There's no doubt in my mind, none whatsoever, it's definitely all the fault of Waterstones. Now I don't mean to keep blaming other people for my problems, but there are sometimes when blame is inescapable, and this is one of those times! You might rightly wonder what the devil I'm talking about, sometimes I do too! It's about the world of the surreal, the world that I've been drawn into ever since reading The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy. And it wasn't just one book that I read, due to Waterstones, I read all four parts in one go, quite an achievement I think you'll agree.
I know what you're thinking, how on earth can Waterstones be to blame, after all they didn't make him read the book. Maybe not, but they certainly facilitated the act by providing me with the material and tempting me with a special offer. Yes, that's the crux of the matter, without this special offer I would never have bought the dastardly book and be suffering the problems I am now. You see, just after Christmas they had a special offer on, spend more than £25 on books
and get a free book up to the value of £10. Quite straightforward you may think, but that would depend on what book you got free. Yes, I got The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy. This is why Waterstones are to blame, without that special offer I would never have bought the bloomin book.
Don't get me wrong, the book really is very good, the problem is it is SO surreal. Let me give you a few details. The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy started off as a radio show on the BBC, and things have kind of spiralled from there. As well as the radio show where it all began, there has been a book (obviously or I wouldn't have written this!), a TV show, various audio cassettes and possibly a movie. The most bizarre thing is that they are not all the same, although the book is loosely based on the radio show it is not the same story and in places directly contradicts some of the episodes of the radio show, bizarre eh! But I digress (that's the books fault, I'll explain later!) back to the book.
I'll introduce you to they style that run's through the book by quoting the blurb from the back page:-
"One Thursday lunchtime the Earth is unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass. For Arthur Dent, who has only just had his house demolished that morning, this seems already to be more than he can cope with. Sadly, however, the weekend had only just begun, and the Galaxy is a very very very large and startling place"
I think you'll agree that the Earth being demolished for a hyperspace bypass is not an everyday occurrence, and slightly bizarre, and this seems to be a recurring theme through the book. Adams (that's Douglas Adams, the creator/author/scriptwriter/bizarre person) often goes off at a tangent, with some very surreal, off-the wall and bizarre happenings and descriptions (a bit like this review I think you'll agree, it's all the bloomin' Waterstones fault, if they hadn't ........) The four books of the trilogy, not my maths mistake by the way, follow the travels and tribulations of the aforementioned Arthur Dent as he comes to terms with the Earth being demolished and some strange revelations involving mice and dolphins amongst others.
I don't think I've ever read anything quite like this. It is so different, yet very funny. I found myself laughing out loud in places at some of the descriptions and tangents that Adams went off on, and the strange and wonderful things he came up with. I'm not good with words, and I know I'm repeating myself but the best word to describe it is surreal. This theme is followed throughout the books as we follow Arthur, Trillian, Ford and others through various adventures and their search for the Question, the answer being 42. (To find out more you'll just have to read the book!)
This is the problem I've now got. I read all the books in one go, and I think it's rubbed off on me, I find myself wittering on about strange subjects, going off at a tangent and living in a surreal and bizarre world (no change I hear some of you cry) For one thing it doesn't look good at work, and my girlfriend is now a horse (only a joke, I'm not THAT bizarre, yet!) I think I'll seek professional help, anyone know any good psychiatrists, or how to spell it?
"The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy - A Trilogy in Four Parts" Douglas Adams ISBN 0-330-31611-7 £9.99
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Hi Paul Liked the op. I loved the Douglas Adams books and like you, laughed out loud quite a few times. (What's the name of your shrink)Good luck Dave
nikki1520 16.06.2003 23:47
My favourite bit has always been the bit about something being "like being unpleasantly drunk". Of course, to find out what's unpleasant about being drunk, you need to ask a glass of water. Every time I read this there are new chuckles waiting to be found. The TV Series was ace too.
ranson 15.11.2001 23:10
Did you know that Mervyn has his own depreciation society? Sue
Losing your planet isn't the end of the world . . . the movie tie-in edition of Douglas ... more
Adams's perennially popular novel, with exclusive on-set stories, interviews and pictures. Pan's tie-in edition of this cult classic will include substantial extras...
Postage & Packaging: refer to website Availability: in stock
Advantages: Very funny, great characters, exciting and original. Disadvantages: Some theories were a little hard to understand, perhaps too random in places
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