Thompson was 22 when he began work on the rum diary, a novel based on his own experiences working as a journalist in san juan, puerto rico in 1959. Juan thompson grew up in the world of his largerthanlife father, although he admits only. That said, it wouldnt be a stretch to imagine he probably wasnt the best father. Juan thompson reveals what he thinks of the father who was more preoccupied with penning a rum diary than parenting, and its not all fear and loathing but there was plenty of fear. One doesnt need to be the son of hunter thompson, of course, to feel damaged or cowed by a gruff, violent patriarch. Thompson is thoughtful, and almost monkish in bearing, and exudes a calmness that is all the more shocking when you consider his father was hunter s. Thompson, published in january i itched to get a copy. On the trail of hunter s thompson in puerto rico travel.
In the documentary breakfast with hunter, thompson can be seen in several scenes wearing different che guevara tshirts, while his son juan thompson acknowledges that his father had a perverse resistance to security and predictability, and a deliberate disregard for propriety. Supplied his resulting memoir nonetheless gives the impression that the good man in hunter s thompson was sometimes hard to. Well, he wasnt, but he managed to raise a pretty normal. Thompson, will be the stars of a doubleheader of hst events tonight and wednesday. Thompson, is notable as much for its sensitive depiction of. Thompson was a terrifying father, his family life was volatile and he killed himself with a gun to the head while his grown son was in the next room, but a. Hunter was surprised and pleased that i actually grew up apparently sane salon exclusive.
Excitement for juan thompson s stories i tell myself a journey of love and forgiveness. Online dictionaries and encyclopedias with entries for juan. 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. Thompson was born in louisville, kentucky, in 1937. While acknowledging his fathers literary acumen, juan admits his father could be drugged out, frequently absent and a bit of a skirtchaser. The stories sons tell does it matter what kind of father hunter s. Thompson kindle edition by thompson, juan f download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. This moving and intermittently fascinating memoir from juan f. For now, juan seeking his own voice, even as he can never fully escape being the son of hunter s. Hunter thompson and sandra dawn thompson were married for almost 18 years. Sean penn, john cusack, thompsons wife anita, son juan, former senators george mcgovern and. Excitement for juan thompsons stories i tell myself a journey of love and forgiveness.
Thompson was a literary force, a voice of a generation, one of the few great gutsy journalists and an absolute lunatic. Thompson had died from a selfinflicted gun wound yet almost immediately upon breaking news of his death, the new york times reported there was something odd about it all when thompson shot himself, his son juan was in the next room along with his wife and child literally moments before he died, hunter called his wife anita at the aspen club. Old san juan is the setting for hunter s thompsons the rum diary, now a film starring johnny depp. Growing up in louisville, hunter thompson was comfortable with the athletes clique in high school, as well as the hoods and the rich kids. Thompson taught him about being a man, being a father, and how even the most untouchable of characters eventually become mortal. Thompson shows the complex relationship between hunter and his son, juan. However, father and son bonded over certain activities, such as shooting and cleaning guns. Juan thompson talked about his book stories i tell myself. Sandras drug and alcohol habits led to several miscarriages. Thompson a look at the family, friends and substances to which thompson dedicated his books. Although he loved his son very much, didnt have much time to spend with him.
In order for hunter to cover the presidential campaign in 1972, the family, which now included their eightyearold son juan, moved from their home in woody creek to dc. Juan thompson was hunters only son, and he writes of growing up gonzo in stories i tell myself. Juan thompsons book tells the story of father and son, through 41 years together, and what it was like to be the son of fearless outlaw journalist and writer 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. Hunter s thompson books biography and list of works.
Thompson spends days working toward a new book, trying to make a life out of writing. Thompson, in which he remembers his childhood and formative years with his father. Hunter s thompson 1937 2005 hunter stockton thompson july 18, 1937 february 20, 2005 was an american journalist and author. Certainly thats the public image of him, and one his son, juan thompson, doesnt dispute in his new memoir about his father, stories i tell myself. Thompsons son, juan, his daughterinlaw and his 6yearold grandson were in another room of the. The midvalley venue is marking the publication of freak kingdom with two nights of events. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading stories i tell myself. Thompson, talked to reporters about his father at the jerorme hotel in aspen, colo.
He was known for his flamboyant writing style, most notably in his novel fear and loathing in las vegas, which blurred the distinctions. Thompsons son juan thompson writes book stories i tell myself about childhood and how he turned out normal. How we need the godfather of gonzo today, served up with his side order of guns, booze and drugs. Hunter stockton thompson july 18, 1937 february 20, 2005 was an american journalist and author, and the founder of the gonzo journalism movement. The next morning, as juans wife and son played 20 questions in the living room, juan heard a weird cry and a crack, which he initially thought was the sound of a book falling on the floor. Too many people think he only had to drink whiskey and sit at a typewriter, he said. He showed a knack for writing at a young age, and after high school began his career in journalism while serving in the.
His family wasnt well off, but young hunter was always welcome at swanky debutante parties, with open bars and no age checks. Depp, george mcgovern and thompsons son, juan, among. Rants, ravings, and missives from the mountaintop, 19772005 its been 11 almost 12 years since the book was announced, and we still have no news about it. Audible provides the highest quality audio and narration. Thompson s son juan thompson writes book stories i tell myself about childhood and how he turned out normal. Thompson lucidly and longingly tells us just what it was like being the only child of the notorious writer. Thompson was an alcoholic, drug addict, and hellraiser. On tuesday, it will host a conversation between hunters son, juan thompson, and pulitzer prizewinning journalist loren jenkins about thompsons political legacy followed by a screening of the 2008 documentary gonzo. In that time, he wrote hells angels and fear and loathing in las vegas, which were considered his two greatest books. Its given him new appreciation for his fathers labors. Not published for another 30 years, the book chronicles the turbulent, alcoholimbued times of paul kemp, a young american journalist working for a floundering english newspaper in san juan. Thompson and friends also stole a lot of beer, every weekend.
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