How to Live the Good Life - Learn from Two Famous Authors

                The world of literature is filled with famous authors. Some have become famous after their deaths, some during their lifetime and some lived like rock stars. Hunter S. Thompson and Charles Bukowski have both enjoyed tremendous public attention and critical recognition during their lifetime. This cannot be said about a lot of other writers. Whether it was their natural charisma and their work, or the way that American culture works is unknown. What is known however is that these two famous authors have managed the improbable, and that is to live life like the dolphins without compromising their artistic integrity.

                Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005) was a journalist and a writer, best known for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72. He was an unrepentant drug addict, alcoholic and plain insane person. But underneath the thick layer of chaos of his work you can find some pretty strong subject matter. He first entered the public eye when he wrote a journalistic piece on The Hells Angels. After that he wrote Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and began writing stories for The Rolling Stones, and pretty soon a lot of people were finding out what’s going on in the 1972 Presidential Campaign from his drug fueled coverage.

                Charles Bukowski (1920-1994) was short story writer, poet and novelist. His most famous works are semi-autobiographical novels which depict parts of his life. Ham on Rye tells the story of his childhood, growing up during the depression era and his young adulthood and struggling with being a social outcast. Post Office tells the story of his 8 years working as a postman and Factotum tells the story of his many, many other jobs. He might not have been one of the most famous authors, but he certainly lived the life of one.