BOO! and his pen nib got frightened and letloose-- have been featured in perhaps every magazine and graced the coversof more than just his own books (the old cover for "Fear andLoathing" by Hunter S. Thompson comes to mind...).What's fascinatingis the amount of books he has written himself.

With such a jumbled styleof illustration, you might find it odd that he's written a childrens' book. Published in Australia in 1989 and currently out of print in the States,it exists in "No Room to Swing a Cat."

Our tale opens when ourhero, Tom, announces that his room is too small (hardly surprisingconsidering it's stuffed to the gills with blocks, cars, checkerboards,stuffed animals-- including a moose and dinosaur-- and Tom himself).Hismother asks what he means, and Tom says that it's not even big enough toswing a cat in.NOTE:Tom doesn't WANT to swing a cat in it, he's merelypointing out that you CANNOT swing a cat in it-- a distinction that shouldprobably be made to children who get this book read to them.

Thereafterensues some Steadmanian fun-- mainly two page spreads of Tom swingingvarious animals to his mother's enquiry of how big his room SHOULD be. "Big enough to swing a pig?" his mother asks, and there on thepage is a teeny Tom swinging a large, stunned looking pig by the tail.Tomgoes through a number of different animals, each getting larger and moreridiculous looking as they're being swung, until it's revealed that hewant's his room big enough for HIM to swing in.At which point he and hismother go outside to Tom's swingset.

If you've seen Steadman's artwork,you'll know it's quite chaotic and sometimes almost sinister-looking.Bigblobs of ink are splattered pell-mell across the canvas; if the ink werered, you might think he had been brained right there at his easel.Tomhimself is depicted with a big frown-- a simple upside-down semicircle lineacross his face that gives him a somewhat haunted look.For the lastdecade or so, the trend in children's books have been towards self-esteemand conflict resolution and away from chaotic illustrations of cockeyedkids whizzing stunned dogs around over their heads.The British phrase useas the title and genesis of the book may be enough for many people to passup the chance to search for this one, but I personally don't see much harmin it.

Firstly, most of the animals Tom flails about are already takingup space in his room at the very beginning of the book, and it seemsreasonable to me that any room that you can't successfully swing a stuffedmoose in IS too small.

Secondly, for older children it can help toexplain the complex world of adult phrases and simile ("guerrillawarfare" was the one that always stumped me when I was a child; I hadvisions of half-man, half-ape creatures fighting it out with Americansoldiers).

Finally, in a world where children have ready access tohandguns and Pokemon has our preschoolers running amok pretending to shock,zap or burn each other to cinders, the amusing (if queerly drawn) picturesof one child swinging a stuffed elephant around to show how small his roomis pales by comparison. ... Read more

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