Hunter S. Thompson. For those of you who find that name means nothing, now is the perfect time to discover him. Recognised as the creator of Gonzo journalism, the infamous Kentuckian furthered Kerouac’s ‘Beat’ style of writing to new, hedonistic ends.
His foundation as a journalist started in sports, but it is his ‘Fear and Loathing’ series that have really stood the tests of time. Now his most recently released piece – The Rum Diary – is the second of his works to be transferred to the big screen.
The semi-autobiographical novel follows the goings-on at The Daily News, a newspaper based in Puerto Rico. It typically involves love, jealousy, betrayal and a lot of alcohol but the quirky nature of Thompson’s writing shines through to make it thoroughly entertaining.
Johnny Depp will once again be the protagonist, as he was playing Raoul Duke thirteen years ago, and if you’re lucky enough to be reading this from across the pond the you can go see it tonight! But if, like me, you’re over here in Blighty then you’ll just have to wait until November 11th; so for now just sit tight, grab the book and start the countdown.
Juddz' shower of thoughts 