New Book on Hunter S. Thompson

I came across this article and felt obliged to include it in a post.  I’ve been a big Thompson fan for a while now, and it seems a certain affection for the man is often found in the world of science fiction.  You can easily make a case for “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” as science fiction if you just consider the fact that no two human beings could consume the volume of drugs that Duke and Gonzo do without suffering serious consequences.  Even if you don’t buy that, Thompson was the character basis for Spider Jerusalem, the star of Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson’s “Transmetropolitan,” a significant piece of sci-fi literature. 

In any case, Thompson’s widow, Anita, whom he mentions a great deal in his later publications, “Kingdom of Fear” and “Hey Rube,” has written a book about the Hunter behind the typewriter.  She says his real passions were working hard and telling the truth, not guns, dope and violence.  She says she was inspired to write the book by the millions of fans who wrote to her about their “Gonzo” experiences, which mostly involved drinking and coke.  It may be a thankless gesture, but it’s an important one, I think, to note that drugs were not the focus of Thompson’s existence, but rather a tool he used, most often as a plot device.  Anyway, the book’s called “The Gonzo Way: A Celebration of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson,” and the author’s name is Anita Thompson.  If it’s half as good as Ralph Steadman’s book on Thompson, it’s worth a look.