Douglas Adams' Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy

[Haver]

Have you read this little cracker? Short it may be, but I don't think I've ever read such an enthralling book. The way Adams manages to tell an engaging story yet not take himself and the book seriously is magnificent. An interesting piece of social commentary as well, there's a lot of pragmatics hidden in the book.

I'm currently reading the sequel.

[Kevin]

Wow, I always thought it was like really a guide.. not a book with a storyline. What's the general plot (or like the summary on the back of the book cover)?

[Haver]

Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way far a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.

Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide ("A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have") and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox - the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod's girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years.

Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? Why do we spend so much time in between wearing digital watches? For all the answers stick your thumb to the stars. And don't forget to bring a towel!

[Jon]

It's a rather silly book loaded with crazy British humor. I've read about 4 of the books. I don't find them too funny, but the story is ok... in a really silly way. They are making a movie of the first book. It will be coming out pretty soon.

[peasantlover]

i thought there were only 4 books in the "trilogy" ??

He also wrote some goofy detective mysteries (more comedy than mystery).. my buddy in middle school was really into him..

[Jon]

I thought there was 5. Maybe only 4... I dunno, I haven't read them all and I know that for sure.

[Haver]

There's definitely four.

[Jon]

No, actualy there is 5 because I just looked on my book and it says at the very top "5 novels in one outrageous volume."

There is: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Life, the Universe and Everything
So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
Mostly Harmless
and even a short story called Young Zaphod Plays it Safe.

That's 5, plus a short story.

[Haver]

I meantr that therews was defutenly 4 books,,maybve more.

[Jon]

Gotcha, I thought you were adamant about the fact that it ONLY had 4 books. We all clear now.

[DarkTower]

I love these books. They kind of drop off after the first one, but they're still a pretty good read.

By the way, for anyone looking to get these books, the edition mentioned above (all 5 plus a short story) is only 15 bucks at Barnes & Noble. Get it now before the movie comes out and it's jumped to 30.

[peasantlover]

ah, I forgot about mostly harmless. The first 3 were released about the same time though, the other 2 came much lateer.

[Pro A.]

Its five books in the trilogy. My dad loves these books. I couldn't get into them.

[Jon]

I just checked my book and I found my bookmarker where I left off. I stopped reading 3/4 through the 3rd book. I don't think I'll ever be able to finish these books.

[brudaman]

Wow, I always thought it was like really a guide.. not a book with a storyline. What's the general plot (or like the summary on the back of the book cover)?

as did i my friend...as did i.....

[Esotsm]

You are all forgeting about the Salmon of Doubt, his last book he never got to finish.

[Sendok]

Great series.


42

[WolfmanNCSU]

I love this book, and always reminds me of one of my first C++ scripts...



#include <stdio.h>

#define SIX 1 + 5
#define NINE 8 + 1

int main(void)
{
printf( "What you get if you multiply six by nine: %d\n", SIX * NINE );
return 0;
}

[Jon]

You are one elite programmer Wolf. Haha.

[Haver]

Hello World!

[plebben]

awesome series. Some of the best humor out there if you ask me.
He also wrote a book called starship titania that has nothing to do with hitchhikers guide.. its actully pretty new. think he wrote it sometime mid 90's... he died like 4 years ago though :( that was really sad.

[Haris]

I read one of em. It wasn't bad.

[MagicJuggler]

I'll see if I can read H2G2 42 times throughout my lifetime, REU 54 times, etc.

[WolfmanNCSU]

Its only 42 times in a base 13 system. :D

[Haver]

Marven looks so goddamn small in the movie. I always thought of him as average-human-sized.

[Globefishpoison]

I had to read the first one for English class and it wasn't bad at all. One of the more enjoyable books I've had to read this year. I have a friend who is nuts over the series though. I've heard so many "42" jokes before I even read the book I was ready to throw up.

[Haver]

Finished the second. Onto the third!

[Kevin]

Gr, now I really want to read it. If I had money, I'd go to the bookstore now.