Henry V -
Henry V (r. 1413–1422) was one of the most successful and renowned warrior kings in English history, best known for his decisive victory at the during the Hundred Years' War . His short nine-year reign was defined by military conquest, the consolidation of English national identity, and his immortalization in William Shakespeare's history play Henry V . Historical Background and Rise to Power
: Born as Henry of Monmouth in 1386/7, he was the eldest son of Henry IV. He gained early military experience fighting rebels in Wales and at the Battle of Shrewsbury (1403), where he famously survived being struck in the face by an arrow. Henry V
: Upon his father's death in 1413, he took the throne and immediately worked to unify the English nobility, while also promoting the use of the English language in government records for the first time. The Conquest of France Henry V (r
“this is alas just another film that panders to the image Thompson himself tried to shirk – the reckless buffoon that is more at home on fraternity posters than library shelves. It is a missed opportunity to take the man seriously.”
This is an excellent summary on the attitude of the seeming majority of HST ‘admirers’.
It just makes me think that they read Fear and Loathing, looked up similar stories of HST’s unhinged behaviour and didn’t bother with the rest of his work.
There is such a raw, human element of Thompsons work, showing an amazing mind, sense of humour, critical thinking and an uncanny ability to have his finger on the pulse of many issues of his time.
Booze feature prominently in most of his writing and he is always flirting with ‘the edge’, but this obsession with remembering him more as Raoul Duke and less as Hunter Thompson, is a sad reflection of most ‘fans’; even if it was a self inflicted wound by Thompson himself.