enrevanche

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. - Hunter S. Thompson

21 February 2005

Hunter Thompson, RIP

As you are no doubt by now aware, Hunter S. Thompson killed himself Sunday night.

No one really knows why, though he had been in declining health for years now, and his legendary substance (ab)use can't have helped much. I certainly don't know, but I suspect that the indignity of incipient old age and coping with an increasingly failing physical frame just became too much for him.

I'll have more to say about Hunter and his impact on my life after I digest the news.

In the meantime:

The Great Thompson Hunt @ Gonzo.org, a fantastic HST fan site that hasn't been updated much lately, offers this detailed timeline of Dr. Thompson's life through 2002.

This column for ESPN ("Shotgun Golf with Bill Murray") was apparently his last published writing.


Death before dishonor; drugs before lunch. - Motto, Aspen Gun and Drug Club, early 1970s
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I had heard rumors that the great Gonzo journalist had died. But hadn't seen any coverage in the so called media. Which seemed stange since Hunter S. Thompson shaped the way gonzo journalism is today.

As a college student in the late 80's (journ. major of course) I was intoduced to Hunter S. Thompson thru a friend--reading Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas--instead of studying. That was enough to hook me forever to the Master of Gonzo journalism.

Tom Robbins comes close (Cowgirls Get the Blues). But he is NO Hunter S. Thompson.

I have enjoyed all of his books and re-read them throughout the years. I cannot believe he is gone. I can picture him in the White Shark with his "lawyer" and a trunk full of ether, mesc and such, traveling the back roads of America searching for that next great story.

I feel cheated that the world has lost such a great story teller.I feel a sincere ache in my heart for the man I admired so much.

As far as I am concerned the world has lost it's BEST journalist.

I am sure he is up or down there still scooping stories and on the trail of whatever adventure he may be on. That would be a blast! HST: Fear and Loathing in the After Life. Boy, would I love to read that!

Thanks for alll the hours of good story telling Mr. Thompson. You shaped my outlook on life and my writing.
MJ Cochran
Indianapolis, IN

7:24 PM

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