RIP -- Hunter S. Thompson, 1937-2005

Hunter S. Thompson has apparently committed suicide. Although many have expressed surprise, I am not. It seems to me that someone who could live as independently and with apparent disregard for convention might want to control the moment of his death. Maybe he was tired of coping with age-related illnesses. Maybe he couldn't stomach reading the news anymore. Maybe he just figured he had done everything he wanted to do.

In any case, the world has lost a great writer. If you haven't read them, run, don't walk to the nearest bookstore or library and get Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Rum Diaries. I haven't read all of this books, but those are two of the best books I have ever read.

There have been hundreds of stories written about his death already, but here's one with my favorite headline so far: Hunter S. Thompson writes his own ending.