It’s tempting to think of Thompson in the past tense. Along with his alma mater, Rolling Stone magazine, he was a counter–cultural babe. Seeing him still knocking around is akin to coming across an old–time sage with tales to tell from another time. Certainly, Thompson’s patented ‘Gonzo Journalism’ style – which set up the reporter as star of the show, his own emotions figuring high in the adrenaline rush of prose – has spawned more than a few imitators.

In Better Than Sex, Thompson is back following a presidential race (Clinton v Bush), a topic he’s covered before in Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail, 72. The new book’s title refers to the contention that politics is better than sex, which Thompson sometimes agrees with... on good days