# Hunter S. Thompson

> American journalist and author (1937–2005)

**Wikidata**: [Q219780](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q219780)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter_S._Thompson)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/hunter-s-thompson

## Summary
Hunter S. Thompson (1937–2005) was an American journalist and author best known as the creator of gonzo journalism, a style characterized by first-person narratives without claims of objectivity. His notable works include the novel *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas* (1971), *Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs*, and *The Rum Diary*. Active from 1967 to 2005, he also worked as a novelist, reporter, essayist, screenwriter, and autobiographer.

## Biography
- **Born:** July 18, 1937
- **Nationality:** American (United States)
- **Education:** Columbia University, Florida State University
- **Known for:** Creating gonzo journalism; authoring *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas*
- **Field(s):** Journalism, literature, screenwriting
- **Work Period:** 1967–2005

## Contributions
Hunter S. Thompson developed and popularized "gonzo" journalism, a genre of journalism and media created without claims of objectivity, often written as a first-person narrative. He authored *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas*, a novel with an inception date of 1971. He wrote *Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs*, a written work documenting the outlaw motorcycle gangs. He authored the novel *The Rum Diary*. Additionally, he contributed to literature as an autobiographer and screenwriter.

## FAQs
**What is gonzo journalism?**
Gonzo journalism is a genre or style of journalism and other media that is created without claims of objectivity, often written as a first-person narrative.

**What are Hunter S. Thompson's most famous works?**
His most famous works include *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas* (1971), *Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs*, and *The Rum Diary*.

**When was Hunter S. Thompson active?**
Hunter S. Thompson's work period spanned from 1967 until his death in 2005.

**What other occupations did Hunter S. Thompson hold?**
In addition to being a journalist and author, he was a novelist, reporter, essayist, writer, autobiographer, and screenwriter.

**Where did Hunter S. Thompson receive his education?**
He was affiliated with Columbia University and Florida State University.

## Why They Matter
Hunter S. Thompson matters for his foundational role in creating gonzo journalism, which shifted the paradigm of reporting by prioritizing subjective experience and the reporter's involvement over traditional neutrality. His work, particularly *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas*, left a lasting mark on American literature and culture. By blending fiction and factual reporting, he expanded the possibilities of literary non-fiction and influenced subsequent generations of writers and journalists.

## Notable For
- **Creator of Gonzo Journalism:** Defined the genre of subjective, first-person reporting.
- **Notable Works:** *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas* (1971), *Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs*, *The Rum Diary*.
- **Pseudonym:** Known by the alias Raoul Duke.
- **Multifaceted Writer:** Recognized contributions as a journalist, novelist, reporter, essayist, autobiographer, and screenwriter.
- **Career Span:** Active literary career from 1967 to 2005.

## Body
### Identity and Background
Hunter S. Thompson, full name Hunter Stockton Thompson, was an American citizen born on July 18, 1937, and deceased on February 20, 2005. He was a human being whose professional life was defined by a diverse range of literary occupations. He utilized the pseudonym Raoul Duke in his career.

### Occupations and Roles
Thompson held multiple professional roles throughout his career. He was a **journalist**, defined as a person who collects, writes, and distributes news and other information. He worked as a **reporter**, specifically a journalist who collects and reports information on an event. As a **writer**, he used written words to communicate ideas and produce literary works. He was a **novelist** (writer of novels) and an **essayist** (person who writes essays). Additionally, he worked as an **autobiographer** (person who wrote their autobiography) and a **screenwriter** (writer who writes for films, TV shows, comics, and games).

### Education and Affiliations
Thompson was affiliated with several educational institutions. He was associated with **Columbia University**, a private university in New York City, and **Florida State University**, a public university in Tallahassee, Florida.

### Literary Works and Style
Thompson is credited with creating **gonzo** journalism, a genre or style of journalism and other media created without claims of objectivity, often written as a first-person narrative. His work period began in 1967 and concluded in 2005.

His notable works include:
*   **Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas**: A novel with an inception date recorded as 1971.
*   **Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs**: A written work focusing on the outlaw motorcycle gangs.
*   **The Rum Diary**: A novel authored by Thompson.

### Associated Figures
Thompson is associated with **Tom Wolfe**, an American author and journalist (1930–2018), who shared similar professional classifications in the literary field.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. BnF authorities
3. Geni.com
4. Find a Grave
5. [Source](http://viaf.org/viaf/data/viaf-20170101-links.txt.gz)
6. Virtual International Authority File
7. CiNii Research
8. MusicBrainz
9. IMDb
10. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
11. Discogs
12. GeneaStar
13. Munzinger Personen
14. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
15. [Source](http://www.ubu.com/sound/thompson.html)
16. Goodreads
17. The Movie Database
18. LIBRIS. 2011