I'd recommend "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Other American Stories" which I read it a good few years back; There's a couple of decent short stories tagged on at the end, one of which is kind of a biopoic, from what I can recall...

The only other HST I've read is Hell's Angels, I think that's also pretty well renowned - I thought it was decent but not as good as Fear & Loathing.

None of that qualifies me to pass comment on your idea of tackling all his works in order.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is my favorite book of his, absolutely one of the funniest books I've ever read. Hell's Angels is good, the Rum Diary is good, and I've heard Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail is another good one.

>>7589597
>Are all his works decent
decent? i suppose, but i wouldn't read the ones that were merely decent unless you become a super fan. his best stuff is excellent.

>should I just from the first published to the last in chronological order?
that would make the Rum Diary first and that is merely decent, so no.

i'd rec The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved to start, which is both great and short~ish. this will give you an idea of if he's for you and a good intro style wise and chronologically. Hell's Angels and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas are the other two musts that i've read (if you're not into drugs even in passing, FaLiLV may not click with you as much, tho.) /lit/ usualy also recs FaL on the Campaign Trail but i've not read it yet.

F&L in Las Vegas
The Great Shark Hunt (collection)
Rum Diary

Everything else I'd take or leave. Hell's Angels might be good - I read everything of his when I was 18-20, and I wanted his F&L style mainlined, I wanted to live it. Hell's Angel differs from that vibe. It's straighter, more journalistic. I probably will never revisit it, but it might be better than I remember, just not the voice you may be expecting. He has a couple books of letters between himself and others. I would not recommend these unless you are truly down the HST rabbit hole.

this anon:
>>7589800
>Hell's Angels might be good - I read everything of his when I was 18-20, and I wanted his F&L style mainlined, I wanted to live it. Hell's Angel differs from that vibe. It's straighter, more journalistic.

and i:
>>7589794
>Hell's Angels and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas are the other two musts that i've read (if you're not into drugs even in passing, FaLiLV may not click with you as much, tho.)

are basically saying the same thing from opposite perspectives, here.

I've read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and on the Campaign Trail, and I absolutely rec them. They may be two of the finest examples of American writing. The latter maybe less than the first initially, but it picks up as it goes so persevere. Hell's Angels is also pretty good, different,but greatly enjoyable nonetheless.