Gonzo: The Life of Hunter Thompson

Early Life and Influences

Hunter Stockton Thompson was born on July 18, 1937, in Louisville, Kentucky. His father was an insurance salesman, and his mother was a housewife. Thompson had a troubled childhood, and he was often in trouble at school. He was expelled from several schools, and he eventually dropped out of high school.

Gonzo: The Life of Hunter S. Thompson

by Jann Wenner

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Thompson joined the United States Air Force in 1956, but he was discharged after two years for misconduct. He then worked as a reporter for several newspapers in the South, including the New Orleans Times-Picayune and the Mobile Register.

In 1965, Thompson published his first book, Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga. The book was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to establish Thompson as a leading voice in the counterculture movement.

Gonzo Journalism

Thompson is most well-known for his gonzo journalism, a style of writing that is characterized by its first-person perspective, its use of profanity and obscenity, and its often-bizarre and surreal subject matter. Thompson's gonzo journalism was often based on his own personal experiences, and he often used his writing to explore the darker side of American society.

Thompson's most famous gonzo journalism piece is Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which was published in 1971. The book is a semi-autobiographical account of Thompson's drug-fueled road trip to Las Vegas with his attorney, Oscar Zeta Acosta. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is considered to be one of the greatest works of American literature, and it has been adapted into several films, including a 1998 film starring Johnny Depp as Thompson.

Later Life and Legacy

Thompson continued to write gonzo journalism throughout his life. He published several other books, including The Great Shark Hunt (1979),Generation of Swine (1988),and The Curse of Lono (1990).

Thompson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on February 20, 2005. He was 67 years old. Thompson's legacy as a gonzo journalist continues to live on, and he is considered to be one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.