Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter S Thompson was born in July in 1937. From an early age it was evident that Thompson was going to become an iconic figure in American literature. High school played a large role in Thompson’s life that would help determine who and what he would be the rest of his life. Literature, violence, and always getting in trouble were common routines for Thompson. When Thompson was in high school his father passed away and his mother was an alcoholic who could not control her wild child. Thompson was a member of the Athenaeum Literary Association which fueled his desire for literature. With Thompson always being in trouble, the judge finally gave him two choices: Prison or the Military. Reluctantly Thompson chose to join the Air force in which his political views had been firmly established. Once Thompson had left the Air Force he began using drugs intently. Drugs and Alcohol would soon ignite him and be the catalyst for many of his best novels.
Adolescence for Thompson was nowhere near ideal for a young man. However, this established many stories that Thompson would incorporate within his books and articles. Thompson had also approached writing with a completely new and innovative way of writing. He would write about his own experiences. He would not only write about one side of the story, but both sides. Thompson approached as if he were writing from the perspective of both entities. Characters within his novels would commonly have constant rambles about politics and anything that was relevant to that character. This type of writing Thompson called Gonzo Journalism. This technique would make the reader feel as though they were actually experiencing what was happening. Thompson felt that if one was to truly enjoy a novel, they need to be sucked into it and drawn to it. In one of his most renowned books Hell’s Angels, Thompson actually explored the life of the Hell’s Angels. His experiences helped grab his readers and made it feel as though they were actually experiencing the action themselves.