Outlaw Journalist

Hunter S. Thompson detonated a two-ton bomb under the staid field of journalism with his magazine pieces and revelatory Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. In Outlaw Journalist, the famous inventor of Gonzo journalism is portrayed as never before. Through in-depth interviews with Thompson’s associates, William McKeen gets behind the drinking and the drugs to show the man and the writer—one who was happy to be considered an outlaw and for whom the calling of journalism was life.

"A definitive biography…[McKeen] presents the life of this gifted yet troubled artist, warts and all, and he also takes the full measure of Thompson’s journalistic accomplishment…a comprehensive portrait.", "The best record to date of Thompson’s life.", "Essential.", "This is the Great Red Shark of Hunter biographies. McKeen gives us full frontal HST, horrific and heroic, the class clown of the class war. Read it or die.", "What a wild and wonderful ride Outlaw Journalist is for anybody interested in the literary legacy of Hunter S. Thompson. William McKeen hits all the right highs and lows in this fine roller coaster of a biography…A truly admirable achievement."

William McKeen, chair of the journalism department at Boston University, has written or edited thirteen books including Outlaw Journalist, Highway 61, and Everybody Had an Ocean.