Description:

Hunter Thompson Lengthy Handwritten Letter to his Friend "Freak"

THOMPSON, HUNTER. Autograph Letter, 6pp, on his custom “Owl Farm” stationery, 8.5” x 11”, Woody Creek, April 17, 1967. To his childhood friend, Paul Semonin. Folds and minor wear, else near Fine condition.

From his ranch in Colorado, Thompson writes, in part, “Freak / I’m glad to know you have a line on numerous cheap dwellings in Aspen. I’ve been looking for two months – with a lot of help & willing to sign a long-term lease – and the best I could do was a mediocre house in W. C. [Woody Creek] $125 per - & that’s at a 50% discount from last summer. / So the only logical assumption for me to make is that I’ll have you all on my hands. The housing situation here is really treacherous…Anyway, I’ve secured Craig’s place down the road…but no furniture, & I’m not going to have any time to look for any for the next two weeks. I have an article for Harpers due last week, one for the NY Times Mag. due 4/24, one for Ladies Home Jrnl due 5/1 & and one for Pageant due 5/5. And another for the Realist due 5/1. So I’m in a hell of a bind until about mid-May. / …you’ll have at least sporadic wheels if you want to move into my cave on 5/1. You’ll be plunged into a furniture scramble & general chaos… & I’ll be in a rotten, pill-freak scramble to get this bullshit done…” Thompson concludes his letter with housing advice for Semonin, using an offensive racial slur, “Your best bet is to deal hard for possession of the cabin – because otherwise you’re going to be down in the ditch with the rest of us niggers.”

Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005) was an American journalist and author who created the genre known as “gonzo” journalism, a highly personal style of reporting that made him a counterculture icon. Thompson joined the U.S. Air Force in 1956. He served as a sports editor for a base newspaper and continued his journalism career after being discharged in 1957. In the following years, he also wrote two autobiographical novels, but both were initially rejected by publishing houses; The Rum Diary eventually saw publication in 1998 (film 2011). In 1965 Thompson infiltrated the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang, an experience he recounted in Hell’s Angels (1967). The book led to writing assignments for Esquire, Harper’s, Rolling Stone, and other magazines. In addition to his irreverent political and cultural criticism, Thompson also began to attract attention for his larger-than-life persona, which was highlighted by drug and alcohol use and a distaste for authority. Thompson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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