Freak Kingdom

August 15, 2018
A fresh biography of a significant period in the life of Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005).It was inevitable that Thompson's canon would eventually reach the level of scholarly seriousness it had always merited. While many of his fans are still inspired to blaze off on desert road trips, spun on intoxicants and armed with copies of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, his other important work beckons re-evaluation, even renaissance. In his second book, Literary Hub nonfiction editor Denevi (MFA Program/George Mason Univ.; Hyper: A Personal History of ADHD, 2014) carves out a decade of prime terrain, chronicling Thompson's career from his first big break with Hells Angels through publication of Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72, when he grew into a prized misfit American journalist. Beginning with the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the author stresses its impact on Thompson, whose already broad political worldview was quickly morphing into a personal mission: war against anything that threatened bedrock American principles. Whether chronicling Thompson's coverage of the 1968 Democratic National Convention, his running for sheriff as a "Freak Party" candidate, his time embedded with George McGovern's 1972 press entourage, or the eventual resignation of Richard Nixon, Denevi hits all the key events, underscoring that Thompson was a serious journalist, driven by passion and motivated by injustice. The author clearly conducted significant research; a full quarter of the book is endnotes and source citations. Fleshing out the narrative with minutiae like what Thompson was listening to with the Hells Angels on first meeting ("The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan") or what he drank with right-wing pundit Pat Buchanan when they met (whiskey), the impressive details anchor the story with the kind of texture and scope that Thompson always appreciated.A thorough, timely, tautly written, and credible volume certain to be assigned by scores of journalism professors and a great new book for fans ready to move past Thompson's alter ego, Raoul Duke, to the next level.

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November 15, 2018

Denevi (MFA program, George Mason Univ.; Hyper: A Personal History of ADHD) writes a spirited account of journalist Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005), the king of gonzo journalism, by interjecting himself into the stories Thompson wrote that resonated with people during the 1960s and 1970s, the era covered here. Colorful descriptions detail Thompson's beats: Las Vegas gambling, the Hell's Angels, the 1968 Democratic national convention, where he was nearly beaten to death, and the 1972 presidential election. Thompson turned all these events into best-selling books, especially his hatred for Richard Nixon. Denevi further shows how Thompson gained fame and the skills to write under a relentless schedule at the ultimately fatal expense of his substance abuse, including 100 essential pages of notes containing samples of the journalist's work, and concluding with how Thompson's drug use impacted his ability to cover effectively Nixon's 1974 resignation. See Joe Hagan's Sticky Fingers for descriptions of Thompson's rocky relationship with Rolling Stone magazine. VERDICT Fans of Thompson, those unfamiliar with him, as well as journalists and scholars will enjoy this breezy but ultimately cautionary tale.--Karl Helicher, formerly with Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

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