By: HISTORY.com Editors
“Rolling Stone” publishes ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ articles
On November 11, 1971, Rolling Stone magazine publishes journalist Hunter S. Thompson’s most famous work: a two-part, semifictional account of his time covering an off-road desert race in Las Vegas—while tripping on LSD and contemplating the death of the American Dream.
“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream” follows Thompson’s character (Raoul Duke) and lawyer/civil rights activist Oscar Acosta (Dr. Gonzo) on a massive drug bender through the desert, evading police, paranoia and a ridiculously expensive room service bill.
Thompson pieced the story together from excerpts and interviews during his time covering the Mint 400 and the National District Attorneys Association's Conference on Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs as well as his personal experience and conversations with locals. Using the writer’s uniquely high-octane, decidedly non-objective writing style dubbed “Gonzo journalism,” Thompson took aim at 1960s counterculture, the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon and the identity crisis facing a disillusioned American populace at the time.
The articles, later adapted into both a book and a film, are considered by many to be Thompson’s magnum opus and a shining achievement for participatory reporting, or “new journalism.”
The 1970s
The 1970s are famous for bell-bottoms and the rise of disco, but it was also an era of economic struggle, cultural change and technological innovation.
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Citation Information
- Article Title
- “Rolling Stone” publishes ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ articles
- Author
- HISTORY.com Editors
- Website Name
- History
- Date Accessed
- November 05, 2026
- Publisher
- A&E Television Networks
- Last Updated
- November 05, 2026
- Original Published Date
- November 08, 2024
