Hunter S. Thompson was an American journalist and author known for creating gonzo journalism, a highly personal style of reporting that helped make him a counterculture icon. Thompson began to garner attention with the publication of Hell’s Angels (1967), which was based on his experiences infiltrating the Hells Angels motorcycle gang. The book led to writing assignments for Esquire, Harper’s, Rolling Stone, and other magazines. In addition to his irreverent political and cultural criticism, Thompson also attracted notice for his larger-than-life persona, which was highlighted by drug- and alcohol-fueled adventures and a distaste for authority.
Thompson’s later notable works include the article “The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved,” in which he was a central part of the story. A 1971 assignment for Sports Illustrated to cover a motorcycle race in Nevada resulted in perhaps his best-known work, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream, which became a contemporary classic and established the genre of gonzo journalism.
Thompson died in 2005 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 67 years old.