Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a novel by Hunter S. Thompson, which describes Thompson's chasing of the American dream to Las Vegas through a drug-induced haze. It is based on his attempted "coverage" of the Mint 400 motocross race for Rolling Stone magazine in 1973 and has become a cult classic.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is often cited as an example of gonzo journalism, a style of journalism invented by Thompson himself which blends storytelling, fiction, and traditional journalism in an attempt to dig out truths beyond the truth of the subject of the article.
The book was turned into a movie in 1998, directed by Terry Gilliam and starring Johnny Depp.
Thompson's sidekick Dr. Gonzo (played by Benicio Del Toro in the film) is based on real-life Chicano lawyer Oscar Zeta Acosta.
