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Underground > Books, Criticism & Writing >

Hunter S. Thompson Dead

The Photographer in Blowup

09:32 / 21.02.05

Hunter's dead

Hunter S. Thompson, the acerbic counterculture writer who popularized a new form of journalism in books like ``Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,'' fatally shot himself Sunday night at his Aspen-area home, his son said. He was 67.

``Hunter prized his privacy and we ask that his friends and admirers respect that privacy as well as that of his family,'' Juan Thompson said in a statement released to the Aspen Daily News.

Pitkin County Sheriff Bob Braudis, a personal friend of Thompson, confirmed the death to the News. Sheriff's officials did not return calls to The Associated Press late Sunday.

lord nuneaton savage

10:01 / 21.02.05

Are we sure it was suicide then? It wasn't just a gun cleaning accident, like what happened to that bloke from Chicago?
Either way, this is really sad news. I will be drinking whisky to the great man this evening.

Liger Null

11:43 / 21.02.05

I just heard about this on the radio. God, this is depressing as hell. If it was colon cancer or some other "natural cause", that would be one thing, but a possible suicide is something else. Although Thompson experienced more in one day than I will in thirty years, I can't help but feel as though my own lifestyle is invalidated somehow.

fluid_state

11:58 / 21.02.05

No, this is supposed to be a joke. C'mon, please? I mean, I know he's been a wreck on two legs for, well, longer than I've been on two legs, but still... his liver was supposed to finally, violently secede from the rest of his body with shotgun-force and a majestic showing of fireworks. He was supposed to die happy, I'm sure of it.

Less searchable M0rd4nt

12:08 / 21.02.05

What'd he go and do that for, eh? He couldn't just take another big pile of drugs until he felt better?

Loomis

12:22 / 21.02.05

If it was colon cancer or some other "natural cause", that would be one thing, but a possible suicide is something else.

Dunno about that. I'd rather die from a single bullet than waste away with cancer. Maybe he just got diagnosed with cancer or something and decided not to stick around for it, which would be fair enough.

Liger Null

13:11 / 21.02.05

Maybe he just got diagnosed with cancer or something and decided not to stick around for it, which would be fair enough.

I thought about that myself. I read somewhere (can't find the article now) that he had had spinal surgery recently, so that may very well be the case. And if it was, I can totally understand that impulse.

It's just that the suicide thing really bugs me because I can hear it now, "Oh well, that's what happens when you do drugs and get involved in radical politics. You just know he wasn't a very happy person inside, and this proves it."

H3ct0r L1m4

17:58 / 21.02.05

and if you ever read/listen to this anywhere else, it's a sign someone is needed to at least try chasing the Truth in the daily crap we get trown at every day by media.

I read the Doctor was in extreme pain from an artificial hip and complications from a broken leg. it doesn't help that he was a rabid gun collector and had strong mood swings.

anyway, a damn shame. the best that can be done, besides writing [which is different from getting high and monkeying his style] is reading the most of his output and handing it out to young stupid folks.

Jake, Colossus of Clout

20:54 / 21.02.05

I find myself hoping against hope that this is some elaborate hoax. I wouldn't put it past him.

More realistically, I'll be doing some 12 oz.curls in his honor and paging through his books.

Fuck. This is the fucking worst. He's been one of my heroes since I was in high school.

solomon

01:33 / 22.02.05

perhaps it's just me, but...I'm not gettin depressed about this. Even if, or especially if he took his own life. honestly, if anyone ever lived a full life, contributed to raising others consiousness, lived without self compromise in pusuit of the truth, and had a fucking fun time while doing it it was old HST. and if he was in severe pain at the end and decided to take his fate into his own hands,well... In my opinion he still died with dignity, under the circumstances of his own choosing. we should all be so lucky as to hold life and death to out terms.

but i will honour him as a rookie jounalist, to see that the truth he searched for gets dragged to light of day

Well said, Solomon.

Well said indeed.

Hastily composed tribute on my weblog - www.stereosanctity.blogspot.com

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