3 years, 2 months ago
about Hunter S. Thompson
Who are the best current Gonzo journalists writing today?
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$1 Answer
It's a pretty high standard that Hunter Thompson set. Although the definition is only "first person, writer involved as a character in the story", Thompson's prose is so striking that no one has clicked with me as being a gonzo journalist. The trouble is, gonzo journalism goes against what one learns in journalism school. The writer is supposed to be a dispassionate witness, presenting what he observes and - if he's been around awhile - offer analysis of the events.
Now that I've whined about how hard the question is, I'd have to say Richard Engel's Iraq War Diaries meet the criteria. He doesn't turn a phrase like Thompson, but he accurately conveys first-person the conditions of the war.
Now that I've whined about how hard the question is, I'd have to say Richard Engel's Iraq War Diaries meet the criteria. He doesn't turn a phrase like Thompson, but he accurately conveys first-person the conditions of the war.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
You're right, Taibbi is good, too. It's had to get past Thompson's writing style. I keep looking for lines like "It is Nixon himself who represents that dark, venal, and incurably violent side of the American character almost every other country in the world has learned to fear and despise."
Which, when I think about it, would be bad in anyone but Thompson. Thanks for making me think about this. Apparently gonzo didn't die with HST.
yeah, Engel is good... the one I can think of is Matt Taibbi