Hunter S. Thompson Books

A refreshing & touching look at the good Doctor from the person who was closest to him, his widow. A VERY quick read, it offers the reader an insight into what made Dr. Thompson OUR Dr. Thompson. It describes what drove the man that drove a generation. Written as a list of code of ethics{yes,I here you laughing},it shows the humane side of H.S.T.
I was skeptical at first after reading some of the reviews. Most of the negatives are not deserved. If your looking for same old Hunter madness,this is not for you.
If your open to see another side of the good Doctor, as he said best, "buy the ticket, take the ride"....

I bought this as a gift for my son and he was very pleased with it. He loves anything to do with Hunter S. Thompson. He did not even know this book was out there so he was very pleased with it and it was written by his wife so it gave a totally different look at his life. It is also a shorter story and that really appealed to my son. For those of you out there that don't like to read a lot this is the perfect book for you. It gives a lot of detail but is not over written,

This is a very short and simple insight in to Hunter S. Thompson's lifestyle written by his wife. It is an interesting enough read. Definitely lacks the originallity and verve of a work authored by Thomspson.

I think The Gonzo Way is great, especially now that I've had some time to reflect on it.

Don't waste your time with this book. It's horrible and lacks any insight despite being written by Thompon's wife (though she wasn't with him long and it shows!). Why does she feel the need to apologize for his "stoned twisted, ripped...good people" side? I mean REAL Thompson fans KNOW that's not the only essence of him...even though, yes, his "lifestyle" did provide a sort of romatic idea for the outsider to think about while living mundane lives. But thanks to Anita she does a good job of ruining that too...I don't smoke, use drugs of any kind, and have always loved Thompson for his work and his life and I can tell you, this book has NOTHING!. So sad and it only diminishes my ideals for true Gonzo and Thompson since it appears he really did have a load of "leeches" at his side. So sad to see his legacy degraded this way!

I bought this because I am a rabid HST fan and although I knew most of the events in the book, I was surprised that he sometimes physically abused the women in his life. Hunter was from a totally different planet. If you want to scarf everything down by HST, I'd buy it!

I don't remember where I got this book from but it was during a time when I was absorbing as much gonzo journalism as possible. This biography of H.S.T. is well written and would be perfect if one were looking for a balanced profile of the enigma that was Hunter S. Thompson but unfortunately I had just read The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, 1955-1967 which is a collection of letters he wrote. I thought that the letters, which are addressed to everyone from his mother and girlfriends to bill collectors and colleagues, painted a much better picture of H.S.T.'s early life and times. It also gives so much more insight into Thompson's mind that after reading it I didn't feel the need to read another bio. If you have to choose one I wouldn't recommend reading this biography.

A piece of history... not unforgotten. Details very well documented. Impressive and an amazing writer. Looking forward to the next one.

Well, I really enjoyed this biography of the Gonzo Master, but I have to warn potential readers that the work was written in 1994 and was then reissued in 2004. It's narrative ends shortly after 1990, and, had I known this beforehand, I would not have bought the book. This was a bit of a disappointment because the later years of his life are deservant of full chapter treatment--and then some. His suicide is a mystery that cannot be illuminated here so be forewarned. As far as Perry is concerned, the author's perspective is outstanding as he clarifies much of Thompson's enigmatic personality. The sources he selects are also very enlightening. This Fear and Loathing, just like the original, was wonderful, but Perry's tale is not definitive unfortunately.

This is a fun book, no doubt about it. Granted, it's not Hunter Thompson writing, it's his life story, but it's certainly worth reading up on. The story is really fascinating and I will probably read it again before too long.

I originally bought this book out of necessity, I had to write a mammoth paper on The Good Doctor back in May and was short of sources. This was the best-looking book that I could find on Amazon, and I wasn't dissapointed by the package I recieved, just in the nick of time to read and then write my paper. Without this book, I would have been in trouble. Thank you Mr. Perry for writing this book and thank you Mr. Thompson for the life it documented. RIP Hunter.

There is great photo of a half naked girl somewhere in the book by a great Aspne photographer named Sarah diamond. That's all I remember from the little paperback book. The cover photo is kind of weird, though. I guess that's the best they could find.

This book is a great counterpart to the book "Gonzo" that Jann Wenner put out. The stories in this book are all based around Woody Creek. It is Hunter as a neighbor and friend. Great stuff

then this is a must read for you! For those of us that were never blessed (and cursed! :) to have ever met this great man and one of the truly greatest outspoken literary giants of our generation, this is as close as we will ever get to knowing the real man inside the "Gonzo" exterior. Written with love and great humor by Bob Braudis and Michael Cleverly, it is a warm tribute to their friend of many years and allows us inside the "inner circle" of the Owl Farm kitchen. I laughed and laughed, but mostly I cried for having not been able to buy the ticket and take the ride myself.

A good read, though relatively short and unambitious. I found the stories entertaining through I had heard most of them before. A much shorter, more concise edition of Hunter S. Thompson stories than some others that I have read (namely Ralph Steadman's HST Biography, "The Joke's Over", possibly the most dry and mundane book I've ever read. Ralph should stick to his day job, which he is quite proficient at...) Anyway, a good book, but not outstanding. I would recommend buying this only if you are a die-hard HST fan who needs everything ever written by him or about him to feel complete...like me.

The book tries to show the man behind the myth and by doing so exposes a talented man who comes off none too sympathetic. I suppose there are many that will read this and feel that it intensifies the greatness of their iconic hero. But for me, Hunter Thompson fell a few notches. He often comes off as crude and insensitive. I think the most amazing fact in the book is that he was still partying pretty hardy right until his suicide. I am 53 and I know that if I were to spend even one night of my life the way I spent every weekend during most of the 80's, my heart would explode. The book is filled with some interesting anecdotes. It is not particularly well written, but it is not badly written either. Hunter wrote one incredible book in his life and for that he basically got a get out of jail free card to self destruct and become his fictional self. Most of us in his generation have either quit, died, or went to prison. Sad to say, Hunter died. No one would have dared suggest rehab to him. That, for me at least, is the tragedy behind this book. Sorry to spoil the fun.

Before Hunter S Thompson became one of America's leading practitioners of "new" journalism (aka Gonzo), long before the drugs pickled his mind, long before Fear and Loathing made him a household name (in literary households), and far, far before Johnny Depp latched on to him, there was young Hunter and his first novel - the Rum Diary.

The novel, is a first-person account told by Paul Kemp, a thirty-something itinerate journalist who, on a whim, ends up at a fledgling newspaper in San Juan, Puerto Rico in the late 1950s. The narrative covers a few months, mostly two episodes of debauchery. There is also a love story. In a nut-shell, Paul and two friends from the paper drink themselves stupid and get beaten. Paul and his friends later go to Carnivale on St. Thomas and drink themselves stupid and get naked. Thematically, the book examines aging (if you call thirty aging), and responsibility (if you call owning a car or earning a living responsibility). For the most part, all the principle characters are drunk, penniless, and do little or no work. There is a sad nihilism here that is remarkable for a writer so young (Thompson was 22).

The novel succeeds as a window into the world of American ex-pats behaving badly -- similar to Hemingway's ex-pats only without the style, bravado, and scenic backdrops of Europe that made the lost generation so appealing. Thompson's ex-pats are perverted, addicted, virulent, down-in-the-mud screw-ups, which Hunter, I mean Kemp, is sure to tell us over and over and over. There is some wolf-crying here for sure.

In its totality the book is not a success. It's not that Thompson is a poor writer. On the level of individual sentences or paragraphs, his writing shines well enough. It's just that the book would have benefited from closer attention to its larger themes, some of which feel only half constructed, nascently understood.

But if reading about drinking is your thing, you will be in for a real treat - there is rum splashed on nearly every page. This book is so entwined with the over consumption of alcohol that you can almost see the circular drink stains and feel the pain of the headache the morning after.

A great "fictional" story that hunter writes about a journalist that travels to Puerto Rico to work and gets caught up in the usual HST madness.

Recently, I've been reading Hunter S. Thompson's The Rum Diary. Actually, I'm almost finished with it. Hunter wrote it when he was 22 and it shows, but in the way that a sapling has the blueprint for the whole tree in its little structure. In it, the very Hunter-like protagonist, Paul Kemp, runs around Puerto Rico doing very Hunter-like things, but there's something extra odd in there that isn't in anything else I've read of his.

Paul has recently turned 30 and he's realizing how arrogant and cocky he was in his younger years, how he eschewed the plain averageness of middle class suburban life, rebelled against everything and how now that's not what he wants. Something has changed and to the younger invincible self, it feels like death. It feels like the end of an era, the end of some mythological golden age, a stage we all go through and only realize it on the way out the door, when you realize that the "best years of your life" - the time when nothing could destroy us, that anything and everything was possible, when we were bigger than the world, even the universe, up knocking at God's door, absolutely sure we could do it bigger, better, faster, more.

And this too, far in the future, I will look on as youthful folly.

Hunter S. Thompson is my absolute favorite author hands down and he is fascinating to me. I am sorry he is no longer with us, but what a LIFE he led; He crammed more LIFE than most people can imagine. This is a MUST for HST fans.

Make no mistake the late, lamented Hunter Thompson was always something of a muse for me going way back to the early 1970's when I first read his seminal work on California outlaw bikers, The Hell's Angels. Since then I have devoured, and re-devoured virtually everything that he has written. However the present book leaves me cold. This is a case where `greed' (on whose part I do not know, although the proliferating pile of remembrances of Thompson may give a hint) got the better of literary wisdom. This compilation of articles started life as commentary on the [...], part of the cable sports network. And perhaps that is where the project should have ended. Hey, this stuff has a half-life in cyberspace so not all would have been lost.

So what is the basis for my objection? Part of Hunter's attraction always has been a fine sense of the hypocrisy of American politics. Although we march to different drummers politically I have always appreciated his ability to skewer the latest political heavyweight- in- chief, friend or foe. That is missing here although he does get a few whacks in on the current child-president George W. Bush. But this is not enough. What this screed is really about is the whys and wherefores of his life long addiction to sports betting and particularly professional football, the NLF.

A run through the ups and downs of Thompson's previous seasons' (2000-2003) gambling wins and loses, however, does not date well. Hell, I can barely remember last week's bets. But the real problem is that, as in politics, we listen to different drummers. I am a long time fan of `pristine and pure' big time college football and would not sully my hands to bet on the NFL so his whining about the San Francisco 49'ers or the Denver Broncos is so much hot air. However, I will take Ohio State and 3 points against LSU in the 2007 college championship game. That's the ticket. I miss Hunter and his wild and wacky writing that made me laugh many a time when I was down and needed a boost but not here. Enough said.

Postscript: May 15, 2008. Needless to say there is a strong difference between my uncanny powers of political prognosis and the rather mundane ability to pick college football champions. Obviously, only a fool would have bet on the Buckeyes of Ohio State against a real SEC team like those Cajun boys from LSU. Right?

4.5 stars

I didn't read much of Hunter's ESPN stuff at the time, so it was a great surprise and pleasure to see that he lost none of his edge before calling it a life.
It's sweet that he was given full rein to delve into sports writing as much as he always wanted to but rarely could on a regular basis (his old Ali pieces still reign supreme in the genre). But what really makes this book work is HST's refusal to ignore the insanity and fraud of the War On Freedom, sorry, Terror, of Bush and Cheney and friends. As if he could!
Thompson links sports and politics together in a number of memorably and typically inimitable essays that hit home hard, and will be seen as very prescient in a decade or two.
The seceret of Hunter S Thompson's writing is that while it looks like he's having a big old party and being a wiseass, he's also hitting the nail so damn straight on the head that most of America is still quite a few years from understanding how sadly accurate he usually is.
There's some very fine writing here; while not up to his best 70s work (Shark Hunt is still THE HST tome, methinks), much of Hey Rube is excellent, and anyone who's ever made a sports bet or three will identify, laughingly, with Hunter's oft hilarious tales of wagering.
The kicker is that the HST attitude and bite was still fully intact forty years on, and that's pretty impressive in a world of sellouts.

This book (2004) and "Kingdom of Fear" (2003) appear to be the last of HST's books. While "Hey Rube" contains lengthy discussions of gambling on professional football and basketball (including "March Madness"), "Kingdom of Fear" is more far-ranging, containing everything from Thompson's reminiscences of his youth to his (highly negative) thoughts on George W. Bush.

The quality of the writing of the recent pieces in both books is not quite up to that of his best from the past, but is still infinitely better than the mindless slop produced by other contemporary "writers." The man was an artist.

As always, one of the disturbing things about Thompson is his ability to assess politics correctly in real time. Reading back, you think "Why didn't people take this man seriously at the time?"

"Indeed," as Doc would say.

I'm heartbroken. I admit it. I'm not a year around sports nut. I don't watch games all the time. I don't even get ESPN. And I've never allowed myself to get sucked into the uber-geeky world of fantasy leagues. But the Bears are special for me. And if you let yourself care enough, you'll get hurt. It's unavoidable. You can't experience the thrills without being vulnerable to the pain. Especially the way it happened. With the Bears jumping to a lead within the first 14 seconds, and having a nice action-packed first quarter, I couldn't help but believe. But the Colts managed to dominate. And what hurts the most, what's got me down, is that the Colts won by out Bearing the Bears. They played good hard-nosed defense and then wore down the Bears defense with a relentless running attack. Oh well. I still think Peyton's a bit of a goober but the Indiana coach seems to be a real class act, so I'll try and be happy for them. And I know it's just a game. There are bigger crises in the world. There are bigger crises in my life for that matter. Still, it hurts. This goes down in my top five for losses that hurt, along with the Bears of the late 80's being eliminated in the playoffs by the Redskins and then the Niners, and maybe along with some of those Nebraska victories over Colorado. Particularly those real close ones in that painful, smarmy Neuheisal era.

So when the soul is truly in pain, where else would I go for comfort but Hunter S? I didn't even know about this book until recently. I didn't know he was writing a regular column for ESPN's web site. But he was and these columns are among the last writings we'll have for him. And what better a topic for Mr. Thomson than gambling? Hunter was at his best when writing about those little vices, those things that can be wonderful, even enlightening, in the right doses, but much more entertaining to read about when they are pushed to and beyond the limits of self-destruction. Great stuff.

By the chance of timing, almost a twisted kind of serendipity, this collection contains a generous allotment of Mr. Thomson's political writings as well. The collection spans a period of time containing the Presidential coup in which Bush stole the election from Al Gore and then 9-11 and its aftermath as well. There is an essay written by Thomson dated September 11th, 2001, written that evening following the attack, with classic Thomson vitriol, filled with his trademark fear and loathing, as well as some paranoia that history reveals to be more prescient than delusional, warning that the power that be would use the tragedy of the terrorist attacks to justify further tragedy of an even grander scale. That may be near universal sentiment in hindsight but remember back to that time to realize how deranged and treacherous that would have sounded to the average citizen. Certainly to the chattering hens in the mainstream news media, who couldn't give the American public credit for anything more sophisticated than black and white thinking.

A great voice is gone. I suspect he may have been trying to commit suicide by lifestyle for decades, but when that repeatedly failed, he finally had to take more direct action. And the Chicago Bears are not the world champions. Maybe I should admit that the NFC really is a weak division this year. Or maybe the Bears got what they deserve for playing the entire game with their safeties twenty yards back, trying to win by being the more conservative team. With that mentality, not even the point spread could help Bears benefactors. What would Hunter have said?

The following was posted on the Owl Farm (Hunter's fortified compound in Woody Creek, Colorado) Blog. It was written by Anita Thompson (Hunter's widow) in regards to this book and it's author, Jann S. Wenner:

Reading the LA times review of Jann Wenner's book made me realize I need to communicate in more specific terms. The reviewer was too sloppy to understand that Jann never forgave Hunter for leaving Rolling Stone. Jann convinced nearly all of Hunter's friends to participate in what would be a "positive" book about Hunter. Then, using a cheap parlor trick, Jann excerpted and paraphrased the negative bits of interviews to weave a tall tale to trash Hunter.

Hunter wrote more in the last 5 years of his life than he had in the previous 15, along with fighting and winning a beautiful legal battle for Lisl Auman. Hunter believed in the triumph of the human spirit. John Nichols from the Nation has said, and I agree, that some of Hunter's most savage and inspiring political writing, was in his ESPN columns during the last years of his life. Yes, they were short, insightful and funny. He inspired thousands of sports lovers to get involved with politics. Simple.

What the L.A. Times reviewer fails to notice is that in addition to Hunter "using" people around him, the truth is that Hunter was surrounded, much of his life, by leeches (many of those leeches grace the pages of the book). It doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize that many people did TAKE, TAKE, TAKE from Hunter and gave very little in return. While sitting at his typewriter, Hunter helped many people, especially Jann, make a lot of money. Today is no exception.

Here is the letter that I wrote to Jann in May, after receiving the manuscript. I had to tell him the book was a FRAUD, and that I would not write a forward or include an interview -- which was SCARY, because I felt very much alone. Despite his withering status, Jann is considered "rich and powerful," and I was warned by friends that he would go after me if I refused to be in the book. Jann offered me a lot of money and ad space in his magazine to include my interview and forward, and implied threats if I didn't. In the end, however, the best people to defend Hunter are his readers.

Jann:
In my refrigerator I have a jar of mayonnaise, two tangerines, 1/2 carton of soy milk and a few boxes of dried spaghetti. And I also have an overdrawn bank account, $43 in my wallet, and no car. So, I really, REALLY could use that money! But I need to let you know that I'm sticking with my original decision I made many months ago - that I can not be a part of [your book] in any shape or form. I hope you understand. If readers believe that the bits and pieces of interviews you weaved together tell an accurate story, there is nothing I could possibly write in a 500 word forward to sway them. Defending him in a forward would be futile. So, I'm out. And yes, let's part ways.

Rolling Stone [and especially US Weekly] is such a huge success financially... You have accumulated a mass amount of power and wealth over the last 40 years -- Why do you have to use it against Hunter? It would have been so beautiful if you would have used that power to compile, into a book, a bunch of humiliating personal interviews about someone like Paul Wolfowitz, Cheney, Rice, or Rumsfeld or Armitage or Even Bush. Why Hunter? You walked around at both memorial services in a constant state of tears and made people trust you to sit down and do interviews with Corey. I know you and Hunter had some problems over the years... [but] I don't understand the level of venom employed here. Why?

You couldn't deny the fact that yes, as soon as he left Rolling Stone, you portray him as an awful beast of a man. But you also couldn't deny the fact that all these people loved him dearly "all the way to the end". The reason peopled loved him is because he is one of the rare human beings who is essentially decent, with moments of rotten behavior.

I wish I could appeal to your sense of decency and that you would burn this awful manuscript. It would be the right thing to do. I realize you're probably laughing at me to even suggest it. Oh Well.

One of my first nights working with Hunter on a project here in the kitchen was in 1999 on the second letters book. I wrote about it in one of the essay portions of my 3 hour Columbia entrance exam. On this night, there were several letters to [and from] you up for consideration...Many people lobbied to include those nasty ones. Hunter humored them for a while. But he wouldn't run them in the end.

THAT is why "people loved Hunter all the way to the end." Because no matter how vicious he could be, he was essentially decent in a huge way. And when he did attack people, it was only those who were in a position to defend themselves.

Anyway, I know I've pissed you off and it's probably not the best strategy for me to make an enemy of you. But I love Hunter, and hate to see his friend bash him to pieces... and hope to god that you just go with your heart and reconsider this whole project. If you want to publish embarrassing interviews about me, so be it. I've learned to deflect cheap shots. Just lay off Hunter, he's dead. Won't you???

Regardless, I wish you some peace and forgiveness in your life.
Sincerely,
Anita

(May 23, 2007)

p.s. for those of you worried about Johnny Depp, although I haven't spoken to him in a long time, we'll give him the benefit of the doubt that he just trusted Wenner, like everybody else when he allowed the reprint of his "forward."


original link: http://www.owlfarmblog.com/blog/2007/11/defending_hunter.html

You'd think that what is essentially a biography of one of the greatest writers in our time would at least be well written. It's not.

This is a very good book. I recommend it to any people who are inspired by Hunter S. Thompson. Good read.

I'm of two minds about this book. Hunter gave his life keeping Raoul Duke and the Gonzo image alive. Is it fair to draw back the curtain and peer into the wings after the last act? I don't know. I am a huge fan of Hunter's writing, and that is what is important. That's what Hunter would want us to cherish and remember. His brilliant prose did not come easily, it was crafted carefully, and arduously. All great writers benefit from great editing and criticism. Jann was a part of the process and seeks proper recognition for his efforts toward that end. Without Jann, and Rolling Stone, who knows what would have become of Hunter. Many wanted to believe that Raoul Duke was real, that he could just keep on tripping, forever young, and indestructible. Hunter Thompson was an addict, an alcoholic, a narcissist, and a user in every sense of the word. He was a troubled soul and an extraordinarily difficult person. His life was filled with enablers. Could he have written without them? Could he have stopped using? Sadly, his fans were his greatest suppliers, free drugs pushed at the addict from every direction, an impossible situation. I found it hard to read this and not feel we had all been complicit in his destruction by applauding his self-immolation. Would Hunter have wanted us to read this book? I don't think so. This book shows him to be just a pathetic and pitiful addict as a man, with all that entails. I want to remember the incredible talent and brilliance, not the clown act, or the drug addict/alcoholic, or the narcissist who was cruel and manipulative to most of those near to him. If you really want to know, read the book. Otherwise, read Hunter's work, and leave the man to rest in peace.

The truth is this man was difficult, selfish, irresponsible as a father and a husband and as an employee. I enjoyed like everyone else Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas but my admiration for this man is really limited after reading this book. I abide by the fact that it's important to be a good dad, to leave your children a good legacy both financial and emotional, and to me Hunter Thompson was important to himself only,that's the gist of it, face it folks, the man was not easy to live with, made so many people miserable, and quite frankly is not the stuff heros are made of.

The following was posted on the Owl Farm (Hunter's fortified compound in Woody Creek, Colorado) Blog. It was written by Anita Thompson (Hunter's widow) in regards to this book and it's author, Jann S. Wenner:

Reading the LA times review of Jann Wenner's book made me realize I need to communicate in more specific terms. The reviewer was too sloppy to understand that Jann never forgave Hunter for leaving Rolling Stone. Jann convinced nearly all of Hunter's friends to participate in what would be a "positive" book about Hunter. Then, using a cheap parlor trick, Jann excerpted and paraphrased the negative bits of interviews to weave a tall tale to trash Hunter.

Hunter wrote more in the last 5 years of his life than he had in the previous 15, along with fighting and winning a beautiful legal battle for Lisl Auman. Hunter believed in the triumph of the human spirit. John Nichols from the Nation has said, and I agree, that some of Hunter's most savage and inspiring political writing, was in his ESPN columns during the last years of his life. Yes, they were short, insightful and funny. He inspired thousands of sports lovers to get involved with politics. Simple.

What the L.A. Times reviewer fails to notice is that in addition to Hunter "using" people around him, the truth is that Hunter was surrounded, much of his life, by leeches (many of those leeches grace the pages of the book). It doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize that many people did TAKE, TAKE, TAKE from Hunter and gave very little in return. While sitting at his typewriter, Hunter helped many people, especially Jann, make a lot of money. Today is no exception.

Here is the letter that I wrote to Jann in May, after receiving the manuscript. I had to tell him the book was a FRAUD, and that I would not write a forward or include an interview -- which was SCARY, because I felt very much alone. Despite his withering status, Jann is considered "rich and powerful," and I was warned by friends that he would go after me if I refused to be in the book. Jann offered me a lot of money and ad space in his magazine to include my interview and forward, and implied threats if I didn't. In the end, however, the best people to defend Hunter are his readers.

Jann:
In my refrigerator I have a jar of mayonnaise, two tangerines, 1/2 carton of soy milk and a few boxes of dried spaghetti. And I also have an overdrawn bank account, $43 in my wallet, and no car. So, I really, REALLY could use that money! But I need to let you know that I'm sticking with my original decision I made many months ago - that I can not be a part of [your book] in any shape or form. I hope you understand. If readers believe that the bits and pieces of interviews you weaved together tell an accurate story, there is nothing I could possibly write in a 500 word forward to sway them. Defending him in a forward would be futile. So, I'm out. And yes, let's part ways.

Rolling Stone [and especially US Weekly] is such a huge success financially... You have accumulated a mass amount of power and wealth over the last 40 years -- Why do you have to use it against Hunter? It would have been so beautiful if you would have used that power to compile, into a book, a bunch of humiliating personal interviews about someone like Paul Wolfowitz, Cheney, Rice, or Rumsfeld or Armitage or Even Bush. Why Hunter? You walked around at both memorial services in a constant state of tears and made people trust you to sit down and do interviews with Corey. I know you and Hunter had some problems over the years... [but] I don't understand the level of venom employed here. Why?

You couldn't deny the fact that yes, as soon as he left Rolling Stone, you portray him as an awful beast of a man. But you also couldn't deny the fact that all these people loved him dearly "all the way to the end". The reason peopled loved him is because he is one of the rare human beings who is essentially decent, with moments of rotten behavior.

I wish I could appeal to your sense of decency and that you would burn this awful manuscript. It would be the right thing to do. I realize you're probably laughing at me to even suggest it. Oh Well.

One of my first nights working with Hunter on a project here in the kitchen was in 1999 on the second letters book. I wrote about it in one of the essay portions of my 3 hour Columbia entrance exam. On this night, there were several letters to [and from] you up for consideration...Many people lobbied to include those nasty ones. Hunter humored them for a while. But he wouldn't run them in the end.

THAT is why "people loved Hunter all the way to the end." Because no matter how vicious he could be, he was essentially decent in a huge way. And when he did attack people, it was only those who were in a position to defend themselves.

Anyway, I know I've pissed you off and it's probably not the best strategy for me to make an enemy of you. But I love Hunter, and hate to see his friend bash him to pieces... and hope to god that you just go with your heart and reconsider this whole project. If you want to publish embarrassing interviews about me, so be it. I've learned to deflect cheap shots. Just lay off Hunter, he's dead. Won't you???

Regardless, I wish you some peace and forgiveness in your life.
Sincerely,
Anita

(May 23, 2007)

p.s. for those of you worried about Johnny Depp, although I haven't spoken to him in a long time, we'll give him the benefit of the doubt that he just trusted Wenner, like everybody else when he allowed the reprint of his "forward."


original link: http://www.owlfarmblog.com/blog/2007/11/defending_hunter.html

You'd think that what is essentially a biography of one of the greatest writers in our time would at least be well written. It's not.

This is a very good book. I recommend it to any people who are inspired by Hunter S. Thompson. Good read.

I'm of two minds about this book. Hunter gave his life keeping Raoul Duke and the Gonzo image alive. Is it fair to draw back the curtain and peer into the wings after the last act? I don't know. I am a huge fan of Hunter's writing, and that is what is important. That's what Hunter would want us to cherish and remember. His brilliant prose did not come easily, it was crafted carefully, and arduously. All great writers benefit from great editing and criticism. Jann was a part of the process and seeks proper recognition for his efforts toward that end. Without Jann, and Rolling Stone, who knows what would have become of Hunter. Many wanted to believe that Raoul Duke was real, that he could just keep on tripping, forever young, and indestructible. Hunter Thompson was an addict, an alcoholic, a narcissist, and a user in every sense of the word. He was a troubled soul and an extraordinarily difficult person. His life was filled with enablers. Could he have written without them? Could he have stopped using? Sadly, his fans were his greatest suppliers, free drugs pushed at the addict from every direction, an impossible situation. I found it hard to read this and not feel we had all been complicit in his destruction by applauding his self-immolation. Would Hunter have wanted us to read this book? I don't think so. This book shows him to be just a pathetic and pitiful addict as a man, with all that entails. I want to remember the incredible talent and brilliance, not the clown act, or the drug addict/alcoholic, or the narcissist who was cruel and manipulative to most of those near to him. If you really want to know, read the book. Otherwise, read Hunter's work, and leave the man to rest in peace.

The truth is this man was difficult, selfish, irresponsible as a father and a husband and as an employee. I enjoyed like everyone else Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas but my admiration for this man is really limited after reading this book. I abide by the fact that it's important to be a good dad, to leave your children a good legacy both financial and emotional, and to me Hunter Thompson was important to himself only,that's the gist of it, face it folks, the man was not easy to live with, made so many people miserable, and quite frankly is not the stuff heros are made of.

if you really want a book about hunter thompson, read "Gonzo: The Life of Hunter S. Thompson" by Jann Werner and Corey Seymour. a bunch of the dates and names of people in this book are wrong. it's greatly detailed, very candid about many of thompson's assignments and the events, etc., but the number of things i've found factually wrong in this book makes me wonder whether all that detail is even correct. at least in gonzo, the facts are from the people who knew thompson best and were there to see it all happen.

HST is my absolute favorite author but this is a so so bio. I knew about most of these events HST had described and even HST tried to block it. Interesting, but not mind blowing.

This is the most fact-filled accurate and complete biography of Hunter S Thompson thus far. Also, it contains an interesting psychological profile of Hunter S. Thompson because the author is a Ph.D. psychologist.

I don't know.. I have some ambivalent feelings about Mr. Whitmer's book on Hunter S. Thompson. On one hand I really like reading about Hunter Thompson and suppose that I myself am a kind of weird groupie when it comes to reading about him and a few other writers (I bought this one at a garage sale for 50 cents). On the other hand I really dislike reading gossipy books where the author has only a little understanding of his subject or his work and is mainly just trying to cash in on the artist's celebrity, telling second hand stories that might or might not be true. I myself am guilty of reading these little tabloid-like pieces and almost always feel dirty afterward. Especially if the subject is worthy of some respect in his artistic life and HST certainly is. Artists should be given the space they need to work through their inner struggles while sorting it all out. This requires huge amounts of slack for an artist like Thompson. But then after they die all the lies and sentimental twisted memories can come flooding out and it's all so much less embarrassing for them and for us. I do understand why Mr. Whitmer would want to do a book on HST. And his might be better than the other bios as the above reviewers say. But make no mistake, Peter Whitmer did this one to make some easy money and Hunter Thompson's name sells better a lot better than his own.

I read Thompson's collected letter's, but they are no substitute for this very well-done biography. The author is not doing literary criticism, it is true- he is doing biography. Unlike most interviews/biographies about this wonderfully unique character, he doesn't drool all over the subject. Thompson did some great work, and the persona he crafted was spectacular. This book, along with the collections of letters, makes clear what a tragedy is the result of attempting to stay on the edge for all of these years. His recent work is all recycling and incoherent parodies of himself.

HST is a wasted hull of a man and a mind. His alter ego became himself and the result was a tremendous waste of talent and creativity. The quality of HTS's correspondence in The Proud Highway makes this all the more clear. I am grateful for what he gave- it's just a shame he couldn't keep a handle on it.

So, it is Hunter Thompson--for what? (How many pages are in this leaflet? Two and one-half? Thirteen? Certainly not 60! BIG TYPE, b i g margins, and Do-dad typography should not be allowed to count.)

In one the book's earliest drug-induced typing session--was his whole life just one extended such session?--Thompson writes about his hotel room: "We need more hair on these walls. . ." Well, Mr.Thompson (and guilty publishers, now and in the future): "We need more words in this book."

The book, according to this listing, is subtitled: "A Short Story". It is not fair--or accurate--to call it a short story; it is fair only to call it short.

[A P.S. to The Thrifty: I just opened my copy of "Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas" to a random page: 350 is the approximate word count. A random page of "Screwjack"? 180 words. Just a suggestion: save yourself from this little one and read one of his big ones. All Thompson is equally Hunter (for good, bad or redundant)].

((A P.P.S for anticipated reaction to this review. Word count, of course, is not everything: the Gettysburg Address needs no more words, nor the Lord's Prayer. But Thompson is not Lincoln; Thompson is not the Lord. Thompson is Raoul Duke--an exaggeration of himself--or maybe even an exaggeration of Raoul Duke. Precision and conciseness are not his thing. His thing--and he says something close to this in "Screwjack"--is to have his mind plugged in one place and his ears plugged in somewhere else and OH-LORD-ALMIGHTY!!!!! turn the current ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) So, if you want to experience Hunter; experience him for more than the moment this pamphlet allows.))

The gonzo journalist himself, also known as Raoul Duke, Thompson sees his 1991 collector copy pressing of three short pieces released into the mainstream by Simon & Schuster for 2000. Made up of a whacked-out introduction, the journalistic, stream-of-consciousness-heavy "Mescalito" from 1969, and two 90s-era short fiction stories -- "Death of A Poet" & "Screwjack" -- this slim volume is packed full of outrageous lunacy and demented wordplay.

The first selection is by far the best, capturing the rat-a-tat approach that Thompson made famous in his "Fear and Loathing" books and in magazine pieces like "The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved." Checked into an eleventh-floor room at the Continental Hotel on the Sunset Strip, Thompson strolls out onto the balcony to chit-chat with hippies, witness police brutality and listen to the cacophonous street sounds of L.A. in the late 60s. And then things get interesting, when he runs out of time, money and dexedrine and decides to reject the Ritalin in favor of mescaline mixed with speed. The wild drug trip that follows, faithfully recorded by the madman himself on a stolen typewriter, is mesmerizing, terrifying and exhilarating. A moment in time, an experience seen firsthand in a stream-of-consciousness, second-by-second blow that has much of the same power of prose that Tom Wolfe displayed in "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" and that Ken Kesey channeled for The Chief's opening narrative rant in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

The other two pieces are both fictional and lack the immediacy and brazen truth that his journalistic work overflows with. "Screwjack" is particularly disturbing, but for all the wrong reasons. The whole book is a fun ride, though, despite the clunky second half.

The uttering of a madman. For one that has not read any of Hunter's work. Screwjack is a good start. It picks the brain of the legend giving you his exact characteristics and intermost workings of his brainhouse. On the surface these three short stories seem like random quips, but actually expose a far more deaper intellect on unrecognizable views (Jamais Vu). The love with his cat and the overall understanding of the Los Angeles street life situation are all examples of this. There were alot of harsh reviews for this book. Its not a book at all. It is what it is and dont take it the wrong way.

This is by no means Thompson's best piece; it is exceedinly short and disjointed, though in my opinion this is part of its charm. I enjoyed this book (can 59 tiny pages, of which only 11-59 are actual story, divided into 3 distinct and debatably unrelated sections, really be considered a book?) through an overriding enjoyment and awe of Thompson's style of writing, which has forever been a source of inspiration and joy.

I feel it neccessary to qualify my review at this point that I am by no means a Thompson expert though I plan to read everything he has ever written. To date I have only read, in addition to Screwjack, Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72. Still I feel that the experience of these two classic works of Gozo Journalism give a true insight into the free-spirited and honest heart of Thompson's work.

This "book" is, as I have mentioned, a compilation of three parts entitled "Mescalito," "Death of a Poet," and "Screwjack." The first is a look into the experience of a Mescaline high, which is rather hilarious, and must be read to be fully appreciated. This portion is also included in Thompson's Songs of the Doomed.

The rest is bad craziness. I enjoyed it, in an uncomfortable sort of way, though Mescalito is by far my favorite. It deals with the essentailly tragic and incredibly disturbing subjects of beastiality and suicide and should be read by those who can appreciate the artistic rendering of these stories, lacking either advocation or disaproval, in an attempt to simply examine these issues. Otherwise, I would advise readers to steer clear of these portions. It requires a non-judgmental and open world view that many people are incapable or unwilling to adopt.

As to the price issue: this is an excessively expensive and hard to come by volume. I would recomend checking it out from a library (my own solution). You wouldn't even need to check it out. I read it in just under an hour, and I would consider myself a reader of average speed.

I would definitely recomend it as I would the two Fear and Loathing's already mentioned. Thompson's blunt and humorous style is one of the joys that keeps me coming back for more, and it is at the heart of this small, yeat dense, piece.

Thompson attempts to write fiction, in this short novel. Unfortunately, minus a homoerotic story interlude, his tone and narative are powerfully reminicient of his journalism.
I think Thompson is a writer that requires observable content on which to base his writings, and while I doubt that Screwjack was based exclusively in fiction the book lacked what is most enjoyable about his writings; his jangled view of reality.
Don't get me wrong, Thompson is one of my favorite authros, but the only reason to be this book is to make his other works more vibrant.

HST must include himself as the top SWINE of that generation.
HST the FURTHEST LEFTNUT FREAK THIS WORLD'S EVER SEEN/READ.
I just passed page 60 and was sickening by what i read.
How pathetic can HST get.
I know i'm just focusing on this one incident below_but how many incidents does one have to show before you see what kind of animal you're dealing with?
Belittling what happened at chappaquiddick_first by not mentioning Mary Jo Kopechne by name_ but doing his very best(WORST) to just call it bad driving?((( YUCK )))He should just bend over and let teddy and the rest of the far leftnut freaks do him.

Here's a site you might want to check out [...]
Everything you ever wanted to know about leftnut teddy.

I'll complete the book_hopefully without absolute disgust at the king of the FREAKS.
And this isn't a good thing sychophants.

When i look at the news(TV & Internet)and this countries direction_i see HST sickening influence almost everywhere.
moveon.hst/dailykos.hst/huffinton.hst/msnbc.hst/cnn.hst/
etc.etc.
Keep your friends close,but your enemies closer!! Food for thought!!

PS: I'm buying these books as an investment, because in 15-20 years, First Edition's will be worth a fortune to HST sychophants.
END OF RANT!!

This review was originally used to comment on Hunter Thompson's Songs of the Doomed. Since most of the points I made in my review of that book apply here I will let that review stand in here. Obviously each book is formatted differently but whether Thompson was skewering the Nixon era, the Reagan era or the Bush eras the song is the same. And it aint pretty.

Generally the most the trenchant social criticism, commentary and analysis complete with a prescriptive social program ripe for implementation has been done by thinkers and writers who work outside the realm of bourgeois society, notably socialists and other progressive thinkers. Bourgeois society rarely allows itself, in self defense, to be skewered by trenchant criticism from within. This is particularly true when it comes from a known dope fiend, gun freak and all-around lifestyle addict like the late, lamented Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. Nevertheless, although he was far from any thought of a socialist solution and would reject such a designation we could travel part of the way with him. We saw him as a kindred spirit. He was not one of us- but he was one of us. All honor to him for pushing the envelope of journalism in new directions and for his pinpricks at the hypocrisy of bourgeois society. Such men are dangerous.

I am not sure whether at the end of the day Hunter Thompson saw himself or wanted to been seen as a voice, or the voice, of his generation but in any case he would not be an unworthy candidate. In any case, his was not the voice of the generation of 1968 being just enough older to have been formed by an earlier, less forgiving milieu. His earlier writings show that effect. Nevertheless, only a few, and with time it seems fewer in each generation, allow themselves to search for some kind of truth even if they cannot go the whole distance. This compilation under review is a hodgepodge of articles over the best part of Thompson's career. As with all journalists, as indeed with all writers especially those who are writing under the pressure of timelines and for mass circulation media these works show an uneven quality. However the total effect is to blast old bourgeois society almost to its foundations. Others will have to push on further.

One should note that `gonzo' journalism is quite compatible with socialist materialism. That is, the writer is not precluded from interpreting the events described within himself/herself as an actor in the story. The worst swindle in journalism, fostered by the formal journalism schools, as well as in other disciplines like history and political science is that somehow one must be `objective'. Reality is better served if the writer puts his/her analysis correctly and then gets out of the way. In his best work that was Hunter's way.

As a member of the generation of 1968 I would note that this was a period of particular importance which won Hunter his spurs as a journalist. Hunter, like many of us, cut his political teeth on one Richard Milhous Nixon, at one time President of the United States and all- around political chameleon. Thompson went way out of his way, and with pleasure, skewering that man when he was riding high. Thompson was moreover just as happy to kick him when he was down, just for good measure. Nixon represented the `dark side' of the American spirit- the side that appears today as the bully boy of the world and as craven brute. If for nothing else Brother Thompson deserves a place in the pantheon of journalistic heroes for this exercise in elementary hygiene. Anyone who wants to rehabilitate THAT man before history please consult Thompson's work. Hunter, I hope you find the Brown Buffalo wherever you are. Read this book. Read all his books.

This is another in a series of collections of Hunter's columns. The other compilations are:

The Great Shark Hunt (Gonzo Papers Vol. 1) about the 70's, mostly post Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail,

Better than Sex (Volumen 3) about the 90's, and his final release before his untimely death,

Hey Rube (about the early 00's).

I should mention here that I'm only in my 20's, and the first administration I ever really paid attention to was the second Clinton term.

Reading this book and the other Gonzo Papers books, along with Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail, gives you a perspective on the past 30 years that is hard to find elsewhere in this context. Since these columns were written as critiques on current events, you get a feel for what was going on in the 70's, late 80's and early 90's. You find that for everything that has changed over the past 30 years, that politics is quite static. Corrupt presidents, sex-scandal plagued politicians, and more.

There's not too much to dislike about this book, assuming you enjoy Hunter's writing style. And it is valuable to those who can't get enough of Hunter's style.

This collection of 100 or so newspaper columns is probably the worst material I have read of Thompson's. First of all, it starts OK, but then turns into a liberal rant for the last half of the book. In almost all cases, Thompson's wild and repeated predictions about the fall of Republicans never come to pass. In fact, not one of them came true.

It is a shame that a man with such insidious ability to write from the gut would allow himself to slide into the dark, slimy Left side of politics, all the while failing to report-much less admit-that the Left was as much if not more corrupt than the Right.

I would pass this tome of incoherent bloviating. His other works are far superior to this wasted cache of paper.

What we have here are over 100 op-ed pieces (about 2 1/2 book pages each) that ran in the San Francisco Examiner over a three-year period, December 1985 thru November 1988 and are now compiled in Gonzo Papers Volume 2 (Volume 1 was The Great Shark Hunt). These were originally meant to be read at the rate of one a week, but of course you can increase your speed on this compilation. However, I read them in a handful of sittings and suffered from severe overload. First of all, at this fast rate you get a good deal of duplication that waters down the overall affect Thompson was trying to create in his weekly column. Thompson reminds me of the famous Groucho Marx line: "Whatever it is, he's against it!" Just picked at random: "Any baboon with a healthy heart and good diction... could do Neil Frank's job (director of the National Hurricane Center). President Reagan: "...seems to be dumber than three mules." Frank Sinatra: "...is said to be smart, but he was fired and cut off from every casino in New Jersey when he tried to play blackjack by rules he learned in Nevada...They chased him out like a wino. It was an ugly thing to see." And these quotes all come from just one article. Pick a name or event from the headlines of these three years and you'll find a bombastic opinion from Thompson aimed directly at it. It is a fun and funny read. You'll find yourself thinking and speaking in the Thompson style. It's addictive. But, too much at one time can put you over the top. For more reasons than one, this would make for good bathroom reading material.