Strictly Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson

Written By Max Gibson

Notorious, controversial, irreverent and brilliant. These words along with many others describe the extraordinary character of Hunter S. Thompson. Considered one of the best writers of 20^th century America, he was respected for uniting his life and career in a way few have ever done before. Credited with creating a new form of documentation known as “Gonzo Journalism,” for many, Thompson’s most celebrated work came in 1971, when he published the drug induced autobiographical novel, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas. An author, a storyteller and an icon, Hunter S. Thompson lives on as a hero of counter-culture America.

Early Adolescence

“In a nation of frightened dullards, there’s always a sorry shortage of outlaws, and those few who make the grade are always welcome.” – Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter was born the eldest son of Jack Robert Thompson and Virginia Ray Davidson. His father died when he was fourteen years old, leaving his mother, Virginia to raise her three sons. Embracing alcohol to find solace from her husband’s death, she supported the family albeit on a librarian’s salary.

A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Thompson excelled in sports and literature from a young age. Taking to baseball specifically, Hunter attended the Louisville Castlewood Athletic Club, although he never was on a sports team in high school. Naturally intelligent, it was the Athenaeum Literary Association that would introduce Thompson to the art of literature. The school-sponsored social club was mainly comprised of Louisville’s wealthy upper-class. Although Thompson’s family hardly fit the standard, he was accepted as a member in 1952.

Often finding fun in situations that placed him on the other side of the law, it was a typical night of mischief that served as a seminal experience of Hunter’s adolescence. Caught smoking cigarettes and drinking beer with his buddies, the young writer was arrested one night with his friends. However, for the wealthy kids whose families knew the judges, the consequences were slight, while Thompson was left to shoulder the full wrath of the court. Forced to remain in jail following his arrest, Hunter missed his own graduation, unable to walk because he was behind bars. In many ways the experience would mark a shift in the way Thompson viewed his place in society, his stint in jail serving as an unfortunate reminder that America was not always the land of the free.

A Writer is Born

“Essentially, inside Hunter was an agonized human being,” remembers his first wife Sondi Wright. “But he also felt like he had the potential to be a really great writer.” Using F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, to hone his skills, Thompson typed the entire book out repeatedly to learn the music and rhythm of Fitzgerald’s writing style. Identifying with Fitzgerald’s cynical depiction of the American Dream, Thompson’s own worldview was heavily influenced by his predecessor.

Writing everyday and getting paid close to one hundred dollars an article, Hunter was struggling to make ends meet when he was approached by Carey McWilliams, the editor of The Nation magazine. McWilliams offered Hunter the opportunity to write a story on the emerging outlaw biker phenomenon known as the Hell’s Angels. The writer jumped at the opportunity. Published in the May 1965 issue of The Nation, Hunter’s account of his experiences with the Angels jumpstarted his career, earning him numerous book offers while his unique approach to journalism naturally evolved.

“It was the beginning of Hunter developing his style,” remembers Thompson biographer Douglas Brinkley. “It is not gonzo, it’s not surreal, it is straight journalism, but it’s participatory.” Bursting on to the literary scene with his 1966 book, Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, the work further established Thompson’s non-objective form of reporting, although his relationship with the Angel’s turned volatile after one unfortunate night at an Angel’s party. A choice remark to an Angel member who was beating his wife put Thompson at odds with members of the gang. Receiving an vicious “stomping” as a result, the incident would mark the end of Hunter’s year long relationship with the crew.

A Political Awakening

Gravitating to the cultural utopia of San Francisco, Hunter was drawn to the Bay Area following his time with the Angels. Amidst anti-war protests and copious drug use the writer found a temporary haven, publishing articles in a variety of popular magazines including Esquire and The New York Times. Equally passionate about politics, Thompson championed Robert Kennedy, supporting the politician until his untimely death. With press credentials from the Democratic National Committee, the writer used an advance check from Random House Publishing to take a trip to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to write about the death of the American Dream.

Thrusting himself into the chaos that characterized 1968, Hunter traveled to Chicago at a time when the masses and the establishment were at odds. Following the assassinations of both Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, the nation was in turmoil as Chicago emerged as a hotbed of civil unrest. In attendance at the Convention, Thompson witnessed the city break into madness when civilians clashed with Chicago police, during what started as a legal rally. What transpired was a riot of epic proportions, leaving hundreds of police and civilians injured and wounded. Witnessing the events from his hotel room, the experience left a profound effect on Hunter that he would never forget.

“Years later, I still have trouble when I think about Chicago,” wrote Thompson. “That week at the Convention changed everything I’d ever taken for granted about this country and my place in it. I went from a state of Cold Shock on Monday, to Fear on Tuesday, then Rage, and finally Hysteria which lasted for nearly a month. Every time I tried to tell somebody what happened in Chicago I began crying, and it took me years to understand why.”

Angered and disheartened, Hunter’s experience in Chicago all but confirmed the death of the American Dream in his mind.  Although what transpired left him disillusioned, it also compelled him to pursue politics even further. Attracted to the politically conscious nature of Aspen Colorado, Thompson chose to run for Sheriff of Pitkin County on the “Freak Power” ticket. His platform called for an array of reforms that included the decriminalization of drugs and the banning of any building that obstructed the view of the mountains. Championed for his passionate yet irreverent approach to politics, the pseudo politician nearly won the election, losing to his opponent while earning 44% of the county’s votes.

Kentucky, Horses and The Birth of Gonzo

Sent on assignment to cover the Kentucky Derby for a short-lived magazine called Scanlan’s Monthly, Hunter, alongside friend and illustrator Ralph Steadman observed the Derby through Hunter’s drug focused lens. The resulting article, entitled The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved was the first of its kind, as Hunter utilized new techniques of reporting that would later be known as “Gonzo Journalism.” Characterized by a non-objective style of commentary, the piece provided Hunter a distinct style of journalism that also functioned as a personal narrative.

Utilizing the same form of journalism on assignment to cover the Mint 400 motorcycle race for Sports Illustrated, a by-chance trip to Las Vegas resulted in Hunter’s most acclaimed work to date. What started as a simple 250 word photo caption, quickly evolved into a 2,500-word manuscript that would later become Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. A harrowing tale of drugs and debauchery, the book dealt with the lure of the American Dream, becoming a cult classic, while providing an accurate yet sometimes surreal depiction of American counter-culture in the early 1970’s.

Writing extensively for the Rolling Stone Magazine, following the success of Fear and Loathing, Thompson used the same title to label his coverage of the 1972  Presidential campaigns. Backing the underdog, Senator George McGovern, Thompson utilized his same style of Gonzo journalism, combining his articles together for what would later be published as Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72.

Continuing to publish various books and articles later into his career, Thompson took on assignments that saw him publish engaging works on sex, drugs, media and politics, all the while maintaining his matter of fact prose that he became famous for. Celebrated to this day for his contributions to the art of journalism, Thompson took his own life in 2005 by a gunshot to the head. Unapologetic in his approach to writing and life, Hunter S. Thompson will be remembered for his relentless desire to live on his own terms. “If you’re going to be crazy,” Thompson once said,  “you have to get paid for it or else you’re going to be locked up.”