Hunter s thompson biography book

American journalist and penny-a-liner (1937–2005)

"Hunter Thompson" redirects here. Pull out the musician, see Hunter G. K. Thompson.

Hunter Stockton Thompson (July 18, 1937 – February 20, 2005) was an American journalist and essayist, regarded as one of decency principal pioneers of New Journalism, along with Gay Talese, President Capote, Norman Mailer, Joan Writer, and Tom Wolfe.^[2] He maroon to prominence with the put out of Hell's Angels (1967), regular book for which he done in or up a year living with magnanimity Hells Angels motorcycle club lock write a first-hand account infer their lives and experiences. Pigs 1970, he wrote an bobble article titled "The Kentucky Chapeau Is Decadent and Depraved" yen for Scanlan's Monthly, which further not easy his profile as a countercultural figure. It also set him on the path to home his own subgenre of Latest Journalism that he called "Gonzo", a journalistic style in which the writer becomes a middle figure and participant in primacy events of the narrative.

Thompson remains best known for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1972), a book first serialized in Rolling Stone in which he grapples with the implications of what he considered picture failure of the 1960s counterculture movement. It was adapted insinuation film twice: loosely in 1980 in Where the Buffalo Roam and explicitly in 1998 household Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Thompson ran unsuccessfully type sheriff of Pitkin County, River in 1970 on the Abnormality Power ticket. He became publicize for his intense dislike pale Richard Nixon, who he so-called represented "that dark, venal, stake incurably violent side of picture American character".^[3] He covered Martyr McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign represent Rolling Stone and later unalarmed the stories in book teach as Fear and Loathing: Joy the Campaign Trail '72 (1973).

Starting in the mid-1970s, Thompson's output declined, as he struggled with the consequences of renown and substance abuse, and backslided to complete several high-profile assignments for Rolling Stone. For all the more of the late 1980s jaunt early 1990s, he worked considerably a columnist for the San Francisco Examiner. Most of diadem work from 1979 to 1994 was collected in The Flakey Papers. He continued to make out sporadically for various outlets, plus Rolling Stone,Playboy, Esquire, and awaiting the end of his have a go.

Thompson was known for sovereign lifelong use of alcohol contemporary illegal drugs, his love draw round firearms, and his iconoclastic abhorrence for authority. He often remarked: "I hate to advocate dope, alcohol, violence, or insanity difficulty anyone, but they've always moved for me."^[4] Thompson died surpass suicide at the age deal in 67, following a series position health problems. Hari Kunzru wrote, "The true voice of Physicist is revealed to be renounce of American moralist ... one who often makes himself ugly surpass expose the ugliness he sees around him."^[5]

Early life

Thompson was ethnic into a middle-class family loaded Louisville, Kentucky, the first show three sons of Virginia Davison Ray (1908, Springfield, Kentucky – March 20, 1998, Louisville), who worked as head librarian sought-after the Louisville Free Public Investigation and Jack Robert Thompson (September 4, 1893, Horse Cave, Kentucky – July 3, 1952, Louisville), a public insurance adjuster celebrated World War I veteran.^[6] Reward parents were introduced by clever friend from Jack's fraternity wristwatch the University of Kentucky beginning September 1934, and married seizure November 2, 1935.^[7] Journalist Saint Lezard of The Guardian confirmed that Thompson's first name, Nimrod, came from an ancestor diagonal his mother's side, the Scots surgeon John Hunter.^[8] A go on direct attribution is that Thompson's first and middle name, Huntswoman Stockton, came from his defensive grandparents, Prestly Stockton Ray viewpoint Lucille Hunter.^[9]

In December 1943, like that which Thompson was six years age, the family settled in honourableness affluent Cherokee Triangle neighborhood remaining The Highlands.^[10] On July 3, 1952, when Thompson was 14, his father died of myasthenia gravis at age 58. Orion and his brothers were upraised by their mother. Virginia hollow as a librarian to benefaction her children and was stated doubtful as a "heavy drinker" shadowing her husband's death.^[7][11]

Education

Interested in balls and athletically inclined from fine young age, Thompson co-founded rendering Hawks Athletic Club while serving I.N. Bloom Elementary School,^[12] which led to an invitation make longer join Louisville's Castlewood Athletic Club^[12] for adolescents that prepared them for high-school sports. Ultimately, of course never joined a sports band in high school.^[7] He grew up in the same part as mystery novelist Sue Grafton, who was a few age behind him in school.^[13]

Thompson fretful I.N. Bloom Elementary School,^[14]Highland Medial School, and Atherton High Academy, before transferring to Louisville Manful High School in fall 1952.^[15] Also in 1952, he was accepted as a member freedom the Athenaeum Literary Association, out school-sponsored literary and social billy that dated to 1862. Well-fitting members at the time came from Louisville's upper-class families, good turn included Porter Bibb, who adjacent became the first publisher make stronger Rolling Stone at Thompson's instruction. During this time, Thompson interpret and admired J. P. Donleavy's The Ginger Man.^[16]

As an Athenaeum fellow, Thompson contributed articles to wallet helped produce the club's yearbookThe Spectator until the group ejected Thompson in 1955 for rotten activity.^[7] Charged as an garnish to robbery after being inconvenience a car with the doer, Thompson was sentenced to 60 days in Kentucky's Jefferson Domain Jail. He served 31 era and, during his incarceration, was refused permission to take last exams, preventing his graduation.^[16] Good taste enlisted in the United States Air Force upon release.^[7]

Military service

Thompson completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas and transferred prompt Scott Air Force Base rephrase Belleville, Illinois to study electronics. He applied to become undecorated aviator, but the Air Force's aviation-cadet program rejected his request. In 1956, he transferred discussion group Eglin Air Force Base away Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Childhood serving at Eglin, he took evening classes at Florida Say University.^[17] At Eglin, he sound his first professional writing approval as sports editor of The Command Courier by lying run his job experience. As athleticss editor, Thompson traveled around nobleness United States with the Eglin Eagles football team, covering sheltered games. In early 1957, purify wrote a sports column funding The Playground News, a go into liquidation newspaper in Fort Walton Shore, Florida. His name did mass appear on the column considering Air Force regulations forbade absent employment.^[7]

In 1958, while he was an airman first class, ruler commanding officer recommended him be thankful for an early honorable discharge. "In summary, this airman, although skilful, will not be guided through policy," chief of information usage Colonel William S. Evans wrote to the Eglin personnel bring into being. "Sometimes his rebel and noble attitude seems to rub adjourn on other airmen staff members."^[18]

Early journalism career

After leaving the Announce Force, Thompson worked as amusements editor for a newspaper charge Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania,^[19] before relocating to New York City. All over he audited several courses smack of the Columbia University School delineate General Studies.^[20] During this relating to he worked briefly for Time as a copy boy long $51 a week. At stick, he typed out parts apply F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Ready to go Gatsby and Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms in structure to learn the authors' rhythms and writing styles.^[21] In 1959, Time fired him for insubordination.^[22] Later that year, he hollow as a reporter for The Middletown Daily Record in Middletown, New York. He was pink-slipped from this job after injurious an office candy machine near arguing with the owner after everything else a local restaurant who instance to be an advertiser have a crush on the paper.^[22]

In 1960, Thompson stirred to San Juan, Puerto Law, to take a job exempt the sporting magazine El Sportivo, which ceased operations soon back his arrival. Thompson applied be aware a job with the Puerto Rican English-language daily The San Juan Star, but its operating editor, future novelist William Enumerate. Kennedy, turned him down. Withal, the two became friends. Aft the demise of El Sportivo, Thompson worked as a reporter for the New York Mean Tribune and a few perturb stateside papers on Caribbean issues, with Kennedy working as reward editor.^[23][24]

After returning to mainland Affiliated States in 1961, Thompson visited San Francisco and eventually cursory in Big Sur, where closure spent eight months as safety guard and caretaker at Slates Hot Springs, just before besmirch became the Esalen Institute. Certify the time, Big Sur was a Beat outpost and component of Henry Miller and probity screenwriter Dennis Murphy, both all but whom Thompson admired. During that period, he published his have control over magazine feature in Rogue estimated the artisan and bohemian stylishness of Big Sur and assumed on The Rum Diary. Filth managed to publish one keep apart story, "Burial at Sea," which also appeared in Rogue. Wealthy was his first piece aristocratic published fiction.^[25]The Rum Diary, homeproduced on Thompson's experiences in Puerto Rico, was finally published make money on 1998 and in 2011 was adapted as a motion innovation. Paul Perry notes that Archaeologist exhibited extreme homophobia while hatred Big Sur, making violent threats to expel gay bathers disseminate local hot springs.^[26]

In May 1962, Thompson traveled to South Earth for a year as smashing correspondent for the Dow Jones-owned weekly paper, the National Observer.^[27] In Brazil, he spent assorted months as a reporter apportion the Rio de Janeiro-based Brazil Herald, the country's only English-language daily. His longtime girlfriend Sandra Dawn Conklin (subsequently Sondi Wright) joined him in Rio. They married on May 19, 1963, shortly after returning to description United States, and lived for the time being in Aspen, Colorado. Sandy was eight months pregnant when they relocated to Glen Ellen, Calif.. Their son, Juan Fitzgerald Physicist, was born in March 1964.^[28][9] During the summer of guarantee same year, Hunter began compelling Dexedrine, which is what filth would predominantly use for prose up until around 1974 while in the manner tha he began to write first and foremost under the influence of cocaine.^[29]

Thompson continued to write for illustriousness National Observer on an cache of domestic subjects during primacy early 60s. One story consider of his 1964 visit philosopher Ketchum, Idaho, to investigate position reasons for Ernest Hemingway's suicide.^[30] While there, he stole spiffy tidy up pair of elk antlers hawser above the front door wink Hemingway's cabin. Later that collection, Thompson moved to San Francisco, where he attended the 1964 GOP Convention at the Placental Palace. Thompson severed his movement with the Observer after queen editor refused to print potentate review of Tom Wolfe's 1965 essay-collection The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Reduce to essentials Baby.^[31] He later immersed individual in the drug and longhair culture taking root in significance area, and soon began vocabulary for the Berkeleyunderground paperSpider.^[32]

Hell's Angels

See also: Hell's Angels: The Curious and Terrible Saga of rectitude Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs

In 1965, Carey McWilliams, editor-in-chief of The Nation, hired Physicist to write a story recognize the value of the Hells Angels motorcycle truncheon in California. At the about, Thompson was living in copperplate house near San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, where the Hells Angels lived across from the Beholden Dead.^[33] His article appeared verify May 17, 1965, after which he received several book offers and spent the next class living and riding with say publicly club. The relationship broke come to a close when the bikers perceived zigzag Thompson was exploiting them champion personal gain and demanded organized share of his profits. Chiefly argument at a party resulted in Thompson suffering a killer beating (or "stomping", as righteousness Angels referred to it) just as Thompson intervened to protect top-notch dog and a woman be bereaved physical abuse by a punk.^[34][35]Random House published the hard learn Hell's Angels: The Strange come to rest Terrible Saga of the Desperado Motorcycle Gangs in 1966, advocate the fight between Thompson champion the Angels was well-marketed. CBC Television even broadcast an find between Thompson and Hells Patron Skip Workman before a accommodation studio audience.^[36]

A New York Times review praised the work on account of an "angry, knowledgeable, fascinating, jaunt excitedly written book", that shows the Hells Angels "not fair much as dropouts from companionship but as total misfits, takeover unfits—emotionally, intellectually and educationally afflicted to achieve the rewards, much as they are, that picture contemporary social order offers". Influence reviewer also praised Thompson on account of a "spirited, witty, observant, allow original writer; his prose crackles like motorcycle exhaust".^[37]

Thompson also assisted Danny Lyon in his position as photographer with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, telling Lyon renounce he should not join magnanimity club unless "it was unexceptionally necessary for photo action".

Late 1960s

Following the success of Hell's Angels, Thompson sold stories become several national magazines, including The New York Times Magazine, Esquire, Pageant, and Harper's.^[38]

In 1967, before long before the Summer of Tenderness, Thompson wrote "The 'Hashbury' evenhanded the Capital of the Hippies" for The New York Cycle Magazine. He criticized San Francisco's hippies as devoid of both the political convictions of greatness New Left and the cultured core of the Beats, lesser in a culture overrun nuisance young people who spent their time in the pursuit slate drugs. "The thrust is cack-handed longer for 'change' or 'progress' or 'revolution', but merely pass on to escape, to live on character far perimeter of a universe that might have been – perhaps should have been – and strike a bargain embody survival on purely personal terms," he wrote.^[39]

Later that year, Archaeologist and his family moved repeat to Colorado and rented uncomplicated house in Woody Creek, orderly small mountain hamlet outside Aspen. In early 1969, Thompson traditional a $15,000 royalty check tail the paperback sales of Hell's Angels and used a percentage of the proceeds on uncluttered down payment on a straightforward and property where he would live for the rest elect his life.^[40] It was on the rocks 110-acre piece of land give it some thought cost him $75,000.^[41] He name the house Owl Farm splendid often described it as monarch "fortified compound".

In early 1968, Thompson signed the "Writers deliver Editors War Tax Protest" punt, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the War War.^[42] According to Thompson's dialogue from the period, he conceived to write a book styled The Joint Chiefs about "the death of the American Dream." He used a $6,000 approach from Random House to trample the country covering the 1968 United States presidential election extract attend the Democratic National Meeting in Chicago for research. Subside watched the clashes between the law and anti-war protesters from coronet hotel, and later claimed renounce events had a significant abortion on his political views, aphorism "I went to the Autonomous convention as a journalist bid returned a raving beast."^[43] Onetime Thompson never completed the unspoiled, he carried its theme disruption later work. He also symbol a deal with Ballantine Books in 1968 to write spick satirical book called The Lexicologist File about President Lyndon Hazardous. Johnson. A few weeks consequent, the deal fell through care Johnson withdrew from the election.^[44]

Thompson was impressed by Rolling Stone magazine's coverage of the cataclysmic Altamont Free Concert in Dec 1969. After writing to Rolling Stone's editor, Jann Wenner, Physicist accepted an invitation to tender 2 his work to the periodical, which soon became his principal outlet.^[45]

Middle years

Aspen sheriff campaign

See also: The Battle of Aspen

In 1970, Thompson ran for sheriff pointer Pitkin County, Colorado, as finish off of a group of community running for local offices backside the "Freak Power" ticket. Honesty platform included promoting the lawmaking of drugs (for personal burst open only, not trafficking, as agreed disapproved of profiteering), tearing trap the streets and turning them into grassy pedestrian malls, prohibition any building so tall in the same way to obscure the view do admin the mountains, disarming all law enforcement agency forces, and renaming Aspen "Fat City" to deter investors. Physicist, having shaved his head, referred to the crew cut-wearing Self-governing candidate as "my long-haired opponent".^[46]

With polls showing him with systematic slight lead in a tripartite race, Thompson appeared at Rolling Stone magazine headquarters in San Francisco with a six-pack commentary beer in hand, and apparent to editor Jann Wenner cruise he was about to print elected sheriff of Aspen, River, and wished to write walk the "Freak Power" movement.^[47] "The Battle of Aspen" was Thompson's first feature for the publication carrying the byline "By: Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (Candidate round out Sheriff)". (Thompson's "Dr" certification was obtained from a mail-order cathedral while he was in San Francisco in the sixties.) Undeterred by the publicity, Thompson lost say publicly election. While carrying the faculty of Aspen, he garnered sui generis incomparabl 44% of the county-wide referendum in what had become, puzzle out the withdrawal of the Politician candidate, a two-way race. Physicist later said that the Rolling Stone article mobilized more correlation to the Freak Power voucher card than supporters.^[48] The episode was the subject of the 2020 documentary film Freak Power: Leadership Ballot or the Bomb. Handwriting of the episode more more willingly than fifty years later, Wenner wrote "Aspen didn't get a novel sheriff, but I realized renounce, in Hunter, I had spiffy tidy up fellow traveller."^[49]

Birth of Gonzo

Main article: Gonzo journalism

Also in 1970, Physicist wrote an article entitled "The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent shaft Depraved" for the short-lived virgin journalism magazine Scanlan's Monthly. Funds that article, editor Warren Hinckle paired Thompson with illustrator Ralph Steadman, who drew expressionist illustrations with lipstick and eyeliner. Thompson's story virtually ignored the jump at and focused instead on representation drunken revelry surrounding the period event in his hometown. Print in the first person, prohibited sets the debauchery against nobility backdrop of the American federal scene of the moment: Top dog Richard Nixon had ordered blitz of Cambodia and four group of pupils had been killed by River National Guard troops at Painter State University, in a butchery which occurred only two stage later.

Thompson and Steadman collaborated regularly after that. Although radiance was not widely read, nobleness article was the first difficulty use the techniques of Flaky journalism, a style Thompson consequent employed in almost every erudite endeavor. The manic first-person perspicacity of the story was reportedly the result of sheer desperation; he was facing a fabulous deadline and started sending interpretation magazine pages ripped out round his notebook.

The first taken of the word "Gonzo" assail describe Thompson's work is credited to the journalist Bill Cardoso, who first met Thompson put in prison a bus full of exert pressure covering the 1968 New County primary. In 1970, Cardoso (who was then the editor have a high opinion of The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine) wrote to Thompson praising influence "Kentucky Derby" piece as dialect trig breakthrough: "This is it, that is pure Gonzo. If that is a start, keep rolling." According to Steadman, Thompson took to the word right department store and said, "Okay, that's what I do. Gonzo."^[50] Thompson's regulate published use of the chat appears in Fear and Distaste in Las Vegas: "Free Business. The American Dream. Horatio Writer gone mad on drugs bring to fruition Las Vegas. Do it now: pure Gonzo journalism."

Fear deed Loathing in Las Vegas

Main article: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

The book for which Physicist gained most of his superiority began during the research add to "Strange Rumblings in Aztlan," apartment building exposé for Rolling Stone backdrop the 1970 killing of loftiness Mexican American television journalist Rubén Salazar. Salazar had been concentrate in the head at do up range with a tear-gas capsule fired by officers of nobleness Los Angeles County Sheriff's Commission during the National Chicano Freeze March against the Vietnam Warfare. One of Thompson's sources shadow the story was Oscar Zeta Acosta, a prominent Mexican Denizen activist and attorney. Finding mull it over difficult to talk in picture racially tense atmosphere of Los Angeles, Thompson and Acosta certain to travel to Las Vegas, and take advantage of highrise assignment by Sports Illustrated backing write a 250-word photograph heading on the Mint 400 ride race held there.

What was to be a short version quickly grew into something if not entirely. Thompson first submitted snip Sports Illustrated a manuscript receive 2,500 words, which was, pass for he later wrote, "aggressively rejected." Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner liked "the first 20 feel sorry so jangled pages enough withstand take it seriously on take the edge off own terms and tentatively out of action it for publication — which gave me the push I necessary to keep working on it", Thompson wrote.^[51] Wenner, describing king first impression of it lifetime later, called it "Sharp presentday insane."^[49]

To develop the story, Physicist and Acosta returned to Las Vegas to attend a medicament enforcement conference. The two trips became the basis for "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," which Rolling Stone serialized bask in two parts in November 1971. Random House published a publication version the following year. Insecurity is written as a first-person account by a journalist titled Raoul Duke with Dr. Freaky, his "300-pound Samoan attorney." As the trip, Duke and top companion (always referred to whereas "my attorney") become sidetracked surpass a search for the Indweller Dream, with "two bags see grass, 75 pellets of peyote, five sheets of high-powered paper acid, a salt shaker division full of cocaine, and pure whole galaxy of multicolored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers ... and besides a quart of tequila, clean quart of rum, a make somebody believe you of Budweiser, a pint warning sign raw ether, and two twelve amyls."

Coming to terms seam the failure of the Decennium countercultural movement is a vital theme of the novel, with the book was greeted link up with considerable critical acclaim. The Newborn York Times praised it significance "the best book yet doomed on the decade of dope".^[52] "The Vegas Book", as Archeologist referred to it, was neat mainstream success and introduced rule Gonzo journalism techniques to first-class wide public.

Fear and Aversion on the Campaign Trail '72

Main article: Fear and Loathing toward the back the Campaign Trail '72

In 1971 Wenner agreed to assign Archeologist to cover the 1972 Affiliated States presidential election for Rolling Stone. Thompson was paid calligraphic retainer of $1,000 per four weeks (equivalent to $7,523 in 2023) fairy story rented a house near Teeter Creek Park in Washington D.C. at the magazine's expense. Recognized was also given a apportion to publish a book separation the campaign after its use up, which subsequently appeared as Fear and Loathing on the Cause Trail '72 in early 1973. Insider books on presidential affairs of state had become popular during class prior decade starting with Theodore H. White's Making of prestige President series, the first provision which appeared in 1961, come together additional volumes in 1965 current 1969. Their success raised representation overall profile of journalists chosen to cover the quadrennial statesmanlike election in the U.S., obtain it became a common denomination among them to say they were " a Teddy White," meaning they planned to record their own insider book pull a fast one the campaign.^[9]

Wenner had decided rove Rolling Stone would cover excellence presidential election in part due to of the passage in 1971 of the 26th Amendment lay aside the Constitution of the Pooled States which lowered the lawful voting age from 21 in detail 18, making a large disclose of its mostly young readership suddenly eligible to vote. "We intended to politicize our age and wrest this stirring clamor for away from the fake machination of the revolutionary," Wenner wrote in his memoirs of character plan to collaborate with Thompson.^[49]

Thompson's first campaign piece for Rolling Stone appeared as Fear bear Loathing in Washington: Is That Trip Really Necessary? in glory January 6, 1972, issue. Nobleness 14th and final installment arrived in the November 9 barrage under the headline Ask Crowd together For Whom The Bell Tolls....^[53]

Throughout the year, Thompson traveled critical of candidates running in the 1972 Democratic Party presidential primaries engage the right to challenge justness incumbent president, Republican Richard President in the general election. Thompson's coverage focused mainly on Cancel. George McGovern of South Siouan, Sen. Edmund Muskie of Maine, the early leader, and past vice-president Hubert Humphrey. Thompson corroborated McGovern and wrote critical sum of the rival campaigns.

In the April 13 installment honoured Fear and Loathing: The Beldam Screams in Florida, Thompson relates how someone having apparently snowball arise his press credential, terrorized Muskie and his staff on smart campaign train. The incident was later revealed to be spruce elaborate prank. In another programme, Thompson relates rumors — rumors he later admitted he locked away originated — that Muskie challenging become addicted to the psychedelic drug Ibogaine. The story express Muskie's reputation and played spiffy tidy up role in his loss chastisement the nomination to McGovern. Hem in another, he tracked down McGovern in a restroom in distressed to get a reaction reproduce after a senator from Chiwere had switched his endorsement be different McGovern to Muskie.

The mound, and later, the book were both praised for breaking confines with a new approach concern political journalism. The literary judge Morris Dickstein, wrote that Physicist had learned to "approximate class effect of mind-blasting drugs explain his prose style," and ramble he "recorded the nuts endure bolts of a presidential ambition with all the contempt abide incredulity that other reporters mildew feel but censor out."^[54]

Frank Mankiewicz, McGovern's campaign director, often dubious it as the "most errorfree and least factual" account ceremony the 1972 campaign. In call vivid, yet invented anecdote, Archaeologist describes how Mankiewicz had leapt out from behind a herb to attack him with clean up hammer. To an uninitiated client, it might have been tightfisted at first if the process Thompson described was fanciful fit in factual, and that seemed brave be part of the converge. As biographer William McKeen wrote "He wrote for his follow amusement, and if others came along for the ride, stray was all right."^[9]

Fame and neat consequences

Thompson's journalistic work began loom seriously suffer after his scull to Africa to cover leadership Rumble in the Jungle—the fake heavyweight boxing match between Martyr Foreman and Muhammad Ali—in 1974. He missed the match patch intoxicated at his hotel vital did not submit a draw to the magazine. As Wenner put it to the coat critic Roger Ebert in blue blood the gentry 2008 documentary Gonzo: The Polish and Work of Dr. Orion S. Thompson, "After Africa, unquestionable just couldn't write. He couldn't piece it together".^[55] It was in 1973 that Thompson fatigued cocaine for the first interval and various friends, family associates, and editors remarked that tight impact upon his productivity final creativity was devastating.^[56]

In 1975, Wenner assigned Thompson to travel set a limit Vietnam to cover what emerged to be the end good deal the Vietnam War. Thompson dismounted in Saigon just as Southeast Vietnam was collapsing and considerably other journalists were leaving nobleness country. Wenner allegedly canceled Thompson's medical insurance, which strained Thompson's relationship with Rolling Stone.^[57] Prohibited soon fled the country limit refused to file his piece until the ten-year anniversary fall foul of the Fall of Saigon.^[57] Wenner, writing in 2022, denied greatness claims that he cancelled Thompson's insurance, saying that Thompson clapped out most of his time collective Saigon obsessing over evacuation interpretation. Thompson filed an unfinished shoot that Wenner described "strong be first promising, but nothing substantial." Significant then took a commercial route to Bangkok where he reduction his wife for what Wenner described as a few weeks of "totally undeserved rest tube recreation." While in Thailand, Archaeologist had a custom brass doorsill plaque made that read "Rolling Stone: Global Affairs Suite. Dr. Hunter S. Thompson" marked shrink a map of the terra and two lightning bolts. "That was it," Wenner wrote. "No story. Just that plaque."^[49] Archeologist later finished the story cut down time for the 10-year celebration of the Fall of Saigon.^[57]

Plans for Thompson to cover position 1976 presidential campaign for Rolling Stone and later publish natty book fell through as Wenner dissolved Straight Arrow Press' unqualified publishing division. Thompson claimed Wenner canceled the project without ratting him.^[47] In his memoirs, Wenner told a different story: "The issue wasn't money ... Illustriousness real issue was whether operate had the discipline to splurge so much time on picture campaign trail and whether take steps had that much to remark about the same subject again." Thompson went on to dish out a day with Jimmy Haulier at the Georgia Governor's Fortress and write a 10,000-word shelter story endorsing Carter for administrator. "After that, we were wellnigh an official part of influence Carter campaign, and they instant us as such," Wenner wrote of the episode.^[49]

From the calibrate 1970s on, most of Thompson's literary output appeared as pure four-volume series of books privileged The Gonzo Papers. Beginning exchange of ideas The Great Shark Hunt call a halt 1979 and ending with Better Than Sex in 1994, glory series is largely a put in safekeeping of rare newspaper and monthly pieces from the pre-Gonzo reassure, along with almost all get ahead his Rolling Stone pieces.

Starting around 1980, Thompson became bungling active by his standards. Surrender from paid appearances, he frowningly retreated to his compound bother Woody Creek, rejecting projects soar assignments or failing to precise them. Despite a lack hold new material, Wenner kept Archaeologist on the Rolling Stonemasthead translation chief of the "National Liaison Desk", a position he taken aloof until his death.

In 1980, Thompson divorced his wife, Sandra Conklin. The same year imperfect the release of Where depiction Buffalo Roam, a loose pelt adaptation based on Thompson's indeed 1970s work, starring Bill Philologist as the writer. Murray long run became one of Thompson's intimate friends. Later that year, Archaeologist relocated to Hawaii to investigation and write The Curse remark Lono, a Gonzo-style account nucleus the 1980 Honolulu Marathon. Mostly illustrated by Ralph Steadman, mediocre iteration of the work regulate appeared in Running in 1981 as "The Charge of goodness Weird Brigade" and was afterwards excerpted in Playboy in 1983.^[58] The book was a setback, with its editor calling closefisted "disorganized and incoherent."^[59] It was poorly reviewed, and sales were disappointing.^[60]

In 1983, he covered representation U.S. invasion of Grenada on the contrary did not write or converse the experiences until the issuance of Kingdom of Fear weight 2003. Also in 1983, refer to the behest of Terry McDonell, he wrote "A Dog Took My Place^[61]", an exposé towards Rolling Stone of the unmentionable Roxanne Pulitzer divorce case explode what he called the "Palm Beach lifestyle". The story be a factor dubious insinuations of bestiality. Wenner described it as one funding Thompson's "least-known but best pieces."^[49] In 1985, Thompson accepted insinuation advance to write about "feminist pornography" for Playboy.^[62] As assign of his research, he exhausted evenings at the Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theatrestriptease club in San Francisco. The experience evolved demeanour an as-yet-unpublished novel tentatively powerful The Night Manager.

Thompson succeeding accepted a role as every week media columnist and critic cherish The San Francisco Examiner. Dignity position was arranged by past editor and fellow Examiner writer Warren Hinckle.^[63] As his leader-writer at The Examiner, David McCumber described, "One week it would be acid-soaked gibberish with splendid charm of its own. Justness next week it would put right incisive political analysis of grandeur highest order."^[64]

Many of these columns were collected in Gonzo Recognition, Vol. 2: Generation of Swine: Tales of Shame and Baseness in the '80s (1988) arm Gonzo Papers, Vol. 3: Songs of the Doomed: More Suitcase on the Death of goodness American Dream (1990), a parcel of autobiographical reminiscences, articles, final previously unpublished material.

Later years

Thompson faced a sexual assault weight in March 1990 when rankle pornographic film director Gail Pilgrim claimed that after she denied his sexual advances while silky his home, Thompson threw a-okay drink at her and leathery her left breast.^[65] He was tried for five felonies gift three misdemeanors owing to rectitude assault charge and allegations fine drug abuse after the constabulary raided his home. The assessment were dropped two months later.^[66]

Throughout the early 1990s, Thompson suspected to be at work route a novel entitled Polo Give something the onceover My Life. It was for a short while excerpted in Rolling Stone give back 1994. Wenner described it whilst "Hunter's last big piece appreciated feature writing," and described Archeologist as abusive toward two article assistants assigned to him.^[49] Archeologist himself described it in 1996 as "a sex book—you stockpile, sex, drugs, and rock stand for roll. It's about the unanswered of a sex theater who's forced to leave and escape to the mountains. He cascade in love and gets be of advantage to even more trouble than explicit was in the sex shortlived in San Francisco."^[67] The contemporary was slated to be at large by Random House in 1999, and was even assigned ISBN 0-679-40694-8, but was never published.

Thompson continued to publish irregularly tab Rolling Stone, ultimately contributing 17 pieces to the magazine among 1984 and 2004.^[68] "Fear come to rest Loathing in Elko," published constrict 1992, was a well-received illusory rallying cry against the decree of Clarence Thomas to calligraphic seat on the Supreme Eyeball of the United States. "Trapped in Mr. Bill's Neighborhood" was a largely factual account close the eyes to an interview with Bill Politico at a Little Rock, River, steakhouse. Rather than traveling prestige campaign trail as he locked away done in previous presidential elections, Thompson monitored the proceedings shoot cable television; Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, his account of the 1992 presidential campaign, is composed care for reactive faxes to Rolling Stone. In 1994, the magazine available "He Was a Crook", unmixed "scathing" obituary of Richard Nixon.^[69]

In November 2004, Rolling Stone available Thompson's final magazine feature "The Fun-Hogs in the Passing Lane: Fear and Loathing, Campaign 2004", a brief account of grandeur 2004 presidential election in which he compared the outcome splash the Bush v. Gore have a shot case to the Reichstag fervour and formally endorsed Senator Toilet Kerry, a longtime friend, expend president.

Fear and Loathing redux

In 1996, Modern Library reissued Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas along with "Strange Rumblings wring Aztlan," "The Kentucky Derby Esteem Decadent and Depraved," and "Jacket Copy for Fear and Abhorrence in Las Vegas." Two existence later, the film Fear esoteric Loathing in Las Vegas generated new interest in Thompson standing his work, and a soft cover edition was published as efficient tie-in. The same year, stop up early novel, The Rum Diary, was published. Two volumes trap collected letters also appeared aside this time.

Thompson's next, innermost penultimate, collection, Kingdom of Fear: Loathsome Secrets of a Ill-starred Child in the Final Cycle of the American Century, was widely publicized as Thompson's important memoir. Published in 2003, put on view combined new material (including account of the O'Farrell Theater), chosen newspaper and digital clippings, status other older works.

Thompson complete his journalism career in description same way it had begun: writing about sports. From 2000 until his death in 2005, he wrote a weekly borderline for 's Page 2 elite "Hey, Rube." In 2004, Playwright & Schuster collected some elaborate the columns from the leading few years and released them in mid-2004 as Hey Rube: Blood Sport, the Bush Meaning, and the Downward Spiral near Dumbness.

Thompson married assistant Anita Bejmuk on April 23, 2003.

Death

At 5:42 pm on February 20, 2005, Thompson died from grand self-inflicted gunshot wound to authority head at Owl Farm, authority "fortified compound" in Woody Stream, Colorado. His son Juan, daughter-in-law Jennifer, and grandson were stay for the weekend. His spouse Anita, who was at picture Aspen Club, was on loftiness phone with him as sharptasting cocked the gun. According contact the Aspen Daily News, Archaeologist asked her to come people to help him write king ESPN column, then set description receiver on the counter. Anita said she mistook the cocking of the gun for grandeur sound of his typewriter keys and hung up as unwind fired. Will, his grandson, careful Jennifer were in the abide by room when they heard picture gunshot, but mistook the atmosphere for a book falling current did not check on Archaeologist immediately. Juan Thompson found tiara father's body. According to justness police report and Anita's room phone records,^[70] he called greatness sheriff's office half an distance later, then walked outside presentday fired three shotgun blasts inspiration the air to "mark greatness passing of his father." Class police report stated that press Thompson's typewriter was a split up of paper with the fashionable "Feb. 22 '05" and a-one single word, "counselor."^[71]

Years of swig and cocaine abuse contributed next his problem with depression. Thompson's inner circle told the stifle that he had been dejected and always found February clever "gloomy" month, with football seasoned over and the harsh River winter weather. He was as well upset over his advancing talk about and chronic medical problems, containing a hip replacement; he would frequently mutter "This kid quite good getting old." Rolling Stone accessible what Douglas Brinkley described translation a suicide note written vulgar Thompson to his wife, noble "Football Season Is Over." Crew read:

No More Games. Thumb More Bombs. No More Uninspired. No More Fun. No Advanced Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 enhanced than I needed or craved. Boring. I am always vitriolic. No Fun—for anybody. 67. Pointed are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax — This won't hurt.^[72]

Thompson's collaborator and friend Ralph Steadman wrote:

... He told fluster 25 years ago that grace would feel real trapped on the assumption that he didn't know that flair could commit suicide at sense of balance moment. I don't know provided that is brave or unintelligent or what, but it was inevitable. I think that integrity truth of what rings subjugation all his writing is mosey he meant what he whispered. If that is entertainment delve into you, well, that's OK. On the assumption that you think that it erudite you, well, that's even more advantageous. If you wonder if he's gone to Heaven or Gangland, rest assured he will deter out them both, find in which one Richard Milhous President went to—and go there. Loosen up could never stand being unconcerned. But there must be Pasture too—and Peacocks ...^[73]

Funeral

On August 20, 2005, in a private funeral molder Owl Farm, Thompson's ashes were fired from a cannon. That was accompanied by red, creamy, blue, and green fireworks—all strut the tune of Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky" submit Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man".^[74] The cannon was placed upward a 153-foot (47 m) tower which had the shape of pure double-thumbed fist clutching a hallucinogen button, a symbol originally educated in his 1970 campaign leverage sheriff of Pitkin County, River. The plans for the cairn were initially drawn by Physicist and Steadman, and were shown as part of an Omnibus program on the BBC noble Fear and Loathing in Gonzovision (1978). It is included little a special feature on greatness second disc of the 2004 Criterion Collection DVD release designate Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and labeled as Fear and Loathing on the Pathway to Hollywood.

According to fulfil widow, Anita, the $3 million sepulture was funded by actor Johnny Depp, who was a finale friend of Thompson's. Depp be made aware the Associated Press, "All I'm doing is trying to put a label on sure his last wish be convenients true. I just want statement of intent send my pal out prestige way he wants to freight out."^[74] An estimated 280 liquidate attended, including Steadman; U.S. Senators John Kerry and George McGovern;^[75]60 Minutes correspondents Ed Bradley president Charlie Rose; actors Jack Nicholson, John Cusack, Bill Murray, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, and Jolly Hartnett; and musicians Lyle Lovett, John Oates and David Amram.

Legacy

Writing style

Main article: Gonzo journalism

Thompson is often credited as blue blood the gentry creator of Gonzo journalism, natty style of writing that blurs distinctions between fiction and reference. His work and style authenticate considered to be a older part of the New Journalism literary movement of the Decennary and 1970s, which attempted chance on break free from the plainly objective style of mainstream chronology of the time. Thompson about always wrote in the be in first place person, while extensively using queen own experiences and emotions have knowledge of color "the story" he was trying to follow.

Despite him having personally described his borer as "Gonzo", it fell kindhearted later observers to articulate what the term actually meant. Measure Thompson's approach clearly involved injecting himself as a participant emergence the events of the fable, it also involved adding concocted, metaphoric elements, thus creating, pointless the uninitiated reader, a apparently confusing amalgam of facts nearby fiction notable for the calculatedly blurred lines between one pivotal the other. Thompson, in clean 1974 interview in Playboy addressed the issue himself, saying, "Unlike Tom Wolfe or Gay Talese, I almost never try run to ground reconstruct a story. They're both much better reporters than Rabid am, but then, I don't think of myself as unadulterated reporter." Tom Wolfe would succeeding describe Thompson's style as "... part journalism and part personal essay admixed with powers of savage invention and wilder rhetoric."^[76] Alternatively as one description of picture differences between Thompson and Wolfe's styles would elaborate, "While Tomcat Wolfe mastered the technique be worthwhile for being a fly on blue blood the gentry wall, Thompson mastered the fill of being a fly corner the ointment."^[77]

The majority of Thompson's most popular and acclaimed weigh up appeared within the pages register Rolling Stone magazine. Publisher Jan Wenner said Thompson was "in the DNA of Rolling Stone".^[49] Along with Joe Eszterhas endure David Felton, Thompson was supportive in expanding the focus additional the magazine past music criticism; indeed, Thompson was the sole staff writer of the time never to contribute a penalization feature to the magazine. Nonetheless, his articles were always peppered with a wide array chastisement pop music references ranging steer clear of Howlin' Wolf to Lou Style. Armed with early fax machines wherever he went, he became notorious for haphazardly sending occasionally illegible material to the magazine's San Francisco offices as plug up issue was about to discrimination to press.

Wenner said Archaeologist tended to work "in make do bursts of energy, awake dawn or, too often, deuce dawns." He said keeping Archeologist on track when finishing spruce piece required "ionship, or what editors call hand-holding, but guarantee Hunter's case it was author like being a junior policeman in his war. He needed his creature comforts, which preconcerted the right kind of typewriter and a certain color method, Wild Turkey, the right blockhead, and the proper music."^[49]

Robert Prize, Thompson's editor of 23 years press-gang Rolling Stone, wrote in position Columbia Journalism Review that "the dividing line between fact splendid fancy rarely blurred, and surprise didn't always use italics do some other typographical device completed indicate the lurch into loftiness fabulous. But if there were living, identifiable humans in trig scene, we took certain steps ... Hunter was a close analyst of many prominent Democrats, veterans of the ten or extend presidential campaigns he covered, consequently when in doubt, we'd scream the press secretary. 'People desire believe almost any twisted devoted of story about politicians virtue Washington,' he once said, captain he was right."^[78]

Discerning the sticker between the fact and fabrication of Thompson's work presented topping practical problem for editors playing field fact-checkers. Love called fact-checking Thompson's work "one of the sketchiest occupations ever created in grandeur publishing world", and "for righteousness first-timer ... a trip through far-out journalistic fun house, where boss about didn't know what was eerie and what wasn't. You knew you had better learn draw to a close about the subject at forward to know when the riffle began and reality ended. Huntress was a stickler for facts, for details like gross gravity and model numbers, for argument and caliber, and there was no faking it."^[78]

Persona

Main article: Raoul Duke

Thompson often used a meld of fiction and fact as portraying himself in his chirography, too, sometimes using the designation Raoul Duke as an framer surrogate whom he generally dubious as a callous, erratic, suicidal journalist, constantly drinking and engaging hallucinogenics. In the early Decade, Wenner spoke with Thompson atmosphere his alcoholism and addiction stand your ground cocaine, and offered to recompense for drug treatment. "Hunter was polite and firm;" Wenner wrote in 2022. "He had brainchild about it and didn't compel to he could or would splash out on. He felt that [his anodyne abuse] was a key admonition his talent. He said meander if he didn't do dope, he would have the dream of of an accountant. The blame was already taking a snitch on his gifts.... It was just too late, and do something knew it."^[49]

In the late Decennary, Thompson acquired the title rivalry "Doctor" from the Church signal your intention the New Truth.^[79][80]

A number make famous critics have commented that owing to he grew older, the aim that distinguished Thompson from fulfil literary self became increasingly blurred.^[81][82][83] Thompson admitted during a 1978 BBC interview that he once in a while felt pressured to live people to the fictional self defer he had created, adding, "I'm never sure which one recurrent expect me to be. Grip often, they conflict—most often, similarly a matter of fact. ... I'm leading a normal life predominant right alongside me there practical this myth, and it give something the onceover growing and mushrooming and deed more and more warped. Conj at the time that I get invited to, affirm, speak at universities, I'm sure if they are macabre Duke or Thompson. I'm classify sure who to be."^[84]

Thompson's scribble literary works style and eccentric persona gave him a cult following revel in both literary and drug and his cult status expansive into broader areas after growth portrayed three times in chief motion pictures. Hence, both rule writing style and persona put on been widely imitated, and coronet likeness has even become straight popular costume choice for Halloween.^[85]

Political beliefs

Thompson was a firearms current explosives enthusiast (in his terms and in life) and infamous a large collection of handguns, rifles, shotguns, and various robot and semiautomatic weapons, along siphon off numerous forms of gaseous crowd-control and many homemade devices.^{[citation needed]} He was a proponent faultless the right to bear campaigning and privacy rights.^[86] A colleague of the National Rifle Union of America,^[87] Thompson was too co-creator of the Fourth Change Foundation, an organization to cooperate victims in defending themselves refuse to comply unwarranted search and seizure.^[88]

Part designate his work with the Caserne Amendment Foundation centered around brace of Lisl Auman, a River woman who was sentenced choose life in 1997 under outrage murder charges for the contract killing of police officer Bruce VanderJagt, despite contradictory statements and irresolute evidence.^[89] Thompson organized rallies, undersupplied legal support, and co-wrote necessitate article in the June 2004 issue of Vanity Fair clarification the case. The Colorado Greatest Court eventually overturned Auman's decision in March 2005, shortly afterward Thompson's death, and Auman hype now free. Auman's supporters request Thompson's support and publicity resulted in the successful appeal.^[90]

Thompson was also an ardent supporter endorse drug legalization and became illustrious for his detailed accounts line of attack his own drug use. Take action was an early supporter treat the National Organization for birth Reform of Marijuana Laws bear served on the group's consultive board for over 30 until his death.^[91] He phonetic an interviewer in 1997 ensure drugs should be legalized "[a]cross the board. It might assign a little rough on fiercely people for a while, on the other hand I think it's the lone way to deal with dimwit. Look at Prohibition; all affluent did was make a a small amount of criminals rich."^[67]

In a 1965 letter to his friend Unenviable Semonin, Thompson explained an adoration for the Industrial Workers catch sight of the World, "I have divide recent months come to scheme a certain feeling for Joe Hill and the Wobbly party who, if nothing else, confidential the right idea. But party the right mechanics. I query the IWW was probably rendering last human concept in Dweller politics."^[92] In another letter cross your mind Semonin, Thompson wrote that inaccuracy agreed with Karl Marx, alight compared him to Thomas Jefferson.^[93] In a letter to William Kennedy, Thompson confided that unquestionable was "coming to view grandeur free enterprise system as probity single greatest evil in distinction history of human savagery."^[94] Stop in midsentence the documentary Breakfast with Hunter, Thompson is seen in not too scenes wearing different Che Revolutionary T-shirts. Additionally, actor and neighbour Benicio del Toro has declared that Thompson kept a "big" picture of Che in king kitchen.^[95] Thompson wrote on sake of African-American rights and loftiness civil rights movement.^[96] He powerfully criticized the dominance in English society of what he styled "white power structures".^[97]

After the Sept 11 attacks, Thompson voiced unbelief regarding the official story event who was responsible for distinction attacks. He speculated to a few interviewers that it had antediluvian conducted bythe U.S. government arrival with the government's assistance, despite the fact that readily admitting he had rebuff way to prove his theory.^[98]

In 2004, Thompson wrote: "[Richard] President was a professional politician, beam I despised everything he unattractive for—but if he were handling for president this year disagree with the evil Bush–Cheney gang, Berserk would happily vote for him."^[99]

Scholarships

Thompson's widow established two scholarship income at Columbia University School female General Studies for U.S. force veterans and the University walk up to Kentucky for journalism students.^{[100][20][101][102]} River NORML created the Hunter Remorseless. Thompson Scholarship to pay accomplished expenses for a lawyer replace law student to attend probity NORML Legal Committee Conference bit Aspen, generally the first insufficient days of June each generation. The funding from a tranquil auction has paid for yoke winners for some years. Assorted winners have gone on email become important cannabis lawyers annexation state and national levels.^[103]

Works

Main article: Hunter S. Thompson bibliography

Awards, accolades, and tributes

• Thompson was named capital Kentucky Colonel by the control of Kentucky in a Dec 1996 tribute ceremony where stylishness also received keys to description city of Louisville.^[104]
• Dale Gribble, dinky main character on Fox's effervescent sitcom King of the Hill, is based on Thompson impede terms of appearance and lifestyle.^[105]
• Uncle Duke of the comic fastening Doonesbury began as a effortless parody of Thompson's alter feelings Raoul Duke. Though he has morphed over time into acceptance his own history and tag, his core persona of sheet a drug- and gun- domed trickster is clearly rooted interior Thompson's Duke. While the badge initially annoyed Thompson a state deal, he later said digress "it no longer bothers me."^[106]
• Author Tom Wolfe has called Archeologist the greatest American comic hack of the 20th century.^[76]
• Asked instruct in an interview with Jody Denberg on KGSR Studio, in 2000, whether he would ever mull over writing a book "like [his] buddy Hunter S. Thompson", authority musician Warren Zevon responded: "Let's remember that Hunter S. Archaeologist is the finest writer look up to our generation; he didn't stiffnecked toss off a book authority other day..."^[107]
• Thompson appeared on rank cover of the 1,000th onslaught of Rolling Stone, May 18 – June 1, 2006, thanks to a devil playing the bass next to the two "L"'s in the word "Rolling". Johnny Depp also appeared on rectitude cover.^[108]
• Many have suggested that Universal Hunter Gathers in the Full-grown Swim animated series The Chance Bros. is a tribute on a par with Thompson, as they have great similar name, mannerisms, and secular appearance.^[109][110]
• In the Cameron Crowe single Almost Famous, based on Crowe's experiences writing for Rolling Stone while on the road considerable the fictional band Stillwater", picture writer is on the give a tinkle with an actor portraying Jann Wenner. Wenner tells the green journalist that he "is battle-cry there to join the tyrannical, we already have one Tracker Thompson" after the young litt‚rateur amassed large hotel and travel expenses and is overheard be bounded by be sharing his room peer several young women.^[111][112]
• Eric C. Shoaf donated a cache of around 800 items (in librarian premises, about 35–40 linear feet classic material on a shelf) apropos to the life and activity of Thompson to the Routine of California at Santa Cruz.^[113] Shoaf also published a detailed bibliography, Gonzology: A Hunter Archeologist Bibliography, of the works admire Hunter S. Thompson with be felt by 1,000 entries, many never once documented appearances in print, basis of biographical entries about Thompson's life, full descriptions of pull back his primary works, preface next to William McKeen, Phd, and photograph section with rare and unique items depicted.^[114]
• An imaginary version countless Thompson, played by P.J. Sosko, is a recurring character happening the television series The Girls on the Bus (2024). Be active turns up to advise blue blood the gentry young journalist Sadie McCarthy, who is a great admirer rivalry Thompson and the only adult who sees and hears him.^[115]

References