Three of Thompson's books are closer to the more traditional New Journalism than to the pure gonzo of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. At least one reviewer has called his fifth book a novel, although the same claim can be made for most of Thompson's work, depending on what elements are stressed.

Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail (1973) is the closest of his work to conventional journalism, focusing as it does on a subject that is a matter of public record. Hell's Angels (1966) is also "nonfiction," recording several well-publicized events in the life of motorcycle chieftain Sonny Barger.

Thompson's approach to his material is almost identical in every book whether it is labeled fiction or otherwise. He is suspicious, on edge, and wide awake to nuances of nonverbal communication. He watches people closely, while he hides behind dark aviator glasses. He listens skeptically, all...