A brilliant little window into the mad swirl that was Hunter Thompson. The narrator has obvious affection for his subject and we can ride comfortably on his coattails sneaking a peek.
This should be played every year on the anniversary of Hunter's demise.
At the core of this anecdotal piece is an insight into Hunter Thompson's energy as a human being, often misinterpreted by the rest of the world. Mr. McDonald asks for a signature from Thompson's son Juan on a copy of 'Hell's Angels' who adds writes 'In the spirit of HST.' That spirit is captured quite well with this piece.
I like the straightforward quality of the anecdote, the way the words paint the picture - you can see it happening - and the earnest way Paul McDonald says "he loved his life." Short, simple, well-written - a nice, personal obit.
In the wake of so much that’s being said and written about Thompson this felt like a quiet little haiku. It’s very straight ahead, well-written, and most importantly, it captures something of Thompson’s spirit without trying too hard. It’s short and sweet and feels personal, while still managing to be about Hunter (one of the regrettable things that happens with Thompson eulogies is that writers feel like it’s the right moment for them to try on their Gonzo hats). It leaves you with a lingering sense of HST’s intense, burning aliveness—a sense that, in light of his suicide, is an important thing to remember…. to remember that even though he was eccentric and often destructive, he was still on the side of life. In an odd way, this could perhaps be played alongside Linda Lavin’s memories of Arthur Miller, another great writer we’ve recently lost.
Comments for An Encounter With Hunter S. Thompson
Produced by Paul McDonald
Other pieces by Paul McDonald
Rating Summary
4 comments
Geoffrey Tozer
Posted on March 29, 2006 at 04:38 PM | Permalink
Review of An Encounter With Hunter S. Thompson
A brilliant little window into the mad swirl that was Hunter Thompson. The narrator has obvious affection for his subject and we can ride comfortably on his coattails sneaking a peek.
This should be played every year on the anniversary of Hunter's demise.
Emon Hassan
Posted on June 16, 2005 at 11:35 AM | Permalink
Review of An Encounter With Hunter S. Thompson
At the core of this anecdotal piece is an insight into Hunter Thompson's energy as a human being, often misinterpreted by the rest of the world. Mr. McDonald asks for a signature from Thompson's son Juan on a copy of 'Hell's Angels' who adds writes 'In the spirit of HST.' That spirit is captured quite well with this piece.
Marjorie Van Halteren
Posted on February 27, 2005 at 07:49 AM | Permalink
Review of An Encounter With Hunter S. Thompson
I like the straightforward quality of the anecdote, the way the words paint the picture - you can see it happening - and the earnest way Paul McDonald says "he loved his life." Short, simple, well-written - a nice, personal obit.
Jonathan Goldstein
Posted on February 27, 2005 at 06:39 AM | Permalink
Review of An Encounter With Hunter S. Thompson
In the wake of so much that’s being said and written about Thompson this felt like a quiet little haiku. It’s very straight ahead, well-written, and most importantly, it captures something of Thompson’s spirit without trying too hard. It’s short and sweet and feels personal, while still managing to be about Hunter (one of the regrettable things that happens with Thompson eulogies is that writers feel like it’s the right moment for them to try on their Gonzo hats). It leaves you with a lingering sense of HST’s intense, burning aliveness—a sense that, in light of his suicide, is an important thing to remember…. to remember that even though he was eccentric and often destructive, he was still on the side of life. In an odd way, this could perhaps be played alongside Linda Lavin’s memories of Arthur Miller, another great writer we’ve recently lost.