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The Gonzo Way: A Celebration of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Anita Thompson. The Gonzo Way. [Golden]: Fulcrum, [2007]. First edition, first printing. Twelvemo. 112 pages.
Anita Thompson pays tribute to her late husband as a writer and as a citizen, through her own words and those of who knew him best. With elegant prose and entertaining anecdotes, she reveals a Hunter Thompson who was much more than a mere embodiment of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
112 pages, Publisher's Binding
First published July 25, 2007
9 people are currently reading
1800 people want to read
About the author
Anita Thompson
23 books19 followersAnita Thompson began working as Hunter’s assistant in 1999. In 2000, she moved in and three years later they were married. Today, she is the publisher of The Woody Creeker magazine and is helping to edit Hunter’s book Polo Is My Life, among other projects. She continues to work in Hunter’s stead and live on Owl Farm in the little town of Woody Creek outside of Aspen, Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 21, 2019
This book is so fabulous.
July 6, 2008
To put it simply, there is something for everyone to like in this book.
Published in 2007 by Anita Thompson, the late wife of Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, the book is at once a memoir, advice book (I purposely avoid that phrase 'self-help' here), mission statement, and, for Anita Thompson, a way to exorcise the demons she has been dealing with since Hunter S. Thompson committed suicide in 2005.
So first, the aspect of memoir. Even those who were suspicious of young Anita Thompson's 'intentions' with their beloved Hunter can find something scintillating in this small volume's voyeuristic viewpoint into the Thompson home at Owl Farm, for who left could really know it best? As if to answer this, Anita Thompson very tactfully lends her pages to the words of others as well, close friends, compatriots, and sometimes enemies of Hunter himself, to contribute their voices as well (these including Kurt Vonnegut, Bob Dylan, Benecio del Toro, Lyle Lovett and Bill Murray).
This however, is presented with a caveat, one that both Anita Thompson and Douglas Brinkley (who writes the foreword) make clear: This is not a book about sex, drugs and rock and roll. Though these may make appearances indirectly, Thompson's goal is to show Hunter as the man she knew him to be - someone caught up in politics, human connections, and changing the world, one word and act at a time.
The insights into the way Hunter's mind works are fascinating - he seemed a man of boundless energy, throwing himself whole-heartedly into causes which he then would try to rally the world behind. His monomania was fed through rivulets of deeper meaning, and Thompson manages to depict this skillfully with select anecdotes that are at once charming, nostalgic, and sometimes all too amusing.
As for advice, Anita passes a lot of it on, hers being a volume that she says is meant to teach readers what Hunter taught her, simplified into seven illuminating lessons. This verges on the almost too simplistic aphorisms that have blanketed the self-help market today (e.g., "It's Wrong When It Stops Being Fun"), but is seemingly refreshed by the legend behind the man who said it, and to the people he is often saying it to. Hunter S. Thompson, presented in full technicolor and with not a little bit of awe, is a figure enraptured by these life lessons, and it doesn't take much convincing to see that they worked for him (and Anita Thompson as well it seems) in their own sometimes unexpected ways.
It is, however, with Anita Thompson's own writing that interestingly enough does justice to the writer that passed before her. Hers is simple and unadorned speech, straightforward (Lesson 5's title is "Truth is Easier") and never apologetic (lesson 7!).
More notably, hers is the often heartbreaking, sometimes even too honest, voice of a woman who has lost her best friend, and the reader is invited to mourn along with her, but then also to move on, and to see that the world Hunter S. Thompson has left behind is one that is still worth living, and worth living well.
"Everyone fumbles. What matters is the recovery." - An oft-quoted phrase, said by Hunter S. Thompson. The Gonzo Way is a book that is Anita Thompson's attempt at recovery, and she manages to pull it off with courage, fun and pure honesty.
Published in 2007 by Anita Thompson, the late wife of Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, the book is at once a memoir, advice book (I purposely avoid that phrase 'self-help' here), mission statement, and, for Anita Thompson, a way to exorcise the demons she has been dealing with since Hunter S. Thompson committed suicide in 2005.
So first, the aspect of memoir. Even those who were suspicious of young Anita Thompson's 'intentions' with their beloved Hunter can find something scintillating in this small volume's voyeuristic viewpoint into the Thompson home at Owl Farm, for who left could really know it best? As if to answer this, Anita Thompson very tactfully lends her pages to the words of others as well, close friends, compatriots, and sometimes enemies of Hunter himself, to contribute their voices as well (these including Kurt Vonnegut, Bob Dylan, Benecio del Toro, Lyle Lovett and Bill Murray).
This however, is presented with a caveat, one that both Anita Thompson and Douglas Brinkley (who writes the foreword) make clear: This is not a book about sex, drugs and rock and roll. Though these may make appearances indirectly, Thompson's goal is to show Hunter as the man she knew him to be - someone caught up in politics, human connections, and changing the world, one word and act at a time.
The insights into the way Hunter's mind works are fascinating - he seemed a man of boundless energy, throwing himself whole-heartedly into causes which he then would try to rally the world behind. His monomania was fed through rivulets of deeper meaning, and Thompson manages to depict this skillfully with select anecdotes that are at once charming, nostalgic, and sometimes all too amusing.
As for advice, Anita passes a lot of it on, hers being a volume that she says is meant to teach readers what Hunter taught her, simplified into seven illuminating lessons. This verges on the almost too simplistic aphorisms that have blanketed the self-help market today (e.g., "It's Wrong When It Stops Being Fun"), but is seemingly refreshed by the legend behind the man who said it, and to the people he is often saying it to. Hunter S. Thompson, presented in full technicolor and with not a little bit of awe, is a figure enraptured by these life lessons, and it doesn't take much convincing to see that they worked for him (and Anita Thompson as well it seems) in their own sometimes unexpected ways.
It is, however, with Anita Thompson's own writing that interestingly enough does justice to the writer that passed before her. Hers is simple and unadorned speech, straightforward (Lesson 5's title is "Truth is Easier") and never apologetic (lesson 7!).
More notably, hers is the often heartbreaking, sometimes even too honest, voice of a woman who has lost her best friend, and the reader is invited to mourn along with her, but then also to move on, and to see that the world Hunter S. Thompson has left behind is one that is still worth living, and worth living well.
"Everyone fumbles. What matters is the recovery." - An oft-quoted phrase, said by Hunter S. Thompson. The Gonzo Way is a book that is Anita Thompson's attempt at recovery, and she manages to pull it off with courage, fun and pure honesty.
March 3, 2021
A short review for a short book. I was hoping for some wisdom....some things I didn’t know before I read the book. Unfortunately, I was not able to mine very much. I also found it to be somewhat repetitive which was amplified by its limited length. Selah.
August 10, 2007
After reading this grear account of Hunter S. Thompson and the lessons he taught his young wife, Anita Thompson, I've started to take a good long look at the tenets that guide my life. You may not find it to be the best book - but the core lessons she's discussing are valuable... part of the message was an attempt to debunk the view that Hunter was just a drug-crazed, gun-toting lunatic. He was a genius that never stopped learning - and a man that had a large community of life-long friends. I was one of the readings that only knew this - but there are plenty of hippie-ass, bastard swine, out-of-control, nut-job, ne'er do well freaks that need to understand this exact message.
... enjoy.
... enjoy.
January 8, 2013
This was a beautiful piece of work. Anita Thompson, the widow of the great Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, took the loss of Hunter and continued sharing his legacy. With the seven lessons of Gonzo, she crafts a wonderfully beautiful love letter to not only her late husband, but to his legion of fans and others who choose to live the Gonzo lifestyle. She explains who The Doctor was, far beyond Fear & Loathing, Mrs. Thompson takes us inside Owl Farm and the life Hunter lived away from the cameras. We all should be so fortunate to have something so great written about our lives.
May 29, 2022
A lovely ode to HST by the amazing Anita Thompson.
To the author:
It was grand to meet you, Anita; thanks for the inspiring words, signing my copy of your book, and sharing all the memories as we sat in the kitchen at Owl Farm together nearly five years ago. It was truly an honor, and I am one of your and your late husband's biggest fans, respectively.
Okay for now,
jh
To the author:
It was grand to meet you, Anita; thanks for the inspiring words, signing my copy of your book, and sharing all the memories as we sat in the kitchen at Owl Farm together nearly five years ago. It was truly an honor, and I am one of your and your late husband's biggest fans, respectively.
Okay for now,
jh
June 15, 2017
"The unfortunate truth of losing a loved one is that, yes, those memories fade. But something interesting also happens: we begin to learn more about ourselves."
November 15, 2017
Nice tribute to HST
July 1, 2025
This book was, unexpectedly, my first introduction to Hunter S. Thompson. While it strips away much of his larger-than-life persona, it does so through the intimate lens of his wife, Anita, who writes about him with a tender, unembellished kind of admiration.
My favorite insights came from the chapter “Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride,” which explores fear in all its forms. I have spent much of my life in fear, and it has held me back. These messages will stay with me, and maybe I can be braver because of Hunter S. Thompson. Being honest and true to yourself, he said, is essential to living authentically.
“In the pantheon of American writers, they’re perhaps the greatest students and champions of freedom. It’s very possible that both decided to become writers not just because they had a talent for it, but because of what the life of a writer, if handled properly, could offer: freedom. Writing is perhaps the only profession you can choose where you can live a totally free life and still earn a living; you can go anywhere you want and do or be anything you want, as long as you write about it.”
“I think he learned that fear is the anti-freedom because as we gain freedom, which is the opposite of security, we also reap fear. And fear can drive us away from freedom in a hurry. That, I believe, is why Hunter spent so much of his life fighting fear and teaching others how to do the same: how to slay that dragon.”
“There is nothing more inhibiting or crippling to freedom than fear. Needless to say, fear is necessary—imagine if a wild beast had no fear,” Hunter once said. And he had it right; fear is necessary, but if gone unchecked, it will make you constantly seek safety, which to Hunter is the same as being in prison. “My life is the polar opposite of safe, but I am proud of it,” Hunter explained.
“Confidence is crucial. He told me so. There is nothing in human life more crippling than fear. Yes, a healthy amount of it is important. But giving it too much importance is unhealthy. Never, ever take yourself too seriously. If you do, you start thinking you have too much to lose, so you start to fear that loss; you lose your freedom. Nowhere was this lesson more evident than in Hunter’s attitude toward his own writing.”
The way Anita described her grief was raw and genuine. I could feel her pain and her need to turn it into something she could offer the world. From this memoir, he seems like a true renaissance man. I see some of myself in him, though a much quieter version. From his lesson, “Never Stop Learning”, I find I’ve always done this - but it reminds me how important it is to never stop, and what new areas I can apply this to. I’ve always wanted to learn everything I can, even subjects that don’t obviously apply to my life, simply because I feel compelled to understand them.
He was larger than life, and before I dive deeper into his books and story, what I know for sure is that he was loved, and he lived more fully than most people ever will. Next, I need to read Hell’s Angels and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
I genuinely enjoyed this short read. To live the Gonzo Way is to reject conformity and resist the pressure to play it safe. It means living vividly, courageously, and unapologetically…never letting fear or other people’s expectations shrink your life. Never stop learning. The truth is easier - in your own authenticity and how you present to others. Maybe more importantly, in truths you tell yourself.
Never apologize, never explain. Mahalo.
My favorite insights came from the chapter “Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride,” which explores fear in all its forms. I have spent much of my life in fear, and it has held me back. These messages will stay with me, and maybe I can be braver because of Hunter S. Thompson. Being honest and true to yourself, he said, is essential to living authentically.
“In the pantheon of American writers, they’re perhaps the greatest students and champions of freedom. It’s very possible that both decided to become writers not just because they had a talent for it, but because of what the life of a writer, if handled properly, could offer: freedom. Writing is perhaps the only profession you can choose where you can live a totally free life and still earn a living; you can go anywhere you want and do or be anything you want, as long as you write about it.”
“I think he learned that fear is the anti-freedom because as we gain freedom, which is the opposite of security, we also reap fear. And fear can drive us away from freedom in a hurry. That, I believe, is why Hunter spent so much of his life fighting fear and teaching others how to do the same: how to slay that dragon.”
“There is nothing more inhibiting or crippling to freedom than fear. Needless to say, fear is necessary—imagine if a wild beast had no fear,” Hunter once said. And he had it right; fear is necessary, but if gone unchecked, it will make you constantly seek safety, which to Hunter is the same as being in prison. “My life is the polar opposite of safe, but I am proud of it,” Hunter explained.
“Confidence is crucial. He told me so. There is nothing in human life more crippling than fear. Yes, a healthy amount of it is important. But giving it too much importance is unhealthy. Never, ever take yourself too seriously. If you do, you start thinking you have too much to lose, so you start to fear that loss; you lose your freedom. Nowhere was this lesson more evident than in Hunter’s attitude toward his own writing.”
The way Anita described her grief was raw and genuine. I could feel her pain and her need to turn it into something she could offer the world. From this memoir, he seems like a true renaissance man. I see some of myself in him, though a much quieter version. From his lesson, “Never Stop Learning”, I find I’ve always done this - but it reminds me how important it is to never stop, and what new areas I can apply this to. I’ve always wanted to learn everything I can, even subjects that don’t obviously apply to my life, simply because I feel compelled to understand them.
He was larger than life, and before I dive deeper into his books and story, what I know for sure is that he was loved, and he lived more fully than most people ever will. Next, I need to read Hell’s Angels and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
I genuinely enjoyed this short read. To live the Gonzo Way is to reject conformity and resist the pressure to play it safe. It means living vividly, courageously, and unapologetically…never letting fear or other people’s expectations shrink your life. Never stop learning. The truth is easier - in your own authenticity and how you present to others. Maybe more importantly, in truths you tell yourself.
Never apologize, never explain. Mahalo.
March 24, 2018
The way HST lived his life has always inspired me. There were times when I would read his words about freedom and security and I would be ashamed that although they resonated with me so strongly, I had too much fear to act on them. I feel that has become less and less the case as I have begun to learn how to live my life on my own terms. I think I still have a ways to go, but I am getting closer. So there is lots of good wisdom in this book, some of which I’ve already internalized on my own, and some of which I need reminders of. The biggest of that latter category is the final lesson of this book: never apologize, never explain.
December 11, 2023
A touching eulogy for her late husband from Hunter S. Thompson's widow Anita, in the rather unexpected (to me, anyway) format of a pop-psychology self-help advice book with 7 tips for living the Gonzo life according to Hunter's personal ethos. There are some great anecdotes in here, some very interesting insight into what exactly living with a chaotic force like Hunter Thompson would actually entail. The key takeaway I got from this book was the description Anita says Hunter used for himself frequently - that he considered himself to be "a teenage girl in the body of an elderly dope fiend." Explains a lot.
May 23, 2017
Some interesting snippets, but mainly just rather self indulgent...
July 6, 2018
Short, sweet, and enjoyable. I read this following Ralph Steadman's The Joke's Over. It was interesting getting another point of view from someone who was close to HST.
October 22, 2018
Gonzo Greatness!
May 3, 2021
It did motivate me to read Hunter Thompson.
January 18, 2022
Interesting book about the life of Hunter Thompson written by his wife.
September 12, 2020
A much appreciated, personal exploration of the core philosophy of Hunter S Thompsons life.
April 8, 2008
I've long been skeptical of Anita Thompson and her role in the late-HST's estate. I didn't know her the way I knew Thompson from his writing, so in my mind I thought of her as just some gold-digger who at least gave the good doctor some sex now and then.
This book completely changed my perspective. In it, Anita Thompson emerges as an advocate for what I regard as "pure" HST -- stripped of the hypercaricature. Early on she correctly admonishes those who read HST for the drug references and advises them not to read on, because she's now going to talk about the HST they imagine, she's going to talk about the HST she knew.
And having read almost everything he's ever written, I have to agree: Anita knew HST well. It was a pleasure to read this book and get to know him a little better through her. It sits proudly on my shelf next to the Good Doctor's work.
This book completely changed my perspective. In it, Anita Thompson emerges as an advocate for what I regard as "pure" HST -- stripped of the hypercaricature. Early on she correctly admonishes those who read HST for the drug references and advises them not to read on, because she's now going to talk about the HST they imagine, she's going to talk about the HST she knew.
And having read almost everything he's ever written, I have to agree: Anita knew HST well. It was a pleasure to read this book and get to know him a little better through her. It sits proudly on my shelf next to the Good Doctor's work.
November 12, 2008
In this concise volume, Anita Thompson gives us a glimpse of her time with The Good Doctor and father of Gonzo journalism, and distills his thoughts on living into seven essential lessons. I found some of these lessons to be more motivating than certain self-help books I've read.
Having met Anita in the Pitkin County Library and considering the immense influence her late husband had on this community, I thought this title would be a good starting point for this online group.
Note: Die-hard Gonzo fans shouldn't expect a dissertation on his journalistic style or an exhaustive biography here. There are plenty of other books out there to satisfy such needs.
- Audrey
Having met Anita in the Pitkin County Library and considering the immense influence her late husband had on this community, I thought this title would be a good starting point for this online group.
Note: Die-hard Gonzo fans shouldn't expect a dissertation on his journalistic style or an exhaustive biography here. There are plenty of other books out there to satisfy such needs.
- Audrey
September 29, 2008
A slim, sweet ode to HST from his wife. Not really heavy hitting or deep, but there are lots of fun stories about Hunter and the life lessons he taught Anita during their few years together. I was hesitant to read it initially, mostly because I wasn't sure what to think of Anita- much younger, only with Hunter for the last few years of his life- and now writing a book about their experiences smacked of trying to cash in on his fame. However, she comes across as genuine in her adoration of the Doctor and her desire to continue his teachings. Worth reading for anyone who wants a little gonzo in their lives...
February 23, 2010
I found this book mostly superfluous, light on content and little more than a tribute to the late HST. However, that said, it does make a nice colelctor's item as it has a very pleasing hardcover binding and wonerful caligraphy marking each chapter and chapter segment. The book mostly exposits on what Anita saw as Hunter's philosophy on life. I didn't find it preachy, so I'll give it that. I can't attribute it as much more than a collector's item though because of it's short length. For the price though it will look nice on your shelf. Get only if you're a HST addict.
August 11, 2007
I met Anita about a week and a half ago at a local independent bookstore here in downtown Denver. I got my book signed and all that good junk, but what really got to me was how she still talked about Hunter, and was willing to talk to me a little more about him after everyone had left. She is a great person and this book is an excellent little Gonzo handbook. I think hunter would be proud to have this book next to his on the bookshelves.
December 30, 2019
A heartfelt account of Anita Thompson's time with Hunter, this book concentrates on the time since they met until after his death. It shows a unique perspective on the good ol Doctor and his ways and is very, very different to anything else I've read or watched about him. I can see why it might prove unpopular with hardcore HST fans, but I felt this account humanised him from the self confessed character he became to a lot of people. Definitely worth a read.
April 18, 2008
Being a rather obsessed HST fan, I jumped on going to watch Anita Thompson lecture at a bookstore in Denver. You could feel the emotion in her voice and how writing this helped her cope. An interesting view into the life of HST how Anita knew him and the life lessons that she learned and is trying to carry on.
August 20, 2008
Wonderful tales and life lessons from Hunter S Thompson as told by his young widow.
Not every HST fan will appreciate the more lucid stories and advice - likewise some of those who are not fans of Hunters famous drug fulled musings will love this little gem. The litte red book of Gonzo.
In short: buy the ticket, take the ride. You will not regret it.
Not every HST fan will appreciate the more lucid stories and advice - likewise some of those who are not fans of Hunters famous drug fulled musings will love this little gem. The litte red book of Gonzo.
In short: buy the ticket, take the ride. You will not regret it.
December 8, 2010
Mostly a curated collection of quotes about the late great Gonzo himself. Interesting perspective into his non-public side, but I think it fails to live up to the preface and introduction which claim it will delve into his forays in philosophy.
Read the whole book between 2:30 PM and 10 PM, mostly while waiting for my car to be towed.
Read the whole book between 2:30 PM and 10 PM, mostly while waiting for my car to be towed.
October 5, 2015
I do think a wife can contribute to her deceased husband's legacy for her love is a part of his passion for life and his work. Who would better know the man than his intimate confidant. I loved the tales and life lessons of Dr. Thompson told through his widow's eyes. I enjoyed the book so much and for this HST fan getting one more opportunity to partake and discuss. A good read.
December 15, 2015
I received this a first read. I really enjoyed this book. I definitely learned more about Hunter Thompson from this book. The author put a lot of interesting things in this short novel. I did find it interesting to read this from his widow who definitely used this book to work through her thoughts. That is why I found it interesting you could almost see the process she was going through.
May 3, 2011
Hunter's wife attempts to capitalize on his death in this meandering drivel by glossing over everything that made him a visionary, attempting to idealize him, and all while regurgitating a crap imitation of his writing style.
January 4, 2008
While not a great book, it did remind me of a few of life's lessons. If it isn't fun, you're not doing it right and life should be lived loudly and without explaining yourself. Good enough.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews