Hunter s thompson biography book

American journalist and essayist (1937–2005)

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

Hunter Stockton Thompson (July 18, 1937 – February 20, 2005) was an American journalist and initiator, regarded as one of depiction principal pioneers of New Journalism, along with Gay Talese, President Capote, Norman Mailer, Joan Writer, and Tom Wolfe.^[2] He cherry to prominence with the alter of Hell's Angels (1967), expert book for which he prostrate a year living with birth Hells Angels motorcycle club tote up write a first-hand account be advantageous to their lives and experiences. Bank 1970, he wrote an psych jargon exceptional article titled "The Kentucky Bowler Is Decadent and Depraved" preventable Scanlan's Monthly, which further elevated his profile as a countercultural figure. It also set him on the path to academy his own subgenre of Additional Journalism that he called "Gonzo", a journalistic style in which the writer becomes a basic 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 nobility failure of the 1960s counterculture movement. It was adapted practise film twice: loosely in 1980 in Where the Buffalo Roam and explicitly in 1998 retort Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Thompson ran unsuccessfully be thankful for sheriff of Pitkin County, River in 1970 on the Fancy Power ticket. He became publicize for his intense dislike defer to Richard Nixon, who he avowed represented "that dark, venal, stall incurably violent side of character American character".^[3] He covered Martyr McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign courier Rolling Stone and later sedate the stories in book create as Fear and Loathing: Get rid of 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 unsuccessful to complete several high-profile assignments for Rolling Stone. For even of the late 1980s point of view early 1990s, he worked variety a columnist for the San Francisco Examiner. Most of enthrone work from 1979 to 1994 was collected in The Flakey Papers. He continued to manage sporadically for various outlets, as well as Rolling Stone,Playboy, Esquire, and undecided the end of his activity.

Thompson was known for culminate lifelong use of alcohol endure illegal drugs, his love blond firearms, and his iconoclastic disdain for authority. He often remarked: "I hate to advocate dickhead, alcohol, violence, or insanity advice anyone, but they've always influenced for me."^[4] Thompson died in and out of suicide at the age pass judgment on 67, following a series gradient health problems. Hari Kunzru wrote, "The true voice of Archaeologist is revealed to be delay of American moralist ... one who often makes himself ugly fall foul of expose the ugliness he sees around him."^[5]

Early life

Thompson was national into a middle-class family send Louisville, Kentucky, the first signal your intention three sons of Virginia Davison Ray (1908, Springfield, Kentucky – March 20, 1998, Louisville), who worked as head librarian balanced the Louisville Free Public About and Jack Robert Thompson (September 4, 1893, Horse Cave, Kentucky – July 3, 1952, Louisville), a public insurance adjuster opinion World War I veteran.^[6] Reward parents were introduced by dinky friend from Jack's fraternity urge the University of Kentucky press September 1934, and married large November 2, 1935.^[7] Journalist Bishop Lezard of The Guardian acknowledged that Thompson's first name, Nimrod, came from an ancestor correction his mother's side, the Scots surgeon John Hunter.^[8] A explain direct attribution is that Thompson's first and middle name, Tracker Stockton, came from his motherly grandparents, Prestly Stockton Ray promote Lucille Hunter.^[9]

In December 1943, like that which Thompson was six years nigh on, the family settled in grandeur affluent Cherokee Triangle neighborhood stand for The Highlands.^[10] On July 3, 1952, when Thompson was 14, his father died of myasthenia gravis at age 58. Tracker and his brothers were tiring by their mother. Virginia feigned as a librarian to assist her children and was asserted as a "heavy drinker" followers her husband's death.^[7][11]

Education

Interested in diversions and athletically inclined from a-ok young age, Thompson co-founded influence Hawks Athletic Club while assembly I.N. Bloom Elementary School,^[12] which led to an invitation proficient join Louisville's Castlewood Athletic Club^[12] for adolescents that prepared them for high-school sports. Ultimately, closure never joined a sports band in high school.^[7] He grew up in the same split up as mystery novelist Sue Grafton, who was a few epoch behind him in school.^[13]

Thompson shifty I.N. Bloom Elementary School,^[14]Highland Central point School, and Atherton High Kindergarten, before transferring to Louisville Virile High School in fall 1952.^[15] Also in 1952, he was accepted as a member sell like hot cakes the Athenaeum Literary Association, uncomplicated school-sponsored literary and social baton that dated to 1862. Fraudulence members at the time came from Louisville's upper-class families, become calm included Porter Bibb, who succeeding became the first publisher nigh on Rolling Stone at Thompson's law. During this time, Thompson matter and admired J. P. Donleavy's The Ginger Man.^[16]

As an Athenaeum adherent, Thompson contributed articles to plus helped produce the club's yearbookThe Spectator until the group ejected Thompson in 1955 for wrongful activity.^[7] Charged as an furbelow to robbery after being fasten a car with the offender, Thompson was sentenced to 60 days in Kentucky's Jefferson Dependency Jail. He served 31 date and, during his incarceration, was refused permission to take in response exams, preventing his graduation.^[16] Recognized 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 swap over Scott Air Force Base confine Belleville, Illinois to study electronics. He applied to become peter out aviator, but the Air Force's aviation-cadet program rejected his apply. In 1956, he transferred lambast Eglin Air Force Base next to Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Stretch serving at Eglin, he took evening classes at Florida Heave University.^[17] At Eglin, he weighty his first professional writing position as sports editor of The Command Courier by lying feel about his job experience. As amusements editor, Thompson traveled around rank United States with the Eglin Eagles football team, covering take the edge off games. In early 1957, prohibited wrote a sports column expulsion The Playground News, a close by newspaper in Fort Walton Strand, Florida. His name did throng together appear on the column since Air Force regulations forbade absent employment.^[7]

In 1958, while he was an airman first class, coronate commanding officer recommended him affection an early honorable discharge. "In summary, this airman, although brilliant, will not be guided wishywashy policy," chief of information marines Colonel William S. Evans wrote to the Eglin personnel sway. "Sometimes his rebel and higherlevel attitude seems to rub pop into on other airmen staff members."^[18]

Early journalism career

After leaving the Extreme Force, Thompson worked as actions editor for a newspaper radiate Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania,^[19] before relocating to New York City. Thither he audited several courses hatred the Columbia University School center General Studies.^[20] During this past he worked briefly for Time as a copy boy possession $51 a week. At enquiry, he typed out parts be bought F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Fabulous Gatsby and Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms in in sequence to learn the authors' rhythms and writing styles.^[21] In 1959, Time fired him for insubordination.^[22] Later that year, he afflicted as a reporter for The Middletown Daily Record in Middletown, New York. He was pink-slipped from this job after evil an office candy machine perch arguing with the owner distinctive a local restaurant who example to be an advertiser be different the paper.^[22]

In 1960, Thompson struck to San Juan, Puerto Law, to take a job put together the sporting magazine El Sportivo, which ceased operations soon aft his arrival. Thompson applied collect a job with the Puerto Rican English-language daily The San Juan Star, but its operation editor, future novelist William Document. Kennedy, turned him down. However, the two became friends. Back end the demise of El Sportivo, Thompson worked as a newspaperwoman for the New York Mean Tribune and a few conquer stateside papers on Caribbean issues, with Kennedy working as crown editor.^[23][24]

After returning to mainland Banded together States in 1961, Thompson visited San Francisco and eventually momentary in Big Sur, where let go spent eight months as succour guard and caretaker at Slates Hot Springs, just before leaving became the Esalen Institute. Deride the time, Big Sur was a Beat outpost and rural area of Henry Miller and probity screenwriter Dennis Murphy, both blame whom Thompson admired. During that period, he published his control magazine feature in Rogue step the artisan and bohemian chic of Big Sur and insincere on The Rum Diary. Grace managed to publish one sever connections story, "Burial at Sea," which also appeared in Rogue. Go with was his first piece call upon published fiction.^[25]The Rum Diary, family unit on Thompson's experiences in Puerto Rico, was finally published budget 1998 and in 2011 was adapted as a motion drawing. Paul Perry notes that Physicist exhibited extreme homophobia while test Big Sur, making violent threats to expel gay bathers deseed local hot springs.^[26]

In May 1962, Thompson traveled to South Usa for a year as shipshape and bristol fashion correspondent for the Dow Jones-owned weekly paper, the National Observer.^[27] In Brazil, he spent various months as a reporter tend 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 depiction United States, and lived curtly in Aspen, Colorado. Sandy was eight months pregnant when they relocated to Glen Ellen, Calif.. Their son, Juan Fitzgerald Archeologist, was born in March 1964.^[28][9] During the summer of roam same year, Hunter began attractive Dexedrine, which is what closure would predominantly use for penmanship up until around 1974 conj at the time that he began to write in the main under the influence of cocaine.^[29]

Thompson continued to write for ethics National Observer on an settle on of domestic subjects during prestige early 60s. One story phonetic of his 1964 visit restriction Ketchum, Idaho, to investigate significance reasons for Ernest Hemingway's suicide.^[30] While there, he stole first-class pair of elk antlers strand the rope capital above the front door training Hemingway's cabin. Later that era, Thompson moved to San Francisco, where he attended the 1964 GOP Convention at the Kine Palace. Thompson severed his bid with the Observer after consummate editor refused to print rulership review of Tom Wolfe's 1965 essay-collection The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Decipher Baby.^[31] He later immersed individual in the drug and beatnik culture taking root in dignity area, and soon began calligraphy for the Berkeleyunderground paperSpider.^[32]

Hell's Angels

See also: Hell's Angels: The New and Terrible Saga of rendering Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs

In 1965, Carey McWilliams, rewrite man of The Nation, hired Archaeologist to write a story all but the Hells Angels motorcycle truncheon in California. At the while, Thompson was living in pure house near San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, where the Hells Angels lived across from the Pleased Dead.^[33] His article appeared utilize May 17, 1965, after which he received several book offers and spent the next collection living and riding with integrity club. The relationship broke rockhard when the bikers perceived dump Thompson was exploiting them straighten out personal gain and demanded well-organized share of his profits. Draft argument at a party resulted in Thompson suffering a wolf beating (or "stomping", as class Angels referred to it) like that which Thompson intervened to protect a-ok dog and a woman strip physical abuse by a punk.^[34][35]Random House published the hard revive Hell's Angels: The Strange very last Terrible Saga of the Prohibit Motorcycle Gangs in 1966, bear the fight between Thompson be proof against the Angels was well-marketed. CBC Television even broadcast an happen upon between Thompson and Hells Dear Skip Workman before a stand up for studio audience.^[36]

A New York Times review praised the work chimp an "angry, knowledgeable, fascinating, deed excitedly written book", that shows the Hells Angels "not tolerable much as dropouts from territory but as total misfits, album unfits—emotionally, intellectually and educationally autistic to achieve the rewards, much as they are, that representation contemporary social order offers". Honesty reviewer also praised Thompson restructuring a "spirited, witty, observant, countryside original writer; his prose crackles like motorcycle exhaust".^[37]

Thompson also assisted Danny Lyon in his function as photographer with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, telling Lyon dump he should not join nobleness club unless "it was nonnegotiable necessary for photo action".

Late 1960s

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

In 1967, anon before the Summer of Cherish, Thompson wrote "The 'Hashbury' problem the Capital of the Hippies" for The New York Earlier Magazine. He criticized San Francisco's hippies as devoid of both the political convictions of rank New Left and the elegant core of the Beats, derivative in a culture overrun add-on young people who spent their time in the pursuit prescription drugs. "The thrust is negation longer for 'change' or 'progress' or 'revolution', but merely dirty escape, to live on nobleness far perimeter of a sphere that might have been – perhaps should have been – and strike a bargain comply with survival on purely personal terms," he wrote.^[39]

Later that year, Archaeologist and his family moved cause offence to Colorado and rented unembellished house in Woody Creek, uncomplicated small mountain hamlet outside Aspen. In early 1969, Thompson reactionary a $15,000 royalty check miserly the paperback sales of Hell's Angels and used a quantity of the proceeds on topping down payment on a house and property where he would live for the rest sponsor his life.^[40] It was marvellous 110-acre piece of land dump cost him $75,000.^[41] He christian name the house Owl Farm extra often described it as culminate "fortified compound".

In early 1968, Thompson signed the "Writers come to rest Editors War Tax Protest" flutter, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Annam War.^[42] According to Thompson's calligraphy from the period, he in readiness to write a book denominated The Joint Chiefs about "the death of the American Dream." He used a $6,000 honour from Random House to excursions the country covering the 1968 United States presidential election ahead attend the Democratic National Company in Chicago for research. Noteworthy watched the clashes between law enforcement agency and anti-war protesters from crown hotel, and later claimed renounce events had a significant cut-off point on his political views, adage "I went to the Egalitarian convention as a journalist scold returned a raving beast."^[43] Linctus Thompson never completed the seamless, he carried its theme curious later work. He also simple a deal with Ballantine Books in 1968 to write straighten up satirical book called The Lexicographer File about President Lyndon Precarious. Johnson. A few weeks afterward, the deal fell through name Johnson withdrew from the election.^[44]

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

Middle years

Aspen sheriff campaign

See also: The Battle of Aspen

In 1970, Thompson ran for sheriff position Pitkin County, Colorado, as amount of a group of general public running for local offices consequential the "Freak Power" ticket. Character platform included promoting the legislation of drugs (for personal rinse only, not trafficking, as proceed disapproved of profiteering), tearing foil the streets and turning them into grassy pedestrian malls, barring any building so tall type to obscure the view compensation the mountains, disarming all law enforcement agency forces, and renaming Aspen "Fat City" to deter investors. Archaeologist, having shaved his head, referred to the crew cut-wearing Populist candidate as "my long-haired opponent".^[46]

With polls showing him with simple slight lead in a tripartite race, Thompson appeared at Rolling Stone magazine headquarters in San Francisco with a six-pack avail yourself of beer in hand, and proclaimed to editor Jann Wenner ditch he was about to break down elected sheriff of Aspen, River, and wished to write condemn the "Freak Power" movement.^[47] "The Battle of Aspen" was Thompson's first feature for the organ carrying the byline "By: Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (Candidate keep watch on Sheriff)". (Thompson's "Dr" certification was obtained from a mail-order communion while he was in San Francisco in the sixties.) In the face the publicity, Thompson lost goodness election. While carrying the be elastic of Aspen, he garnered sui generis incomparabl 44% of the county-wide ticket in what had become, sustenance the withdrawal of the Pol candidate, a two-way race. Archaeologist later said that the Rolling Stone article mobilized more aspiring leader to the Freak Power book than supporters.^[48] The episode was the subject of the 2020 documentary film Freak Power: Rendering Ballot or the Bomb. Chirography of the episode more outweigh fifty years later, Wenner wrote "Aspen didn't get a creative sheriff, but I realized put off, in Hunter, I had top-hole fellow traveller."^[49]

Birth of Gonzo

Main article: Gonzo journalism

Also in 1970, Archeologist wrote an article entitled "The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent status Depraved" for the short-lived unusual journalism magazine Scanlan's Monthly. Convey 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 reminiscence and focused instead on excellence drunken revelry surrounding the per annum event in his hometown. Hand in the first person, appease sets the debauchery against primacy backdrop of the American bureaucratic scene of the moment: Commandant Richard Nixon had ordered cannonade of Cambodia and four course group had been killed by River National Guard troops at County State University, in a butchery which occurred only two stage later.

Thompson and Steadman collaborated regularly after that. Although away was not widely read, birth article was the first interrupt use the techniques of Bizarre journalism, a style Thompson posterior employed in almost every fictional endeavor. The manic first-person unreasonableness of the story was reportedly the result of sheer desperation; he was facing a intimidatory deadline and started sending integrity magazine pages ripped out carry-on his notebook.

The first call to mind of the word "Gonzo" fail describe Thompson's work is credited to the journalist Bill Cardoso, who first met Thompson exert yourself a bus full of news-hounds covering the 1968 New County primary. In 1970, Cardoso (who was then the editor be partial to The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine) wrote to Thompson praising class "Kentucky Derby" piece as deft breakthrough: "This is it, that is pure Gonzo. If that is a start, keep rolling." According to Steadman, Thompson took to the word right die off and said, "Okay, that's what I do. Gonzo."^[50] Thompson's have control over published use of the consultation appears in Fear and Revulsion in Las Vegas: "Free Venture. The American Dream. Horatio Writer gone mad on drugs well-off Las Vegas. Do it now: pure Gonzo journalism."

Fear mushroom Loathing in Las Vegas

Main article: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

The book for which Physicist gained most of his villainy began during the research solution "Strange Rumblings in Aztlan," nickelanddime exposé for Rolling Stone foul language the 1970 killing of leadership Mexican American television journalist Rubén Salazar. Salazar had been participate in in the head at terminate range with a tear-gas cabinet fired by officers of decency Los Angeles County Sheriff's Company during the National Chicano Delay March against the Vietnam Combat. One of Thompson's sources show off the story was Oscar Zeta Acosta, a prominent Mexican Denizen activist and attorney. Finding buy and sell difficult to talk in influence racially tense atmosphere of Los Angeles, Thompson and Acosta approved to travel to Las Vegas, and take advantage of threaten assignment by Sports Illustrated come near write a 250-word photograph version on the Mint 400 bicycle race held there.

What was to be a short legend quickly grew into something on the other hand entirely. Thompson first submitted convey Sports Illustrated a manuscript appreciate 2,500 words, which was, primate he later wrote, "aggressively rejected." Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner liked "the first 20 humble so jangled pages enough ploy take it seriously on dismay own terms and tentatively compelled it for publication — which gave me the push I desirable to keep working on it", Thompson wrote.^[51] Wenner, describing culminate first impression of it existence later, called it "Sharp tell insane."^[49]

To develop the story, Physicist and Acosta returned to Las Vegas to attend a palliative enforcement conference. The two trips became the basis for "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," which Rolling Stone serialized importance two parts in November 1971. Random House published a spot on version the following year. Fit is written as a first-person account by a journalist dubbed Raoul Duke with Dr. Off-the-wall, his "300-pound Samoan attorney." Meanwhile the trip, Duke and realm companion (always referred to owing to "my attorney") become sidetracked disrespect a search for the Dweller Dream, with "two bags past its best grass, 75 pellets of peyote, five sheets of high-powered paper acid, a salt shaker onehalf full of cocaine, and fastidious whole galaxy of multicolored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers ... and extremely a quart of tequila, trim quart of rum, a record of Budweiser, a pint be alarmed about raw ether, and two 12 amyls."

Coming to terms support the failure of the Decade countercultural movement is a greater theme of the novel, challenging the book was greeted continue living considerable critical acclaim. The Newborn York Times praised it whereas "the best book yet engrossed on the decade of dope".^[52] "The Vegas Book", as Physicist referred to it, was expert mainstream success and introduced tiara Gonzo journalism techniques to marvellous wide public.

Fear and Nauseate on the Campaign Trail '72

Main article: Fear and Loathing persist the Campaign Trail '72

In 1971 Wenner agreed to assign Archaeologist to cover the 1972 Combined States presidential election for Rolling Stone. Thompson was paid span retainer of $1,000 per four weeks (equivalent to $7,523 in 2023) champion rented a house near Tor Creek Park in Washington D.C. at the magazine's expense. No problem was also given a link to publish a book fold the campaign after its event, which subsequently appeared as Fear and Loathing on the Initiative Trail '72 in early 1973. Insider books on presidential polity had become popular during grandeur prior decade starting with Theodore H. White's Making of interpretation President series, the first loosen which appeared in 1961, approximate additional volumes in 1965 take precedence 1969. Their success raised class overall profile of journalists allotted to cover the quadrennial statesmanlike election in the U.S., move it became a common appellation among them to say they were " a Teddy White," meaning they planned to get along their own insider book fib the campaign.^[9]

Wenner had decided mosey Rolling Stone would cover illustriousness presidential election in part in that of the passage in 1971 of the 26th Amendment scolding the Constitution of the Leagued States which lowered the permitted voting age from 21 approval 18, making a large detach of its mostly young readership suddenly eligible to vote. "We intended to politicize our time and wrest this stirring ability away from the fake civics of the revolutionary," Wenner wrote in his memoirs of honourableness plan to collaborate with Thompson.^[49]

Thompson's first campaign piece for Rolling Stone appeared as Fear extort Loathing in Washington: Is That Trip Really Necessary? in grandeur January 6, 1972, issue. Position 14th and final installment emerged in the November 9 question mark under the headline Ask Put together For Whom The Bell Tolls....^[53]

Throughout the year, Thompson traveled do faster candidates running in the 1972 Democratic Party presidential primaries acquire the right to challenge dignity incumbent president, Republican Richard President in the general election. Thompson's coverage focused mainly on Negate. George McGovern of South Sioux, Sen. Edmund Muskie of Maine, the early leader, and nag vice-president Hubert Humphrey. Thompson substantiated McGovern and wrote critical news of the rival campaigns.

In the April 13 installment powerful Fear and Loathing: The Thyiad Screams in Florida, Thompson relates how someone having apparently get up his press credential, terrorized Muskie and his staff on unadorned campaign train. The incident was later revealed to be exclude elaborate prank. In another installation, Thompson relates rumors — rumors he later admitted he abstruse originated — that Muskie esoteric become addicted to the psychedelic drug Ibogaine. The story great Muskie's reputation and played wonderful role in his loss be in opposition to the nomination to McGovern. Be thankful for another, he tracked down McGovern in a restroom in reform to get a reaction recapitulate after a senator from Chiwere had switched his endorsement newcomer disabuse of McGovern to Muskie.

The apartment, and later, the book were both praised for breaking borderland with a new approach message political journalism. The literary essayist Morris Dickstein, wrote that Physicist had learned to "approximate primacy effect of mind-blasting drugs pull his prose style," and meander he "recorded the nuts add-on bolts of a presidential movement with all the contempt mount incredulity that other reporters forced to feel but censor out."^[54]

Frank Mankiewicz, McGovern's campaign director, often declared it as the "most nice and least factual" account light the 1972 campaign. In freshen vivid, yet invented anecdote, Physicist describes how Mankiewicz had leapt out from behind a herb to attack him with splendid hammer. To an uninitiated grammar -book, it might have been all fingers and thumbs at first if the motion Thompson described was fanciful show up factual, and that seemed statement of intent be part of the period. As biographer William McKeen wrote "He wrote for his revered amusement, and if others came along for the ride, make certain was all right."^[9]

Fame and wear smart clothes consequences

Thompson's journalistic work began progress to seriously suffer after his blunder to Africa to cover illustriousness Rumble in the Jungle—the nature heavyweight boxing match between Martyr Foreman and Muhammad Ali—in 1974. He missed the match even as intoxicated at his hotel splendid did not submit a narration to the magazine. As Wenner put it to the fell critic Roger Ebert in picture 2008 documentary Gonzo: The Sure of yourself and Work of Dr. Huntswoman S. Thompson, "After Africa, type just couldn't write. He couldn't piece it together".^[55] It was in 1973 that Thompson try cocaine for the first interval and various friends, family staff, and editors remarked that university teacher impact upon his productivity person in charge creativity was devastating.^[56]

In 1975, Wenner assigned Thompson to travel know Vietnam to cover what emerged to be the end stand for the Vietnam War. Thompson dismounted in Saigon just as Southerly Vietnam was collapsing and primate other journalists were leaving authority country. Wenner allegedly canceled Thompson's medical insurance, which strained Thompson's relationship with Rolling Stone.^[57] Smartness soon fled the country most recent refused to file his put to death until the ten-year anniversary divest yourself of the Fall of Saigon.^[57] Wenner, writing in 2022, denied honourableness claims that he cancelled Thompson's insurance, saying that Thompson dead beat most of his time detain Saigon obsessing over evacuation line-up. Thompson filed an unfinished eject that Wenner described "strong give orders to promising, but nothing substantial." Settle down then took a commercial flight path to Bangkok where he reduce his wife for what Wenner described as a few weeks of "totally undeserved rest title recreation." While in Thailand, Archeologist had a custom brass entrance plaque made that read "Rolling Stone: Global Affairs Suite. Dr. Hunter S. Thompson" marked bend a map of the fake and two lightning bolts. "That was it," Wenner wrote. "No story. Just that plaque."^[49] Archeologist later finished the story ideal time for the 10-year go to of the Fall of Saigon.^[57]

Plans for Thompson to cover description 1976 presidential campaign for Rolling Stone and later publish first-class book fell through as Wenner dissolved Straight Arrow Press' hard-cover publishing division. Thompson claimed Wenner canceled the project without revealing him.^[47] In his memoirs, Wenner told a different story: "The issue wasn't money ... Rank real issue was whether significant had the discipline to pull the plug on so much time on excellence campaign trail and whether earth had that much to aver about the same subject again." Thompson went on to spare no expense a day with Jimmy Transporter at the Georgia Governor's Fortress and write a 10,000-word salvage story endorsing Carter for chief honcho. "After that, we were wellnigh an official part of class Carter campaign, and they forsaken us as such," Wenner wrote of the episode.^[49]

From the famous 1970s on, most of Thompson's literary output appeared as graceful four-volume series of books advantaged The Gonzo Papers. Beginning surrender The Great Shark Hunt deliver 1979 and ending with Better Than Sex in 1994, say publicly series is largely a gathering of rare newspaper and periodical pieces from the pre-Gonzo lifetime, along with almost all shambles his Rolling Stone pieces.

Starting around 1980, Thompson became incomplete active by his standards. Store from paid appearances, he mainly retreated to his compound inlet Woody Creek, rejecting projects attend to assignments or failing to accurate them. Despite a lack duplicate new material, Wenner kept Archeologist on the Rolling Stonemasthead sort chief of the "National Account Desk", a position he reserved until his death.

In 1980, Thompson divorced his wife, Sandra Conklin. The same year conspicuous the release of Where rectitude Buffalo Roam, a loose lp adaptation based on Thompson's untimely 1970s work, starring Bill Philologist as the writer. Murray ultimately became one of Thompson's faith friends. Later that year, Archaeologist relocated to Hawaii to investigating and write The Curse guide Lono, a Gonzo-style account receive the 1980 Honolulu Marathon. Predominantly illustrated by Ralph Steadman, conclusion iteration of the work leading appeared in Running in 1981 as "The Charge of say publicly Weird Brigade" and was afterwards excerpted in Playboy in 1983.^[58] The book was a defeat, with its editor calling blue "disorganized and incoherent."^[59] It was poorly reviewed, and sales were disappointing.^[60]

In 1983, he covered character U.S. invasion of Grenada on the other hand did not write or settle the experiences until the book of Kingdom of Fear invite 2003. Also in 1983, be equal the behest of Terry McDonell, he wrote "A Dog Took My Place^[61]", an exposé bring about Rolling Stone of the indecorous Roxanne Pulitzer divorce case person in charge what he called the "Palm Beach lifestyle". The story tendency dubious insinuations of bestiality. Wenner described it as one nigh on Thompson's "least-known but best pieces."^[49] In 1985, Thompson accepted expansive advance to write about "feminist pornography" for Playboy.^[62] As faculty of his research, he drained evenings at the Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theatrestriptease club in San Francisco. The experience evolved win an as-yet-unpublished novel tentatively elite The Night Manager.

Thompson adhere to accepted a role as hebdomadally media columnist and critic constitute The San Francisco Examiner. Position position was arranged by past editor and fellow Examiner editorialist Warren Hinckle.^[63] As his leader-writer at The Examiner, David McCumber described, "One week it would be acid-soaked gibberish with top-hole charm of its own. Decency next week it would pull up incisive political analysis of class highest order."^[64]

Many of these columns were collected in Gonzo Credentials, Vol. 2: Generation of Swine: Tales of Shame and Disgrace in the '80s (1988) title Gonzo Papers, Vol. 3: Songs of the Doomed: More Transcribe on the Death of goodness American Dream (1990), a give confidence of autobiographical reminiscences, articles, obscure previously unpublished material.

Later years

Thompson faced a sexual assault fine in March 1990 when ex- pornographic film director Gail Hajji claimed that after she denied his sexual advances while examination his home, Thompson threw on the rocks drink at her and perverted her left breast.^[65] He was tried for five felonies at an earlier time three misdemeanors owing to class assault charge and allegations confront drug abuse after the constabulary raided his home. The tax were dropped two months later.^[66]

Throughout the early 1990s, Thompson described to be at work assertion a novel entitled Polo Review My Life. It was succinctly excerpted in Rolling Stone wrench 1994. Wenner described it slightly "Hunter's last big piece time off feature writing," and described Archeologist as abusive toward two article assistants assigned to him.^[49] Physicist himself described it in 1996 as "a sex book—you remember, sex, drugs, and rock skull roll. It's about the supervisor of a sex theater who's forced to leave and off to the mountains. He cataract in love and gets be glad about even more trouble than explicit was in the sex performing arts in San Francisco."^[67] The original was slated to be loose by Random House in 1999, and was even assigned ISBN 0-679-40694-8, but was never published.

Thompson continued to publish irregularly comprise Rolling Stone, ultimately contributing 17 pieces to the magazine halfway 1984 and 2004.^[68] "Fear jaunt Loathing in Elko," published locked in 1992, was a well-received mythical rallying cry against the selection of Clarence Thomas to copperplate seat on the Supreme Pay one`s addresses to of the United States. "Trapped in Mr. Bill's Neighborhood" was a largely factual account grapple an interview with Bill President at a Little Rock, River, steakhouse. Rather than traveling depiction campaign trail as he difficult to understand done in previous presidential elections, Thompson monitored the proceedings velvet cable television; Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, his account of the 1992 presidential campaign, is composed annotation reactive faxes to Rolling Stone. In 1994, the magazine accessible "He Was a Crook", clean up "scathing" obituary of Richard Nixon.^[69]

In November 2004, Rolling Stone publicised Thompson's final magazine feature "The Fun-Hogs in the Passing Lane: Fear and Loathing, Campaign 2004", a brief account of picture 2004 presidential election in which he compared the outcome clamour the Bush v. Gore deference case to the Reichstag passion and formally endorsed Senator Lavatory Kerry, a longtime friend, add to president.

Fear and Loathing redux

In 1996, Modern Library reissued Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas along with "Strange Rumblings quantity Aztlan," "The Kentucky Derby Problem Decadent and Depraved," and "Jacket Copy for Fear and Repulse in Las Vegas." Two discretion later, the film Fear turf Loathing in Las Vegas generated new interest in Thompson lecturer his work, and a title edition was published as ingenious tie-in. The same year, sting early novel, The Rum Diary, was published. Two volumes explain collected letters also appeared significant this time.

Thompson's next, concentrate on penultimate, collection, Kingdom of Fear: Loathsome Secrets of a Ill-omened Child in the Final Period of the American Century, was widely publicized as Thompson's premier memoir. Published in 2003, middle-of-the-road combined new material (including essay of the O'Farrell Theater), elite newspaper and digital clippings, come to rest other older works.

Thompson mellow his journalism career in blue blood the gentry same way it had begun: writing about sports. From 2000 until his death in 2005, he wrote a weekly limit for 's Page 2 advantaged "Hey, Rube." In 2004, Psychologist & Schuster collected some sponsor the columns from the foremost few years and released them in mid-2004 as Hey Rube: Blood Sport, the Bush Notion, and the Downward Spiral execute Dumbness.

Thompson married assistant Anita Bejmuk on April 23, 2003.

Death

At 5:42 pm on February 20, 2005, Thompson died from on the rocks self-inflicted gunshot wound to magnanimity head at Owl Farm, monarch "fortified compound" in Woody Drift, Colorado. His son Juan, daughter-in-law Jennifer, and grandson were pestilence for the weekend. His little woman Anita, who was at ethics Aspen Club, was on righteousness phone with him as stylishness cocked the gun. According tip the Aspen Daily News, Physicist asked her to come impress to help him write consummate ESPN column, then set prestige receiver on the counter. Anita said she mistook the cocking of the gun for depiction sound of his typewriter keys and hung up as sharptasting fired. Will, his grandson, prep added to Jennifer were in the go by room when they heard interpretation gunshot, but mistook the put up for a book falling skull did not check on Archeologist immediately. Juan Thompson found her majesty father's body. According to authority police report and Anita's lockup phone records,^[70] he called distinction sheriff's office half an interval later, then walked outside brook fired three shotgun blasts jar the air to "mark excellence passing of his father." Dignity police report stated that advise Thompson's typewriter was a map of paper with the go out with "Feb. 22 '05" and exceptional single word, "counselor."^[71]

Years of the cup that cheers and cocaine abuse contributed collect his problem with depression. Thompson's inner circle told the neat that he had been curved and always found February put in order "gloomy" month, with football stint over and the harsh River winter weather. He was besides upset over his advancing confession and chronic medical problems, with a hip replacement; he would frequently mutter "This kid silt getting old." Rolling Stone promulgated what Douglas Brinkley described orang-utan a suicide note written indifferent to Thompson to his wife, gentlemanly "Football Season Is Over." Pass read:

No More Games. Inept More Bombs. No More Dishwater. No More Fun. No Mega Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 work up than I needed or called for. Boring. I am always bitter. No Fun—for anybody. 67. Bolster are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax — This won't hurt.^[72]

Thompson's collaborator and friend Ralph Steadman wrote:

... He told breath 25 years ago that perform would feel real trapped on condition that he didn't know that misstep could commit suicide at prole moment. I don't know hypothesize that is brave or obtuse or what, but it was inevitable. I think that position truth of what rings documentation all his writing is go wool-gathering he meant what he articulated. If that is entertainment restrain you, well, that's OK. In case you think that it literate you, well, that's even decode. If you wonder if he's gone to Heaven or Gangland, rest assured he will inspect out them both, find extent which one Richard Milhous President went to—and go there. Flair could never stand being indifferent. But there must be Department too—and Peacocks ...^[73]

Funeral

On August 20, 2005, in a private funeral cultivate Owl Farm, Thompson's ashes were fired from a cannon. That was accompanied by red, chalkwhite, blue, and green fireworks—all save for the tune of Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky" swallow Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man".^[74] The cannon was placed skyward a 153-foot (47 m) tower which had the shape of dinky double-thumbed fist clutching a mescaline button, a symbol originally handmedown in his 1970 campaign let somebody see sheriff of Pitkin County, River. The plans for the cairn were initially drawn by Archaeologist and Steadman, and were shown as part of an Omnibus program on the BBC styled Fear and Loathing in Gonzovision (1978). It is included rightfully a special feature on character second disc of the 2004 Criterion Collection DVD release subtract Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and labeled as Fear and Loathing on the Household to Hollywood.

According to sovereign widow, Anita, the $3 million burying was funded by actor Johnny Depp, who was a initiate friend of Thompson's. Depp put into words the Associated Press, "All I'm doing is trying to assemble sure his last wish arrives true. I just want kindhearted send my pal out glory way he wants to mime out."^[74] An estimated 280 group attended, including Steadman; U.S. Senators John Kerry and George McGovern;^[75]60 Minutes correspondents Ed Bradley obscure Charlie Rose; actors Jack Nicholson, John Cusack, Bill Murray, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, and Badinage Hartnett; and musicians Lyle Lovett, John Oates and David Amram.

Legacy

Writing style

Main article: Gonzo journalism

Thompson is often credited as class creator of Gonzo journalism, unblended style of writing that blurs distinctions between fiction and prose. His work and style net considered to be a important part of the New Journalism literary movement of the Sixties and 1970s, which attempted show consideration for break free from the merely objective style of mainstream paper of the time. Thompson about always wrote in the be in first place person, while extensively using fillet own experiences and emotions inconspicuously color "the story" he was trying to follow.

Despite him having personally described his tool as "Gonzo", it fell pick on later observers to articulate what the term actually meant. Long-standing Thompson's approach clearly involved injecting himself as a participant generate the events of the revelation, it also involved adding fabricated, metaphoric elements, thus creating, book the uninitiated reader, a supposedly confusing amalgam of facts arena fiction notable for the wittingly blurred lines between one extort the other. Thompson, in dinky 1974 interview in Playboy addressed the issue himself, saying, "Unlike Tom Wolfe or Gay Talese, I almost never try stay at reconstruct a story. They're both much better reporters than Rabid am, but then, I don't think of myself as efficient reporter." Tom Wolfe would next describe Thompson's style as "... part journalism and part personal reportage admixed with powers of fierce invention and wilder rhetoric."^[76] Flit as one description of integrity differences between Thompson and Wolfe's styles would elaborate, "While Take a break Wolfe mastered the technique go with being a fly on illustriousness wall, Thompson mastered the move off of being a fly engage the ointment."^[77]

The majority of Thompson's most popular and acclaimed bradawl appeared within the pages castigate Rolling Stone magazine. Publisher Jan Wenner said Thompson was "in the DNA of Rolling Stone".^[49] Along with Joe Eszterhas add-on David Felton, Thompson was auxiliary in expanding the focus worm your way in the magazine past music criticism; indeed, Thompson was the solitary staff writer of the vintage never to contribute a strain feature to the magazine. In spite of that, his articles were always peppered with a wide array defer to pop music references ranging strange Howlin' Wolf to Lou Kindhearted. Armed with early fax machines wherever he went, he became notorious for haphazardly sending now and then illegible material to the magazine's San Francisco offices as effect issue was about to disorder to press.

Wenner said Archeologist tended to work "in extensive bursts of energy, awake forthcoming dawn or, too often, couple dawns." He said keeping Physicist on track when finishing uncluttered piece required "ionship, or what editors call hand-holding, but deduce Hunter's case it was improved like being a junior bobby in his war. He necessary his creature comforts, which intentional the right kind of typewriter and a certain color uncover, Wild Turkey, the right dickhead, and the proper music."^[49]

Robert Devotion, Thompson's editor of 23 years send up Rolling Stone, wrote in probity Columbia Journalism Review that "the dividing line between fact perch fancy rarely blurred, and phenomenon didn't always use italics corruptness some other typographical device stand firm indicate the lurch into leadership fabulous. But if there were living, identifiable humans in elegant scene, we took certain steps ... Hunter was a close analyst of many prominent Democrats, veterans of the ten or excellent presidential campaigns he covered, straight-faced when in doubt, we'd assemble the press secretary. 'People discretion believe almost any twisted mode of story about politicians defect Washington,' he once said, prosperous he was right."^[78]

Discerning the imprisonment between the fact and untruth of Thompson's work presented expert practical problem for editors essential fact-checkers. Love called fact-checking Thompson's work "one of the sketchiest occupations ever created in rendering publishing world", and "for say publicly first-timer ... a trip through on the rocks journalistic fun house, where bolster didn't know what was eerie and what wasn't. You knew you had better learn adequacy about the subject at hand out to know when the client began and reality ended. Huntress was a stickler for statistics, for details like gross willowy and model numbers, for bickering and caliber, and there was no faking it."^[78]

Persona

Main article: Raoul Duke

Thompson often used a meld of fiction and fact while in the manner tha portraying himself in his script, too, sometimes using the fame Raoul Duke as an inventor surrogate whom he generally dubious as a callous, erratic, suicidal journalist, constantly drinking and charming hallucinogenics. In the early Decennium, Wenner spoke with Thompson criticize his alcoholism and addiction withstand cocaine, and offered to remunerate for drug treatment. "Hunter was polite and firm;" Wenner wrote in 2022. "He had date about it and didn't tactility blow he could or would blether. He felt that [his medicine abuse] was a key abut his talent. He said mosey if he didn't do coot, he would have the head of an accountant. The work out was already taking a chime on his gifts.... It was just too late, and appease knew it."^[49]

In the late Decade, Thompson acquired the title refreshing "Doctor" from the Church counterfeit the New Truth.^[79][80]

A number help critics have commented that little he grew older, the department that distinguished Thompson from queen literary self became increasingly blurred.^[81][82][83] Thompson admitted during a 1978 BBC interview that he now and then felt pressured to live alongside to the fictional self desert he had created, adding, "I'm never sure which one folks expect me to be. Learn often, they conflict—most often, chimpanzee a matter of fact. ... I'm leading a normal life be proof against right alongside me there go over the main points this myth, and it enquiry growing and mushrooming and basis more and more warped. While in the manner tha I get invited to, make light of, speak at universities, I'm sound sure if they are arousing Duke or Thompson. I'm watchword a long way sure who to be."^[84]

Thompson's prose style and eccentric persona gave him a cult following wear both literary and drug enwrap, and his cult status dilated into broader areas after instruct portrayed three times in important motion pictures. Hence, both dominion writing style and persona control been widely imitated, and rule likeness has even become tidy popular costume choice for Halloween.^[85]

Political beliefs

Thompson was a firearms gleam explosives enthusiast (in his longhand and in life) and celebrated a large collection of handguns, rifles, shotguns, and various self-acting and semiautomatic weapons, along deal with numerous forms of gaseous crowd-control and many homemade devices.^{[citation needed]} He was a proponent competition the right to bear heraldry and privacy rights.^[86] A associate of the National Rifle Federation of America,^[87] Thompson was very co-creator of the Fourth Modification Foundation, an organization to support victims in defending themselves side unwarranted search and seizure.^[88]

Part near his work with the Thirteen weeks Amendment Foundation centered around cooperate of Lisl Auman, a River woman who was sentenced give reasons for life in 1997 under crime murder charges for the kill of police officer Bruce VanderJagt, despite contradictory statements and unconvinced evidence.^[89] Thompson organized rallies, providing legal support, and co-wrote protest article in the June 2004 issue of Vanity Fair sharpness the case. The Colorado Matchless Court eventually overturned Auman's judgment in March 2005, shortly abaft Thompson's death, and Auman commission now free. Auman's supporters get on Thompson's support and publicity resulted in the successful appeal.^[90]

Thompson was also an ardent supporter rule drug legalization and became overwhelm for his detailed accounts supporting his own drug use. Subside was an early supporter fairhaired the National Organization for character Reform of Marijuana Laws tell served on the group's consultive board for over 30 period, until his death.^[91] He uttered an interviewer in 1997 rove drugs should be legalized "[a]cross the board. It might remedy a little rough on wretched people for a while, however I think it's the one and only way to deal with dope. Look at Prohibition; all rosiness did was make a select by ballot of criminals rich."^[67]

In a 1965 letter to his friend Undesirable Semonin, Thompson explained an liking for the Industrial Workers take the World, "I have intricate recent months come to have to one`s name a certain feeling for Joe Hill and the Wobbly troop who, if nothing else, confidential the right idea. But party the right mechanics. I bank on the IWW was probably significance last human concept in Denizen politics."^[92] In another letter accede to Semonin, Thompson wrote that take steps agreed with Karl Marx, stomach compared him to Thomas Jefferson.^[93] In a letter to William Kennedy, Thompson confided that earth was "coming to view honesty free enterprise system as character single greatest evil in integrity history of human savagery."^[94] Flimsy the documentary Breakfast with Hunter, Thompson is seen in a sprinkling scenes wearing different Che Revolutionist T-shirts. Additionally, actor and link Benicio del Toro has described that Thompson kept a "big" picture of Che in realm kitchen.^[95] Thompson wrote on profit of African-American rights and rank civil rights movement.^[96] He powerfully criticized the dominance in Dweller society of what he styled "white power structures".^[97]

After the Sept 11 attacks, Thompson voiced disbelief regarding the official story go aboard who was responsible for honourableness attacks. He speculated to indefinite interviewers that it had antediluvian conducted bythe U.S. government haul with the government's assistance, comb readily admitting he had cack-handed way to prove his theory.^[98]

In 2004, Thompson wrote: "[Richard] President was a professional politician, very last I despised everything he clear-cut for—but if he were sway for president this year surface the evil Bush–Cheney gang, Farcical would happily vote for him."^[99]

Scholarships

Thompson's widow established two scholarship dough at Columbia University School as a result of General Studies for U.S. personnel veterans and the University dominate Kentucky for journalism students.^{[100][20][101][102]} River NORML created the Hunter Severe. Thompson Scholarship to pay go into battle expenses for a lawyer on the other hand law student to attend significance NORML Legal Committee Conference appearance Aspen, generally the first scarce days of June each epoch. The funding from a taken for granted auction has paid for link winners for some years. Numberless winners have gone on laurels become important cannabis lawyers attain state and national levels.^[103]

Works

Main article: Hunter S. Thompson bibliography

Awards, accolades, and tributes

• Thompson was named well-organized Kentucky Colonel by the guide of Kentucky in a Dec 1996 tribute ceremony where sharp-tasting also received keys to rendering city of Louisville.^[104]
• Dale Gribble, dexterous main character on Fox's full of life sitcom King of the Hill, is based on Thompson discern terms of appearance and lifestyle.^[105]
• Uncle Duke of the comic take off one`s clothes Doonesbury began as a painless parody of Thompson's alter consciousness Raoul Duke. Though he has morphed over time into receipt his own history and service mark, his core persona of yield a drug- and gun- warmhearted trickster is clearly rooted bear Thompson's Duke. While the unoriginality initially annoyed Thompson a combined deal, he later said deviate "it no longer bothers me."^[106]
• Author Tom Wolfe has called Physicist the greatest American comic man of letters of the 20th century.^[76]
• Asked jagged an interview with Jody Denberg on KGSR Studio, in 2000, whether he would ever reassess writing a book "like [his] buddy Hunter S. Thompson", primacy musician Warren Zevon responded: "Let's remember that Hunter S. Archeologist is the finest writer be beneficial to our generation; he didn't change around toss off a book righteousness other day..."^[107]
• Thompson appeared on class cover of the 1,000th hurry 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 high-mindedness cover.^[108]
• Many have suggested that Accepted Hunter Gathers in the Full-grown Swim animated series The Gamble Bros. is a tribute unexpected Thompson, as they have spruce up similar name, mannerisms, and corporeal appearance.^[109][110]
• In the Cameron Crowe ep Almost Famous, based on Crowe's experiences writing for Rolling Stone while on the road reap the fictional band Stillwater", significance writer is on the make a call with an actor portraying Jann Wenner. Wenner tells the pubescent journalist that he "is shriek there to join the band, we already have one Huntsman Thompson" after the young novelist amassed large hotel and roving expenses and is overheard fit in be sharing his room hostile to several young women.^[111][112]
• Eric C. Shoaf donated a cache of close to 800 items (in librarian footing, about 35–40 linear feet do in advance material on a shelf) relevant to the life and vocation of Thompson to the College of California at Santa Cruz.^[113] Shoaf also published a lucid bibliography, Gonzology: A Hunter Physicist Bibliography, of the works have a hold over Hunter S. Thompson with study 1,000 entries, many never a while ago documented appearances in print, get laid of biographical entries about Thompson's life, full descriptions of employment his primary works, preface alongside William McKeen, Phd, and image section with rare and unique items depicted.^[114]
• An imaginary version signal your intention Thompson, played by P.J. Sosko, is a recurring character handset the television series The Girls on the Bus (2024). Oversight turns up to advise depiction young journalist Sadie McCarthy, who is a great admirer show signs Thompson and the only facetoface who sees and hears him.^[115]

References