📚 5/52 ~ The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
genre: fiction, sci-fi, space travel
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a decent retreat for sci-fi and space travel lovers. It has all the usual suspects like unpronounceable characters, weird planets, ultimate tech, and more to satisfy one’s taste in the extraordinary and beyond.
Spoiler Alert: No spoilers, ever.
1. Why this, why now 🤔
I’ve seen this book mentioned and suggested by many people in many different places over the years. Especially the tech bros, they seem to always love reading about the impossible, in this case, science fiction and space voyages.
Seeing The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy being written about in Musk’s biography was the last straw for me. I immediately opened my Amazon app and ordered a paperback copy of the Ultimate version of the book, with all 5 editions of the series. I read the first edition last week.
2. Quotes of the book 💭
“Maybe eBooks are going to take over, one day, but not until those whizzkids in Silicon Valley invent a way to bend the corners, fold the spine, yellow the pages, add a coffee ring or two and allow the plastic tablet to fall open on a favourite page.” ~ Russell T Davies
“I refuse to prove that I exist,” says God, “for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.” ~ Douglas Adams
“[…] an Antarean parakeet gland stuck on a small stick is a revolting but much sought-after cocktail delicacy and very large sums of money are often paid for them by very rich idiots who want to impress other very rich idiots […]” ~ Douglas Adams
3. Going deep 🧐
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is part 1 of a 5-part series of science fiction books written by Douglas Adams. It was originally released as a radio show before being published in the form of novels, TV shows, and whatnot.
The story revolves around an “Earthman” who gets lost in space being sucked into it unwillingly, seconds before Planet Earth is destroyed. Little did he know about the adventures to come in the vast universe, or should I say universes out there.
Everything that follows is a mix of the weirdest/most bizarre characters, planets, tech products, and series of events that hang the fate of the “Earthman” and that of the people around him.
I have to admit that I was expecting a lot and was a little underwhelmed at the end. Maybe reading the other parts will make it seem more complete. Maybe. We’ll see soon.
4. The author 😎
Douglas Noel Adams, born in Cambridge, England, is renowned for The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (HHGTTG) novels, radio shows, TV series, movies, plays, and more. He was also a script editor for the TV show Doctor Who. However, he is much celebrated for his comedy radio show on HHGTTG and is also included in the Radio Academy’s Hall of Fame for the same.
Adams started his career with a bang as he achieved the unique distinction of being the only student ever to receive a perfect ten from Halford for creative writing. After a few writing stints with Monty Python, his career stalled. At one point, he was even working crazily odd jobs ranging from a chicken coop cleaner to being a bodyguard for a Qatari family to get by.
Everything changed after HHGTTG. He became a cult icon. Even after his death, there were asteroids named after him and festivals to commemorate his legacy. He was also a self-described “radical atheist”, environmental champion, and lover of the Apple Macintosh.
5. Reviews 🤩
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Thanks for reading my musings. Every subscriber, comment, and suggestion is invaluable. So feel free to engage as you like. And a huge thanks to my wife Luisa, who goes through my writings making them sound less idiotic.
As this was a short read, I also finished reading the biography of Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson, which I was reading on the side throughout. It was my 6th book of the year. I may send an additional issue on Thursday of this week with my thoughts on it.
By the time I send this issue, I have started reading The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams, part 2 of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series. Read about my thoughts on it next week.
Book 7/52: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams.
Happy new week! ✌️
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