I first heard of Douglas Adams' death when I saw it in the paper. They had given him a very small section, one column and about thirty lines. I actually gave a minutes silence almost automatically after seeing the headline.
Douglas Adams was almost a hero for me, as I enjoyed all his books. I would often learn things about the way he felt and thought about things, and it would sometimes scare me. I can say ‘I never really got the hang of Thursdays’ without it being a pure quote as I really do have trouble with Thursdays. It is the worst day of my week often. I also agree with many of his beliefs, on reading ‘Last Chance to See’ I agreed at every turn.
The Hitch-Hikers Guide has influenced me more than any other book, and I must confess that my friends and I look out for the number forty-two everywhere, just so that we can shout forty-two at the top of our voices. I have found it in many strange places. I have read the book (and it’s four sequels) many times and it is still enjoyable. The only ‘black spot in his writing I find is the T.V version of the HHG. This just wasn’t as enjoyable as the book/radio series.
The Hitch-Hikers Guide, Douglas
tells was thought up whilst lying in a field in Innsbruck, Austria in 1971. He was Hitchhiking in Europe with a copy of ‘The Hitch-Hikers Guide to Europe’ by Ken Walsh. He at this point thought of the idea that someone should write a ‘Hitch-Hikers guide to the Galaxy’ and then he would be straight away to follow the advice. He then forgot about it completely for six years. In this you could say that Ken Walsh was responsible for the writing of the book.
The other books were also all great, none as good as HHG. The one that was the most different to it was Last Chance to See. This, far from being ‘The Ends of the Earth’ (the original name for HHG) was about endangered species. He travelled the world looking for rare animals with Mark Carwardine, including White Rhinos, Yangtze Dolphins and the strange Aye-Aye a Madagascan lemur. This book I highly recommend as it has some very thought-provoking comments.
So long, and thanks for all the fish, for Douglas Adams (1952 – 2001), a great author.
(the following section has been added due to complaints in the comments page. It is the same as some of what i used for another review of the TV version)
- The Story - Arthur Dent wakes up one Thursday morning (he never could get the hang of Thursdays, nor could Douglas, neither can I, mysteriously) and remembers that he had found out the night before that his house was going to be knocked down to build a new bypass. He, without even getting dressed, runs downstairs, out the door and lies down in front of the bulldozer. He is finally dragged off by a close friend, Ford Prefect, who takes him to the pub where reveals that he is an alien, researching for the HHGG, and the world is about to be destroyed by a Vogon Constructor fleet (the Vogons are one of the most evil races in the galaxy) to make room for a hyper-space bypass. The world is destroyed. Luckily Ford is an expert hitchhiker and manages to get the to of them transported up to the Vogon ship just before this. Unluckily, the Vogons hate hitchhikers. They find themselves thrown out into space with the chance of being picked up by a passing space ship are two to the power two hundred and seventy six, seven hundred and nine to one…
- The Characters -
Here are some of the main characters in the story (there are many others)
Arthur Dent Arthur Dent is the main character; he spends the entire story in his dressing gown, as a consequence of not getting dressed on that fateful day. He never gets used to being in space, and never finds somewhere to get a satisfactory cup of tea. He only ever finds happiness in the game when he is shipwrecked on a primitive planet similar to earth. He never could get the hang of Thursdays.
Ford Prefect Ford is a researcher for the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. He comes to the earth to update the entry for the planet, but finds himself stranded there for fifteen years, not being able to leave until the Vogons come to destroy earth. His name isn’t really Ford Prefect, it is a name that can only be pronounced by the inhabitants of Betelgeuse seven, which no longer exists.
Zaphod Beeblebrox Zaphod Beeblebrox is a bit of a crazy drinker, and spent a long time as Galactic President (most of his time as president was spent in jail) but became a wanted criminal when he stole the most powerful spaceship in the galaxy. He also has three arms, and two heads.
Trillian Originally called Tricia McMillian, she changed her name when she left the earth with her date at a party, who had revealed himself to be an alien. If she hadn’t left the planet she would have become a reporter and eventually working on U.S morning T.V. One of the only two humans left in the galaxy after the destcruction of the earth.
Slartibartfast Slatibartfast was responsible for the design of the fjords in Norway, reveals the meaning of life, the universe and everything to Arthur and tries to save the universe from destruction by a evil warlike race.
Marvin the Paranoid Android Marvin has been programmed with G.P.P (Genuine People Personalities) but unfortunately, being a prototype, is only capable of one emotion. His one emotion is Maniac Depression. He hates everything and everyone, moans about everything and has terrible luck.
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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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