>> i think that's what he meant. certainly his critique and tim's critique of campaign journalism suggested that, these guys are missing. the real story is about nixon. >> and tim krause wrote the boys on the bus, right? >> right, right. i think what the added and, ofe course, the end of writing the most memorable accounts of the 1972 campaign. again, least factual and most accurate. i think tim's was more accurate anymore sustained a look at the media and its shortcomings and blind spots. hunter was a little more intuitive but i thought it was an astute media critic. >> i think with time for a couple more questions.

what surprised you the most while writing this book? >> i guess two things. one is i mentioned the letters. just at the end of the day i think it's hisid best stuff, you know? i didn't expect to reach that conclusion. the otheral thing i have already alluded to -- [inaudible] >> what's that? >> he wrote the letters to what, janitors, fans? [inaudible] .. the television station and grand junction, colorado. tell them about the garbage that they are airing and you know hilarious really, you know letters to sonny barger, you know letters to phil graham the washington post. i mean, it's just incredible how many people he >> it was incredible having people who wrote to the letters are incredible, and that's one

thing. i mean, i've read the letters, but after you've sit with them for a while, i think he knew that, too, he said it. these letters might be, but that was one thing. the other thing he didn't know what he had, you know? some of the stuff was almost accidental. some of of the success that she's had. you know, these were fleeting opportunities and very serendipitous, just pursuing this and then even after being successful, he didn't always realize that, that was his future, you know, that the gonzo franchise was going to be it. here is an example, i don't think i mentioned that i should have. his editor wanted him -- his editor and his agent wanted him to include the las vegas material in the second book that he was supposed to give to

random and he said, no, i don't want that stuff printed with my other stuff, my serious stuff. it will ruin me and make a fool out of me. i don't want-- that's why they called it non-fiction because he had a contract to write a book of fiction and that's why it came out separate and of course, it became the most important thing, arguably, that he ever wrote, but he thought-- he thought if it wasn't handled just right that it would ruin him and he thought the same thing about the kentucky derby piece. i think that's really interesting, you know, that a sharp guy who really knew the business, you know, experienced, seasoned free-lancer, you know, didn't see that path, even as it was opening up. and once he saw it, of course, he couldn't walk away from it and i talk about that a little bit in the book as well. probably should have. he was encouraged to, you know, to kind of shed the gonzo thing

and start writing in another mode. but, you know, it just was really hard for him having worked so hard to achieve that success and even though the celebrity was kind of a mixed bag, you know, he couldn't let that go. >> we have time for maybe one more question. annika asks, there are any future project you hope to tackle that developed out of the work that you did for this book? >> you know, the one word version, one word answer, yes. i think-- i had another idea, but the more i think about it, i'm getting advice including some from david that, i might want to keep turning on this a little bit and because in many ways, i realized, again after i'd finished this whole thing that the last three books, ramparts, grateful dead and

hunter thompson are a kind of informal trilogy about the san francisco counter culture. if you add in kerry mcwilliams, he's not counter figure, he is, but some advice from knowledgeable people, maybe there aren't enough books about san francisco. i mean, there's certainly a lot of good ones and david's written one of the west "seasons of the witch", but i think there are still some more here and i think, you know, the fact that people have responded positively to it, not just mine, but david's and others, is a sign that there are still some stories to tell. not just for us, but for broader audiences as well. . >> well, we look forward to that next book and the i think i regret the most about these virtual events, you can't go out for drinks afterward.

and so, a rain check is due to you both, david, peter, thank you so much. >> a lot of familiar faces here, i don't have time to acknowledge all of them, plus a lot of new ones and thanks for coming. really final. >> weekends on c-span2 are an intellectual feast. every saturday, american history tv documents america's stories, and on sunday, book tv brings you the latest in nonfiction books and authors. funding for c-span2 comes from these television companies and more, including media comp. >> the world changed in an instant. the media com was ready. internet traffic soared and we never slowed down. schools and businesses went virtual and we powered a new reality because at media com, we're built to keep you ahead. >> media com, along with these television companies support c-span2 as a public service.

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