Most of us head for the coffee machine in the morning before we make our way to work, but not Hunter S. Thompson. The famous author who penned classic drug-addled tales such as The Rum Diary and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas started his day with a kaleidoscopic bevy of cocaine and several glasses of Chivas in order to get his creative juices flowing.
Hunter S. Thompson
In her book HUNTER: The Strange and Savage Life of Hunter S. Thompson, biographer E. Jean Carroll charted his daily routine.
Here’s a transcription. Note the late start – 3pm, and utterly decadent finish – 6am.
15:00 | rise
15:05 | Chivas Regal with the morning papers, Dunhills
15:45 | cocaine
15:50 | another glass of Chivas, Dunhill
16:05 | first cup of coffee, Dunhill
16:15 | cocaine
16:16 | orange juice, Dunhill
16:30 | cocaine
16:54 | cocaine
17:05 | cocaine
17:11 | coffee, Dunhills
17:30 | more ice in the Chivas
17:45 | cocaine, etc., etc.
18:00 | grass to take the edge off the day
19:05 | Woody Creek Tavern for lunch-Heineken, two margaritas, coleslaw, a taco salad, a double order of fried onion rings, carrot cake, ice cream, a bean fritter, Dunhills, another Heineken, cocaine, and for the ride home, a snow cone (a glass of shredded ice over which is poured three or four jiggers of Chivas)
21:00 | starts snorting cocaine seriously
22:00 | drops acid
23:00 | Chartreuse, cocaine, grass
23:30 | cocaine, etc, etc.
00:00 | Hunter S. Thompson is ready to write
00:05-6:00 | Chartreuse, cocaine, grass, Chivas, coffee, Heineken, clove cigarettes, grapefruit, Dunhills, orange juice, gin, continuous pornographic movies.
6:00 | the hot tub-champagne, Dove Bars, fettuccine Alfredo
8:00 | Halcyon
8:20 | sleep
It’s honestly a miracle he lived past the age of 25, let alone managed to write anything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xYoWrdce9I
