The deep vein of humor, cynicism and politics that run throughout his work ensure that his anti-authoritarian back-catalogue is as relevant today as it was when it was originally published. His unique fiery character and failure to conform to the journalistic practices of the time add to his longevity, coupled with the signature image of Aviator sunglasses, cigarette holder, eclectic shirt collection and bucket hat only contribute to his iconic status.
Credited as the inventor of 'Gonzo' journalism; a style of writing where the author completely immerses himself in the subject to the extent they become an integral part of the story-line, often including exaggerations for comic effect or greater moral impact. Gonzo journalism entered popular culture with the Tommpson's infamous book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream in 1972 which primary theme explores the death of the American Dream and the end of the 60's 'Love Generation' through a surreal and satirical tour of the sleaze capital of the world fueled by an arsenal of drugs and alcohol. The book not only introduced Thompson's wild literary persona and alter-ego, Raoul Duke but also became a benchmark of Thompson's chaotic style and set the tone for a high majority of his later work; daringly original, fiercely humorous but deadly serious at it's core.
From the opening paragraph, the book puts the reader under no illusions of the outrageous trip they are about to undertake -
"We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the dessert when the drugs began to take hold. I remember saying something like "I feel a bit lightheaded; maybe you should drive..." And suddenly there was a terrible roar all round the car, which was going about a hundred miles an hour with the top down to Las Vegas. And a voice was screaming: "Holy Jesus! What are these goddamn animals?"
For a man who famously said "I'd hate to advocate drugs, violence or insanity to anyone but they've always worked for me." it's no surprise Thompson was a lifelong advocate of the legalisation of drugs, Thompson's liberal approach although hallmark of his work, occasionally garnered attention away from the sheer quality of his brutal critique of the world as he saw it. The 2003 documentary Breakfast with Hunter details his daily routine for beginning the day (at 12 noon) in typical Hunter style -
"The food factor should always be massive: four Bloody Marys, two grapefruits, a pot of coffee, Rangoon crêpes, a half-pound of either sausage, bacon, or corned-beef hash with diced chilies, a Spanish omelette or eggs Benedict, a quart of milk, a chopped lemon for random seasoning, and something like a slice of key lime pie, two margaritas and six lines of the best cocaine for dessert... Right, and there should also be two or three newspapers, all mail and messages, a telephone, a notebook for planning the next twenty-four hours, and at least one source of good music... all of which should be dealt with outside, in the warmth of a hot sun, and preferably stone naked."
A number of critics have argued that as Thompson grew older the line that distinguished him from his literary persona became increasingly blurred. He admitted during a 1978 BBC interview that he occasionally felt pressured to live up to the fictional self that he had created, adding "I'm never sure which one people expect me to be. Very often, they conflict — most often, as a matter of fact. ...I'm leading a normal life and right along side me there is this myth, and it is growing and mushrooming and getting more and more warped. When I get invited to, say, speak at universities, I'm not sure if they are inviting Duke or Thompson. I'm not sure who to be."
Still, his well documented drug use doesn't retract from his credibility as an important author. His enduring legacy is evident in that his work is continually championed by critics, academics and students alike. Countless university essays dissect his material on a regular basis in addition to long-time compatriot and collaborator Ralph Steadman's manic artwork adorning many a dorm around the globe.
This month sees the release of film adaptation of The Rum Diary, which was written in the early 1961 but not published until 1998. Johnny Depp features as Thompson's semi-autobiographical character, Paul Kemp as he did with Raoul Duke in 1998's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Set in the last '50s, the plot revolves around journalist Paul Kemp, who frustrated with the city and the country itself under the Eisenhower administration, relocates from New York to San Juan, Puerto Rico to work for a major newspaper, the San Juan Star. There he develops an intense habit of drinking rum (naturally) and and becomes infatuated and obsessed with prominent businessman Sanderson's (Aaron Eckhart) fiancee, Chenault (Amber Heard).
Thompson based the novel on the people he met and befriended while working as writer for an doomed sports newspaper in Puerto Rico. Thompson had unsuccessfully applied to work at the larger English-language daily the San Juan Star while novelist William J. Kennedy was the editor. While on the island, Thompson became close with many of the newspaper's staff and provided him with the basis for the novel.
The main characters are a standard of Thompson's work; violent, maniacal and alcoholic and stumbling through life. The novel is written in a typical highly paced style which pre-dates his later 'Gonzo' work yet still holds an authentic Hunter S. Thompson feel. Although he was only 22 when he wrote the story, it deals extensively with a fear of 'going over the hill' and growing old, as laid out in the following exert -
"Like most of the others, I was a seeker, a mover, a malcontent, and at times a stupid hell-raiser. I was never idle long enough to do much thinking, but I felt somehow that my instincts were right. I shared a vagrant optimism that some of us were making real progress, that we had taken an honest road, and that the best of us would inevitably make it over the top. At the same time, I shared a dark suspicion that the life we were leading was a lost cause, that we were all actors, kidding ourselves along on a senseless odyssey. It was the tension between these two poles - a restless idealism on one hand and a sense of impending doom on the other - that kept me going."
Thompson continued to write until his death at his home in Woody Creek, Colorado on February 20, 2005 caused by self-inflicted gunshot to the head, he was 67. He left a suicide note which read -
"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."
His ashes, as was his final wish were launched from a cannon perched on top of a 153-foot Gonzo insignia (a double-thumbed fist clutching a peyote button) to the tune of Norman Greenbaum's 'Spirit in the Sky' and Bob Dylan's 'Mr. Tambourine Man' along with a collection of red, white, blue and green fireworks.
The fact that we are still talking about Hunter S. Thompson proves that despite all the controversy that followed him throughout his career, the longevity of his vicious critique remains pertinent, many of the names and faces have changed but the problems are still as big as they ever were. Thompson never apoligised for saying it way it is or at least the way he saw it; a mantra that if widely practiced he believed would make the world a better place. Maybe it would, maybe it wouldn't but one thing is for sure, the world is certainly a lesser place without him on it.
