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Abtin Bidgoli
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2 January 2023
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8 minute read
When I think back on first
reading Thompson's Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream, it's
the fevered moments of paranoia &
debauchery tripping off the page like
some kind of drug-induced sweat that I
remember best. What I don't remember is
the winner of the Mint 400 Desert Race
that was held in Las Vegas during March
of 1971, but that was the original 250
word photo caption assignment that
Thompson was hired to cover by Sports
Illustrated during his time in Las Vegas.
Having said that, Thompson instead delivered a
vicious commentary on the American Dream
with himself right smack dab in the
middle. The unique blend of
autobiographical incidents with pure
fiction as a form of journalism is
called Gonzo Journalism. While in the Air Force, Thompson taught himself the basic
principles of journalism: truth, accuracy,
impartiality, accountability & the
ever-important who, what, when, where & why.
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