Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter S. Thompson was a self-described "Gonzo" journalist whose writing was based on the notion that truth is stranger than any fiction. His work consciously blurred the line between the real and the imaginary. in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, he described his writing as "A savage journey into the heart of the American Dream."

Much of his writing in Rolling Stone magazine dealt with contemporary politics, and while he was left-leaning throughout his entire career, he had an active distrust and loathing for almost all politicians across the spectrum, with the notable exception of George McGovern. His hatred for Richard Nixon was especially strong.

Thompson once ran for sheriff of Woody Creek, Colorado on a platform that advocated the legalization of recreational drugs.

Thompson was the inspiration for the character of Duke in the Pulitzer Prize-winning comic strip Doonesbury, and was portrayed by Johnny Depp in a film version of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Many have expressed the belief that Thompson reached such levels of fame because he was as a person what so many people -especially within the drug culture -wanted to be.

Thompson, a lifelong gun enthusiast, committed suicide by by a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2005.