--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gonzo journalism is a style of reporting…" description: "\"Gonzo journalism is a style of reporting based on William Faulkner's idea that the best fiction is far more true than any kind of journalism...\" — Hunt..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/hunter-s-thompson-278_fiction_gonzo-journalism-is-a-style-of-reporting_2271098.jpg" --- # Gonzo journalism is a style of reporting based on William… ![“Gonzo journalism is a style of reporting based on William Faulkner's idea that the best fiction is far more true than any kind of journalism...” quote by Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/hunter-s-thompson-278_fiction_gonzo-journalism-is-a-style-of-reporting_2271098.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/hunter-s-thompson-278_fiction_gonzo-journalism-is-a-style-of-reporting_2271098.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/630/hunter-s-thompson-278_fiction_gonzo-journalism-is-a-style-of-reporting_2271098.jpg) > “Gonzo journalism is a style of reporting based on William Faulkner's idea that the best fiction is far more true than any kind of journalism...” [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gonzo blends fiction’s emotional truth with journalism’s factual base, blurring genre lines. **In simple terms:** Storytelling can be more truthful than strict reporting. Key Takeaway Embrace narrative honesty. Themes journalism fiction truth style subjectivity Mood provocative introspective Type essayistic experimental When to use this quote - news reporting - creative nonfiction - political commentary - cultural critique Key Concepts literary journalism personal voice media criticism Questions to Reflect On - What are the ethical limits of narrative truth? - How does subjectivity shape audience perception? A Different Perspective It may sacrifice factual precision for impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Gonzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gonzo/) [Gonzo journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gonzo-journalism/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Journalism Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism-style-5263267/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-journalism-2613534/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/william-faulkner/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/las-vegas-a-savage-journey-to-the-heart-of-the-american-dream/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [The towers are gone now, reduced to bloody rubble, along with all hopes for Peace in Our Time, in the United States or any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-towers-are-gone-now-reduced-to-bloody-rubble-along-with-all-hopes/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [It's a strange world. Some people get rich and others eat sh\*\* and die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/it-s-a-strange-world-some-people-get-rich-and-others-eat-sh-and-die/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/life-should-not-be-a-journey-to-the-grave-with-the-intention-of-3/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [How long can we maintain? I wonder. How long before one of us starts raving and jabbering at this boy? What will he think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/how-long-can-we-maintain-i-wonder-how-long-before-one-of-us-starts/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Anyone that is able to put a high school film and gonzo journalism together, it's like, "Yes, please!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kravitz/anyone-that-is-able-to-put-a-high-school-film-and-gonzo-journalism/) [Zoe Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kravitz/) > [ \[Ken\] Kesey practices what has come to be known as gonzo journalism. The reporter, often intoxicated, fails to get the story but delivers instead… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-z-sheppard/ken-kesey-practices-what-has-come-to-be-known-as-gonzo-journalism-the/) [R Z Sheppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-z-sheppard/) > [I've already become a mastodon in print - I don't see a consciousness for my kind of journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/i-ve-already-become-a-mastodon-in-print-i-don-t-see-a-consciousness/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [I don't think that my kind of journalism has ever been universally popular. It's lonely out here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/i-don-t-think-that-my-kind-of-journalism-has-ever-been-universally/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“The best fiction is far more true than any kind of journalism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-best-fiction-is-far-more-true-than-any-kind-of-journalism/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Because the writer must be a participant in the scene, while he's writing it — or at least taping it, or even sketching it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/because-the-writer-must-be-a-participant-in-the-scene-while-he-s/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Writing is the flip side of sex - it's good only when it's over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/writing-is-the-flip-side-of-sex-it-s-good-only-when-it-s-over/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Some people will say that words like scum and rotten are wrong for Objective Journalism -- which is true, but they miss the point.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/some-people-will-say-that-words-like-scum-and-rotten-are-wrong-for/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“The truth is that The Wild One -- despite an admittedly fictional treatment -- was an inspired piece of film journalism. Instead of institutionalizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-truth-is-that-the-wild-one-despite-an-admittedly-fictional/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [If we get chased out of Iraq with our tail between our legs, that will be the fifth consecutive Third-world country with no hint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-we-get-chased-out-of-iraq-with-our-tail-between-our-legs-that-will/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## More by Hunter S. Thompson > [“There was also the fact that sending a penniless writer to get $135 worth of beer was — as Khrushchev said of Nixon —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-was-also-the-fact-that-sending-a-penniless-writer-to-get-135/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“Cases of champagne and scotch lay broken in the street, and everyone I saw had a bottle. They were screaming and dancing, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/cases-of-champagne-and-scotch-lay-broken-in-the-street-and-everyone-i/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No music + Bad TV = Bad mood & no pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-music-bad-tv-bad-mood-no-pages/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No one holds command over me. No man. No god. No Prince. What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-one-holds-command-over-me-no-man-no-god-no-prince-what-is-a-claim/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“The person who doesn't scatter the morning dew will not comb grey hairs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-person-who-doesn-t-scatter-the-morning-dew-will-not-comb-grey/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Hope rises and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/hope-rises-and-dreams-flicker-and-die-love-plans-for-tomorrow-and/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [If we get chased out of Iraq with our tail between our legs, that will be the fifth consecutive Third-world country with no hint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-we-get-chased-out-of-iraq-with-our-tail-between-our-legs-that-will/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [At age 22 I set what I insist is an all-time record for distance hitchhiking in Bermuda shorts: 3,700 miles in three weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/at-age-22-i-set-what-i-insist-is-an-all-time-record-for-distance/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Paranoia is just another mask for ignorance. The truth, when you finally chase it down is almost always far worse than your darkest visions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/paranoia-is-just-another-mask-for-ignorance-the-truth-when-you/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“No doubt they all Got What Was Coming To Them. All those pathetically eager acid freaks who thought they could buy Peace and Understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-doubt-they-all-got-what-was-coming-to-them-all-those-pathetically/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“For several months they'd been drifting toward political involvement, but the picture was hazy and one of the most confusing elements was their geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/for-several-months-they-d-been-drifting-toward-political-involvement/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [He wandered into the Newsroom and asked for a job the same way he’d walk into a barbershop and ask for a haircut, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/he-wandered-into-the-newsroom-and-asked-for-a-job-the-same-way-he-d/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There's no point in getting into politics at all unless you plan to lash things around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-no-point-in-getting-into-politics-at-all-unless-you-plan-to/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There’s a lot of things wrong with this country, but one of the few things still right with it is that a man can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-a-lot-of-things-wrong-with-this-country-but-one-of-the-few/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) [Explore all 765 Hunter S. Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## More Fiction quotes > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [The thing about science fiction is that it's totally wide open. But it's wide open in a conditional way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/the-thing-about-science-fiction-is-that-it-s-totally-wide-open-but-it/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) [Edward Einhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-einhorn/) > [Fiction is a way of exploring possibilities present but undreamt of in the living of a single life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/fiction-is-a-way-of-exploring-possibilities-present-but-undreamt-of/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [I love writing fiction and can do it anywhere - I once even missed a flight because I was so engrossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prue-leith/i-love-writing-fiction-and-can-do-it-anywhere-i-once-even-missed-a/) [Prue Leith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prue-leith/) > [“The fiction will seek the real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coheed-and-cambria/the-fiction-will-seek-the-real/) [Coheed and Cambria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coheed-and-cambria/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [Inspiration comes from so many sources. Music, other fiction, the non-fiction I read, TV shows, films, news reports, people I know, stories I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/inspiration-comes-from-so-many-sources-music-other-fiction-the-non/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [I'm not interested in making a diagnostic novel or a concern. I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“His hands on my waist he gently pulled me n embrace. I could feel his breath on my face our lips were about to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-eglinger/his-hands-on-my-waist-he-gently-pulled-me-n-embrace-i-could-feel-his/) [Nicole Eglinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-eglinger/) > [In early drafts, one of the trickiest things for me to do was to realize that the techniques and devices that make readable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-rooney/in-early-drafts-one-of-the-trickiest-things-for-me-to-do-was-to/) [Kathleen Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-rooney/) > [I don't think it's always a sign of respect for persons (inside or outside of fiction) to pretend to be able to represent, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-don-t-think-it-s-always-a-sign-of-respect-for-persons-inside-or/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [Metafiction says something. It has to do with taking a large fiction itself and writing within it; that kind of self-reflecting writing that emerges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-coover/metafiction-says-something-it-has-to-do-with-taking-a-large-fiction/) [Robert Coover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-coover/) [Browse all 7,410 Fiction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Gonzo journalism is a style of reporting based on William Faulkner's idea that the best fiction is far more true than any kind of journalism...", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hunter S. 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