Father of New Journalism Hunter S. Thompson (67) dies

Legendary journalist Hunter S. Thompson shot himself in his home in Woody Creek near Aspen ski resort in Colorado sunday 20. february.
Almost always writing in the first person, Thompson flirted with the border between fiction and fact and threw out any attempt at objectivity. His style became known as ‘gonzo’ journalism and made him a cult figure.

He shot to fame in 1966 after the publication of his book Hell’s Angels, the story of his relationship with the then-feared motorcycle gang. But the stories of his heady experiences earned him a popular reputation as a wild-living, hard-drinking, LSD-crazed writer bent on self-destruction.Thompson became such an icon that cartoonist Garry Trudeau based the wild character of Duke in his “Doonesbury” comic strip on him.
From “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”:

“We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold. I remember saying something like “I feel a bit lightheaded; maybe you should drive. . . .” And suddenly there was a terrible roar all around us and the sky was full of what looked like huge bats, all swooping and screeching and diving around the car, which was going about a hundred miles an hour with the top down to Las Vegas. And a voice was screaming: “Holy Jesus! What are these goddamn animals?”

3 Comments »

1. Hunter is gone, Jerry Garcia is gone and so is Timothy Leary, - It is no longer “Whos next?” but “Whos left?”

   Comment by Hans Henrik Lichtenberg — February 21, 2005 @ 12:22 pm

2. Though I am a fan of gonzo, I actually do not know who’s left. You should ask that question to an expert, someone like Christopher Locke - The man who brought Gonzo from just journalism to marketing and now blogs.

   Comment by Jacob Bøtter — February 22, 2005 @ 7:55 am

3. This man was the best non-fiction writer I have ever read. I saw something written by Ralph Steadman recently which I think is pobably quite fitting it was ‘With regard to whether HST is in heaven or hell…well he’ll probably try out both and then find Richard Milhouse Nixon, and stay there, because HST can not be bored even in death.’ He is an incredible loss to the world of journalism, and I can only hope that I’ll be half as good as him one day. I pity those who will never get the chance to live in the world with Hunter…he is an inspiration to every one, that life should be lived the way you want to. I read a little while agao, in a review that he was a sick and depraved man…this is NOT true, he has an incredibly unique view of the world, and one that should be cherished, not sneered at. HST will live forever in his works, because they are timeless, and in the hearts and thoughts of his fans. i for one, am not in any hurry to forget him. RIP Hunter-although not really your style, and good luck finding Nixon…

   Comment by Rebecca — November 5, 2005 @ 5:19 pm

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