Douglas Adams – The hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy (05-063)

Ages I managed to avoid this book, which has been recommended to me several times since 1988. 17 years later I finally gave in. I’m glad I did.



The book has been based on the radio series, I’ll have to download those someday soon I guess. The television adaptation bored me and after two episodes I gave it a miss. I’m not sure about the movie.

Yet I enjoyed reading the book. I still find it difficult to read about life on several planets, spaceships, and people with several heads etcetera. But to me Adams’ humour is the most important in his book, the galaxy just happens to be the setting. The Infinite Improbability Drive makes a lot of things possible. I found out about a babel fish, nowadays more famous as a website. A Paranoid Android is known by every Radiohead fan in this world, but also started his life in this book.

Many funny remarks do have deeper meanings; at least, one could read a lot of criticism in Adams’ book. Apart from that it is a funny story, for anyone with a sense of humour at least. British sense of humour that is, exactly the type I adore since my English is good enough to not have to rely on subtitles and translators.

I admit: I made a mistake when I ignored this book for decades. I have already bought the next books in the series and I am sure I will read them all.

Number: 05-063
Title: The hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy
Author: Douglas Adams
Language: English
Year: 1979
# Pages: 180 (12064)
Category: SciFi
ISBN: 0-330-25864-8