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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Hunter S. Thompson (1937–2005) was one of America’s leading counterculture writers of the twentieth century and a key figure in the experimental ‘gonzo’ school of journalism, which he founded. Raised in Louisville, Kentucky, he worked for the United States Air Force and as a journalist before his first book, Hell’s Angels (1967), based on time spent riding with the motorcycle group, brought him to popular attention. Growing increasingly disillusioned with the death of the sixties dream in a bitterly divided United States, Thompson wrote Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1972). He continued to write in the coming decades, for Rolling Stone and other outlets, and was active as a sports journalist until his death. He also became well known for advocating the right to bear arms and the legalisation of drugs. Thompson died in 2005.
David Mamet was born in Chicago in 1947 and is one of America’s leading contemporary playwrights and screenwriters. His most acclaimed works include the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Glengarry Glen Ross and the Tony Award-winning Speed-the-Plow. His highest-grossing film is Heist, which he wrote and directed; his other film credits include House of Games, The Verdict, Hannibal and The Untouchables. He contributes cartoons to the Huffington Post and is also an essayist on politics and culture. He has written several novels as well as non-fiction books including On Directing Film, The Secret Knowledge and The Wicked Son.