A compelling archive documenting Hunter S. Thompson’s creation of Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, consisting of one of his photocopied working-manuscript binders prepared for Random House, a signed first edition of the published book, and two Rolling Stone issues containing reportage that fed directly into the project.
The highlight is a red three-ring binder prepared by Thompson during the early stages of Better Than Sex, containing approximately 260 photocopied sheets, each inserted—per Thompson’s longstanding practice—into individual plastic sleeves. These pages are entirely photocopies of Thompson’s working papers: drafts, correspondence, notes, faxes, scribbles, and drawings. No original handwriting or ink appears anywhere in the binder; all markings, annotations, margin notes, and bold strokes attributed to Thompson are photocopied reproductions of the originals he kept at Owl Farm.
Thompson refused to send his original manuscripts to publishers, preferring to hoard them in his basement. It was his custom to create a series of carefully curated photocopied binders that he hand-selected, paginated, and assembled before mailing them to his editor. The present binder is one of the three produced for Better Than Sex—most likely one of the first two, based on the content and absence of editorial oversight.
The material primarily spans from June through October 1992, capturing Thompson’s real-time reactions to Bill Clinton's presidential campaign. The pages reflect the raw, unedited foundation of the book and include: photocopied typed and handwritten drafts (reproducing Thompson’s large marker annotations); working titles, outlines, and structural notes; and reproduced correspondence to and from various political figures. This correspondence offers a vivid snapshot of Thompson’s network during the 1992 campaign, with photocopied letters and faxes involving Bill and Hillary Clinton, Jann Wenner, David Rosenthal, James Carville, George Stephanopoulos, P. J. O’Rourke, Ed Turner, Bill Greider, John Cusack, editors at Playboy and Esquire, Thompson’s lawyers, and others.
The binder also holds significant content not present in the final book—including cut passages, unused material, and rough early formulations—revealing an unfiltered glimpse into Thompson's creative process. Housed in its own custom-made quarter morocco clamshell case, with gilt-stamped spine.
Additionally includes:
- a first edition of Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, published by Random House in 1994, hardcover with dust jacket, signed on an opening page in black felt tip by Hunter S. Thompson, "HST." Housed in its own custom-made quarter morocco clamshell case, with gilt-stamped spine.
- two issues of Rolling Stone magazine: the 1992 'Bill Clinton Interview' issue (September 27, 1992) and 1994 'Special Summer Issue' (July 14–28, 1994) with Thompson's 'Trapped in Mr. Bill's Neighborhood,' an excerpt from Better Than Sex. Housed together in a custom-made slipcase.
In overall fine condition.
Provenance: Lot 111, Sotheby's, January 25, 2022.
Hunter S. Thompson’s Better Than Sex (1994) is a wild, chaotic, and darkly funny chronicle of the 1992 U.S. presidential election, filtered through Thompson’s signature Gonzo lens. Written as a collage of faxes, rants, letters, and political commentary, the book captures his disillusionment with American politics while showcasing his unmistakable voice—furious, sharp, and weirdly hopeful beneath the madness. It stands as one of Thompson’s most unrestrained works, blending journalism and personal obsession into a raw portrait of an era.
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