People - Hunter S. Thompson

[Metomni]

I would like this thread to be an airwave to communicate feelings, thoughts, and opinions on the man.

A sort of commemoration possibly. I'll start.

People like Thompson pass through life in the same ways that they live and appreciate it. His conviction for his beliefs and the things which are right allowed him to take the utmost joy in the things he did, no matter how out of the ordinary or seemingly irresponsible.

His thoughts, writings, and utter brilliance jump out of pages; yet the actions he portrayed are looked down upon by many people and cultures. Not because they shun his mind, but because they shun his unique way of doing things.

Here is to having an open mind, and never forgetting the things which are important, but never indulging to the point of covering up what matters.

[enquirewithin]

He was the founder of 'gonzo journalism', in which the journalist is involved in his own his stories. He is best known for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in which he and a friend embark on a huge drug binge in Las Vegas. It's a very funny book. He wrote about a variety of drugs in that. His psychedelic experiences, apparently on mescaline and LSD usually mixed with copious quantities of alcohol, sound unpleasant but I'm sure his descriptions are embroidered. Alcohol and cocaine seem to have been his favourite drugs, especially the former. He loved guns and eventually used one to blow his own brains out.

This is political comment which is relevant today:

How many more of these goddam elections are we going to have to write off as lame but 'regrettably necessary' holding actions? And how many more of these stinking double-downer sideshows will we have to go through before we can get ourselves straight enough to put together some kind of national election that will give me at the at least 20 million people I tend to agree with a chance to vote for something, instead of always being faced with that old familiar choice between the lesser of two evils? I understand, along with a lot of other people, that the big thing, this year, is Beating Nixon. But that was also the big thing, as I recall, twelve years ago in 1960--and as far as I can tell, we've gone from bad to worse to rotten since then, and the outlook is for more of the same.

[Lobsang]

Football Season Is Over

No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun -- for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax -- This won't hurt.

(Hunters Final Note)

[Nature Boy]

Just skimming through his biography, it's interesting to see that Thompson used to copy great works in literature, such as those of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, directly on his typewriter in order to familiarise himself with advanced writing styles. Doing such a thing might be an interesting experiment. Aspiring writers with time on their hands should take note.

[Metomni]

That actually caught my ear as well while watching a documentary the other day. I was thinking about doing that very thing with some of his works just to see how it would go.

[car-ramrod]

I wish he had more work than he does but I can make due. He is definitely one of the greatest writers ever. They say nearly every great author is an alcoholic, because it gives them creativity to just escape from reality like that. Thompson wouldve probably been just as great or even greater without the drugs. His early works were very similar to Earnest Hemingway.

[enquirewithin]

They say nearly every great author is an alcoholic, because it gives them creativity to just escape from reality like that.

Who says that? Where's the evidence?

I don't know whether Hunter Thompson is a great writer or not. Fear and Loathing is a cult classic but I've not read anything else by him.

[Lobsang]

Originally Posted by enquirewithin

Who says that? Where's the evidence?

I don't know whether Hunter Thompson is a great writer or not. Fear and Loathing is a cult classic but I've not read anything else by him.

Well he was a great writer. Besides being a journalist to a high degree. He wrote the following:

Published Works

Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga, Random House, 1966

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream, illustrated by Ralph Steadman, Random House, 1972, published with and introduction by P.J. O'Rourke as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Other American Stories, Modern Library, 1996

Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72, illustrated by Steadman, Straight Arrow Books, 1973

The Great Shark Hunt: Strange Tales from a Strange Time; Gonzo Papers, Volume One, Summit Books, 1979

The Curse of Lono, illustrated by Steadman, Bantam, 1983

(contributor) Etel Adnan, Russell Chatham, Winn Books, 1984

Generation of Swine: Tales of Shame and Degradation in the '80s; Gonzo Papers, Volume Two, Summit Books, 1988
(Author of Introduction) Steadman, America, Fantagraphics Books, 1989

Songs of the Doomed: More Notes on the Death of the American Dream; Gonzo Papers, Volume Three, Summit Books, 1990

Silk Road: Thirty-three Years in the Passing Lane, Simon & Schuster, 1990
Untitled Novel, David McKay, 1992

Better than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie; Gonzo Papers, Volume Four, Random House, 1993

The Proud Highway: The Saga of a Desperate southern Gentleman, 1995-1967, Villard (New York City), 1997
(Author of Introduction) Ralph Steadman, Gonzo: The Art, Harcourt (New York City), 1998

The Rum Diary: The Long Lost Novel, Simon & Schuster (New York City), 1998

Screwjack, 1991 (self-published in limited quantity).

[Panthers007]

Doing copy to capture the rhythm of various authors is an old trick, with both it's positives and negatives. Which depend on intent. If one wants to be Balzac, then one has the wrong attitude and will be a hack regardless. If one wants to dance Balzac for personal amusement/enlightenment - go for it!

Development of style is dependent on letting it flow from the muse to the fingers and outwards. And the stylistic signature, which allows one to read a brief piece and identify the author, is always unique. It can be argued that it develops from exposure to various writers during early stages of development (of writing style, ya Freudian poofsters). While this may be so - and common elements may have been added to the synthesis - it was cooked together by one person's mind without following a recipe. And there is to be found something that can't be found in the works of the other authors in the wings. Unique. Unfettered. Unrestricted.

Hunter S. had that going on in spades.

[enquirewithin]

Hunter Thompson may be a 'great writer' and am interested to read more by him, but I don't accept that all great writers are alcoholics (even if Jack Kerouac was).

Thanks for the book list SWILobsang. What is the next book to read after Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas?

[Lobsang]

Originally Posted by enquirewithin

Hunter Thompson may be a 'great writer' and am interested to read more by him, but I don't accept that all great writers are alcoholics (even if Jack Kerouac was).

Thanks for the book list SWILobsang. What is the next book to read after Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas?

Maybe get the story about him and the Hells Angels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell's_...torcycle_Gangs

[Panthers007]

I don't think anyone is saying you need to be alcoholic to write. Perhaps 10% of the US population are alcoholic, so it would stand to reason that 10% or so of this country's great authors are/were. Regards Kerouac, he tempered his mass-consumption of liquor with amphetamines. There is a park and monument in his honor in Lowell, Massachusetts - his place of birth and return.

The way things are going, the government here will probably start banning the work of authors it deems were leading a lifestyle not considered in line with "Traditional Family Values." Kristian Kerosene and Strike-Anywhere matches.

[enquirewithin]

Perhaps 10% of the US population are alcoholic, so it would stand to reason that 10% or so of this country's great authors are/were. Regards Kerouac, he tempered his mass-consumption of liquor with amphetamines.

That sounds right. On the Road was more like Sitting in My Room Speeding

I will try to get a copy of Hell's Angels.