Kingdom of Fear: Loathsome Secrets of a Star-Crossed Child in the Final Days of the American Century

Hunter S. Thompson

Sep 2011 · Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

“Inhabiting a one-man’s-land that blurs journalism and fiction and precludes nothing, Thompson creates no finer collections of written word.” —Los Angeles Times

The Gonzo memoir from one of the most influential voices in American literature, Kingdom of Fear traces the course of Hunter S. Thompson’s life as a rebel—from a smart-mouthed Kentucky kid flaunting all authority to a convention-defying journalist who came to personify a wild fusion of fact, fiction, and mind-altering substances.

Brilliant, provocative, outrageous, and brazen, Hunter S. Thompson’s infamous rule breaking—in his journalism, in his life, and under the law—changed the shape of American letters, and the face of American icons.

Call it the evolution of an outlaw. Here are the formative experiences that comprise Thompson’s legendary trajectory alongside the weird and the ugly. Whether detailing his exploits as a foreign correspondent in Rio, his job as night manager of the notorious O’Farrell Theatre in San Francisco, his epic run for sheriff of Aspen on the Freak Power ticket, or the sensational legal maneuvering that led to his full acquittal in the famous 99 Days trial, Thompson is at the peak of his narrative powers in Kingdom of Fear. And this boisterous, blistering ride illuminates as never before the professional and ideological risk taking of a literary genius and transgressive icon.

“He amuses; he frightens; he flirts with doom. His achievement is substantial.” —The Washington Post

“Characteristically incoherent at times, yet rollickingly funny throughout, Thompson’s latest proves that the father of gonzo journalism is alive and well.” —Publishers Weekly

Ratings and reviews

I couldn't put this one down till the end. I laughed out loud and fell like I was in the car right next to the doc. Loved it and recommend it to everyone

Amazing Book, one of Thompson's best works.

Good

About the author

Hunter S. Thompson was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. His books include Hell’s Angels, Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone, Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ‘72, The Rum Diary, and Better than Sex. He died in February 2005.