12 Authors Similar To Hunter S Thompson You Should Read Next

The following 12 authors similar to Hunter S Thompson capture the same raw energy and fearless storytelling that defined his work.

From the gritty narratives of Charles Bukowski to the immersive war reporting of Michael Herr, these writers push boundaries and offer unflinching perspectives on society and the human condition.

Whether you’re drawn to gonzo journalism, hardboiled fiction or countercultural critiques, this list promises compelling reads that echo Thompson’s audacious spirit.

12 Authors Similar To Hunter S Thompson

1. Tom Wolfe

Writing Style & Themes:
Inventive and detail-rich. Combines vivid storytelling with sharp social commentary. Known for painting larger-than-life cultural portraits.

Notable Books/Series:

• The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
• The Right Stuff
• Bonfire of the Vanities

Why Readers Will Love Him:
Wolfe’s writing crackles with energy. He brings scenes to life with the same fearless flair that defined Thompson’s best work.

Tom Wolfe’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.Goodreads.com/author/show/3083854.Tom_Wolfe 

2. George Plimpton

Writing Style & Themes:
Light-hearted yet immersive. Steps into unusual roles to report firsthand, blending humor with keen observation.

Notable Books/Series:

• Paper Lion
• Out of My League
• Shadow Box

Why Readers Will Love Him:
Plimpton invites readers along for the ride. His curious spirit and immersive adventures echo Thompson’s participatory style.

George Plimpton’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.Goodreads.com/author/show/6474.George_Plimpton 

3. P.J. O’Rourke

Writing Style & Themes:
Sharp satirical takes on politics, culture and global affairs. Witty and irreverent often drawing from personal experience.

Notable Books/Series:

• Parliament of Whores
• Give War a Chance
• Holidays in Hell

Why Readers Will Love Him:
O’Rourke mixes intellect with comedy, turning serious issues into laugh-out-loud moments just like Thompson’s scathing wit.

P.J. O’Rourke’s Website: https://www.pjorourke.com

4. Matt Taibbi

Writing Style & Themes:
Fierce and unfiltered political journalism. Known for brutal takedowns of Wall Street and government corruption.

Notable Books/Series:

• The Great Derangement
• Griftopia
• Hate Inc.

Why Readers Will Love Him:
Taibbi channels Thompson’s outrage and energy into exposing modern-day scandals with relentless clarity and dark humor.

Matt Taibbi’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.Goodreads.com/author/show/34394.Matt_Taibbi 

5. Jon Ronson

Writing Style & Themes:
Inquisitive and personal. Blends investigation with self-reflection often exploring the strange edges of society.

Notable Books/Series:

• The Psychopath Test
• So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed
• Them: Adventures with Extremists

Why Readers Will Love Him:
Ronson’s blend of humor and empathy makes his oddball subjects both relatable and thought-provoking, very much in gonzo spirit.

Jon Ronson’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.Goodreads.com/author/show/1218.Jon_Ronson 

6. Ken Kesey

Writing Style & Themes:
Psychedelic and countercultural. Weaves personal experience into fiction and memoir, often exploring rebellion and altered states.

Notable Books/Series:

• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
• Sometimes a Great Notion
• Demon Box

Why Readers Will Love Him:
Kesey’s work pulses with the wild spirit of the ‘60s. His fearless storytelling aligns with Thompson’s radical voice.

Ken Kesey’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.Goodreads.com/author/show/7285.Ken_Kesey 

7. Irvine Welsh

Writing Style & Themes:
Raw streetwise fiction. Focuses on addiction, identity and life on the edge, regularly using dialect and gritty realism.

Notable Books/Series:

• Trainspotting
• Filth
• The Blade Artist

Why Readers Will Love Him:
Welsh writes with a brutal honesty that hits hard. His characters and chaos mirror the unfiltered world Thompson explored.

Irvine Welsh’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.Goodreads.com/author/show/5687.Irvine_Welsh 

8. Charles Bukowski

Writing Style & Themes:
Gritty, confessional and often bleak. Uses simple language to explore complex emotions, addiction and the absurdity of life.

Notable Books/Series:

• Post Office
• Ham on Rye
• Women
• Love is a Dog From Hell

Why Readers Will Love Him:
Charles Bukowski cuts through the noise. His raw voice and no-frills prose speak directly to the outsider in all of us.

Charles Bukowski’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.Goodreads.com/author/quotes/13275.Charles_Bukowski 

9. William S. Burroughs

Writing Style & Themes:
Surreal, experimental and often chaotic. His narratives twist through drugs, control and inner consciousness.

Notable Books/Series:

• Naked Lunch
• Junky
• The Soft Machine

Why Readers Will Love Him:
Burroughs is a trip, literally and figuratively. He opened literary doors for Thompson with his fearless mind-bending style.

William S. Burroughs’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.Goodreads.com/author/show/4462369.William_S_Burroughs 

10. Jack Kerouac

Writing Style & Themes:
Spontaneous prose driven by jazz-like rhythm. Focuses on freedom, friendship and the spiritual side of wandering.

Notable Books/Series:

• On the Road
• The Dharma Bums
• Big Sur

Why Readers Will Love Him:
Kerouac speaks to the restless soul. His poetic storytelling and love for the open road were core inspirations for Thompson.

Jack Kerouac’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.Goodreads.com/author/show/1742.Jack_Kerouac  

11. Lester Bangs

Writing Style & Themes:
Loud, emotional and passionate. A rock critic who wrote like a fan i.e. messy, honest and unfiltered.

Notable Books/Series:

• Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung
• Mainlines, Blood Feasts, and Bad Taste

Why Readers Will Love Him:
Bangs bled on the page. His fearless fever-pitched style is pure gonzo energy especially for music lovers.

Lester Bangs’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.Goodreads.com/author/show/25847.Lester_Bangs 

12. Chuck Klosterman

Writing Style & Themes:
Thoughtful and funny. Blends cultural analysis with personal stories, exploring everything from rock bands to mortality.

Notable Books/Series:

• Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs
• Killing Yourself to Live
• But What If We’re Wrong?

Why Readers Will Love Him:
Klosterman makes you think without taking himself too seriously. His self-aware writing hits the sweet spot between insight and absurdity.

Chuck Klosterman’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.Goodreads.com/author/show/375.Chuck_Klosterman

Last Word on Writers Like Hunter S Thompson 

The above 12 writers like Hunter S Thompson each bring their own bold voice and edge to the page. From Tom Wolfe’s vivid reporting to Matt Taibbi’s fearless politics, they carry that same gonzo spirit.

You’ll find raw honesty in Bukowski, wild imagination in Burroughs and biting humor from P.J. O’Rourke.

Whether it’s Plimpton’s immersive style or Klosterman’s pop culture wit, each author offers something fresh but familiar.

If you love Thompson’s mix of chaos, truth and personal grit, this list is your next stop.

Let us know in the comments below which of the above authors similar to Hunter S Thompson you love most.