born in Louisville, Kentucky on July
18, 1937.
Also known as "Raoul Duke" or "Dr.
Gonzo", Thompson originated as a sports journalist for numerous publications. He went on to work for Rolling
Stone during the late 60s and 70s. He has also published several very popular and critically acclaimed books, including "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas" which was turned into a film by Terry Gilliam in 1998, starring Johnny Depp as Thompson himself and Benicio Del Toro as well. He has been known to stretch the
truth at times, usually the result of self-proclaimed usage of heroic amounts of
hardcore drugs. Many critics dismiss his unusual style due to his mixture of fact with fiction at times, but he is widely considered a literary genius and an icon of outspoken, unapologetic social commentary.
here is an example of his writing from "Fear & Loathing On The Campaign Trail '72"...
"There are only two ways to make it in big-time
politics today: One is to come on
like a mean dinosaur, with a high-powered machine that scares the shit out of your entrenched opposition (
like Daley or Nixon) . . . and the other is to tap the massive, frustrated energies of a mainly young, disillusioned electorate that has long since abandoned the idea that we all have a DUTY to vote. This is
like being told you have a DUTY to buy a new car, but you have to choose immediately between a
Ford and a Chevy."
Jose Contreras: I think that Hunter S. Thompson's writing suffered as a result of his drug use.
Bruce Lee: you pig motherfucking little
boy felcher! Thompson's writing is much more
interesting when the affect of drugs is apparent.
