The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Paperback, 309 pages

English language

Published Aug. 13, 2005 by Del Rey Books.

ISBN:
978-0-345-39180-3
Copied ISBN!
OCLC Number:
33348186

View on OpenLibrary

4 stars (65 reviews)

Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for 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.

87 editions

Comedy classic

4 stars

One of the most quotable books of all time, and the beginning of one of the few series that can out-do Discworld in terms of lunacy. It's no surprise that Douglas Adams was a writer for Doctor Who and Monty Python's Flying Circus, as parts of this novel feel like either a Monty Python sketch in space, or one of Doctor Who's most openly silly episodes.

Strangely enough, the only parts of this book that haven't become an inescapable part of popular culture are its plot and characters. Sure, everyone knows about 42, and Marvin the Paranoid Android, but that's just a flashback and a side character - Arthur Dent, and the Magratheans who built Earth for hyperintelligent mice, are not as well remembered, even though they're somewhat bigger parts of the plot. The plot is very interesting - enough to make me want to read The Restaurant at …

This was a radio play first?!?

5 stars

I had no idea! I’ve read the Hitchhiker’s books before, and I knew it was performed for radio, but I always thought the book came first.

As for the radio version, the Primary Phase is a delight. The voice actors are all top notch, especially Stephen Moore as Marvin the Paranoid Android, and the writing was so ahead of its time for the 70s (and the 80s and 90s, for that matter). I would easily pay 30 Alterian dollars a day to listen to this again and again.

avatar for pengull

rated it

5 stars
avatar for jkobyp

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Simoto

rated it

4 stars
avatar for flowerysong

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Harlander

rated it

4 stars
avatar for alrowell

rated it

4 stars
avatar for MaidMerry

rated it

5 stars
avatar for kj

rated it

5 stars
avatar for teadragon

rated it

5 stars
avatar for neontapir

rated it

3 stars
avatar for markpoole

rated it

3 stars
avatar for cocohoney

rated it

3 stars
avatar for tomchappell

rated it

5 stars
avatar for tdanner

rated it

5 stars
avatar for TedTschopp

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Jos

rated it

5 stars
avatar for jeroen

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Gorbag

rated it

5 stars
avatar for mjeaton

rated it

4 stars
avatar for neh

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Bomboloni

rated it

4 stars
avatar for RobWorks

rated it

5 stars
avatar for jkb

rated it

5 stars
avatar for secretGeek

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Ardi

rated it

3 stars
avatar for LissyStrata

rated it

5 stars
avatar for DeadDino

rated it

1 star
avatar for PinkFloydian

rated it

5 stars
avatar for bluedepth

rated it

4 stars
avatar for nocalla

rated it

5 stars
avatar for ChristinaO

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Wrench_Hex

rated it

4 stars
avatar for melanderland

rated it

4 stars
avatar for paraic

rated it

5 stars
avatar for monnowman

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Conbini

rated it

4 stars
avatar for dandean

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Rumo

rated it

5 stars
avatar for timberry

rated it

5 stars

Subjects

  • Humour
  • Science fiction
  • Science Fiction - Adventure
  • Abridged Audio - Fiction/Science Fiction & Fantasy
  • Audio Adult: Other
  • Audiobooks
  • Audio - Science Fiction / Fantasy