Paperback, 227 pages
English language
Published June 23, 2017 by PAN MACMILLAN U.K.
Volume one in the trilogy of five.
On 12 October 1979 the most remarkable book ever to come out of the great publishing corporations of Ursa Minor (and Earth) was made available to humanity — The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
It's an ordinary Thursday morning for Arthur Dent until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly afterwards, to make way for a new hyperspatial express route, and his best friend has just announced that he's an alien. At this moment, they're hurtling through space with nothing but a towel and an innocuous-looking book inscribed with the large, friendly words: DON'T PANI The weekend has only just begun.
Volume one in the trilogy of five.
On 12 October 1979 the most remarkable book ever to come out of the great publishing corporations of Ursa Minor (and Earth) was made available to humanity — The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
It's an ordinary Thursday morning for Arthur Dent until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly afterwards, to make way for a new hyperspatial express route, and his best friend has just announced that he's an alien. At this moment, they're hurtling through space with nothing but a towel and an innocuous-looking book inscribed with the large, friendly words: DON'T PANI The weekend has only just begun.
2012 read, 3 stars: just confusing and only mildly amused by it.
2025 read, 5 stars: still confusing but less so and much funnier than I remember.
At eg har unngått denne!
For ei bok. Morosam, full av eventyr, absurd. Dette var noko for meg.
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 …
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 the End of the Universe - but it's not the first thing I'll remember about the book. I'll join everyone else who's read this book in quoting the passages about the Babel Fish, the description of Earth as "mostly harmless", the funny alien names, and Douglas Adams' mockery of digital watches. Such asides from the narrator are arguably what sets this book apart.
Plus you'll understand many more pop culture references!
Plus you'll understand many more pop culture references!
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.
Forever classic
One of the best sci-fi novels ever written.
È il libro che consiglio di leggere a tutti, posso dire che ha rappresentato per me una parte importante della mia vita. Lo rileggo spesso e non faccio a meno di divertirmi ogni volta.
È il libro che consiglio di leggere a tutti, posso dire che ha rappresentato per me una parte importante della mia vita. Lo rileggo spesso e non faccio a meno di divertirmi ogni volta.
42 years later and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is still as absurdly funny, insanely perceptive and shockingly relevant as ever.
I still love the babel fish!
42 years later and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is still as absurdly funny, insanely perceptive and shockingly relevant as ever.
I still love the babel fish!
42 years later and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is still as absurdly funny, insanely perceptive and shockingly relevant as ever.
I still love the babel fish!
42 years later and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is still as absurdly funny, insanely perceptive and shockingly relevant as ever.
I still love the babel fish!
4.5 The middle-aged me is still every bit as delighted by this science fiction comedy as the teen me was shortly after its publication. Read my full review here.
4.5 The middle-aged me is still every bit as delighted by this science fiction comedy as the teen me was shortly after its publication. Read my full review here.
Beh è spassoso e divertente! Il sarcasmo è pungente ma, ahimè, la storia è citata così tanto rovinare un po' la lettura. Comunque sagace!
Beh è spassoso e divertente! Il sarcasmo è pungente ma, ahimè, la storia è citata così tanto rovinare un po' la lettura. Comunque sagace!
This book contradicts with every major realm of science I know. Physics in general, evolution and so on and yet it is marked as 'science fiction'! I doubt in its genre. Whatever, the book is insanely humorous. And those entries in the guide... oh lord flying spaghetti monster!
This book contradicts with every major realm of science I know. Physics in general, evolution and so on and yet it is marked as 'science fiction'! I doubt in its genre. Whatever, the book is insanely humorous. And those entries in the guide... oh lord flying spaghetti monster!
