Savage Journey: Hunter S. Thompson and the Weird Road to GonzoA superbly crafted study of Hunter S. Thompson’s literary formation, achievement, and continuing relevance. Savage Journey is a "supremely crafted" study of Hunter S. Thompson's literary formation and achievement. Focusing on Thompson's influences, development, and unique model of authorship, Savage Journey argues that his literary formation was largely a San Francisco story. During the 1960s, Thompson rode with the Hell's Angels, explored the San Francisco counterculture, and met talented editors who shared his dissatisfaction with mainstream journalism. Author Peter Richardson traces Thompson's transition during this time from New Journalist to cofounder of Gonzo journalism. He also endorses Thompson's later claim that he was one of the best writers using the English language as both a musical instrument and a political weapon. Although Thompson's political commentary was often hyperbolic, Richardson shows that much of it was also prophetic. Fifty years after the publication of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and more than a decade after his death, Thompson's celebrity continues to obscure his literary achievement. This book refocuses our understanding of that achievement by mapping Thompson's influences, probing the development of his signature style, and tracing the reception of his major works. It concludes that Thompson was not only a gifted journalist, satirist, and media critic, but also the most distinctive American voice in the second half of the twentieth century. |
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User Review - pivic - LibraryThing> “I’m really in the way as a person,” Thompson said in 1978. “The myth has taken over.” This is the second book on Hunter S. Thompson that I've recently read; the first one is David S. Wills - 'High ... Read full review
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Savage Journey: Hunter S. Thompson and the Weird Road to Gonzo Peter Richardson Limited preview - 2022 |
Common terms and phrases
Acosta American appeared arrived asked Aspen Author became began Black California called campaign City claimed cover coverage created critic culture decades described Dream drug Duke earlier edited editor especially event experience fact Fear and Loathing fiction figure finally going Gonzo Hell’s Angels Hinckle hippies House Hunter idea important included interview journalism journalist Kennedy kind Las Vegas later less letter literary lived Loathing in America look Love magazine major McWilliams months moved movement never night Nixon noted novel observed offered party piece police political President produced published Ramparts recalled received reflected reporting returned Rolling Stone San Francisco Sandy scene showed Steadman story thing Thompson told took turned University Vegas wanted Wenner White writing wrote York
Bibliographic information
| Title | Savage Journey: Hunter S. Thompson and the Weird Road to Gonzo |
| Author | Peter Richardson |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Univ of California Press, 2022 |
| ISBN | 0520304926, 9780520304925 |
| Length | 296 pages |
| Subjects | › › › Biography & Autobiography / Editors, Journalists, Publishers Biography & Autobiography / Literary Figures History / United States / State & Local / West (AK, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, UT, WY) Language Arts & Disciplines / Journalism |
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