I can’t believe I haven’t been posting more of this books pathetic beauty. But here’s more from Ralph Steadman’s The Joke’s Over, a document of Hunter S. Thompson’s friendship:

But leaving is an art form too, for goodness sake. Leaving at the precise moment for full dramatic effect. Pure theatre. An exit is often more impressive than an entrance. Famous last words prove that. I never heard of any famous birth quotes. Everyone is the same at birth — just a squealing mass of survival. But after a life of experience and pain one knows what to say.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in either Ralph Steadman the artist/photographer, or Hunter S. Thompson the writer/creative. Highlights for me are not only the friendly (and at times aggressively irate) letters back-and-forth which Ralph has transcribed, but as well learning the extent they went to to guarantee results — crazy, inspired, at times drug-induced, but always well- written/illustrated stories.