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I haven't read this in ages and am re-reading it again at the moment.

Sheer brilliance. If you've not read it I strongly recommend you read it, especially if you like science as the humour is fantastic if you have a little bit of science know how to go with it.

So long, and thanks for all the fish!

When I was at school I could recite the first two pages of the first book from memory. Last year, almost 25 years later, my daughter challenged me, and I got about halfway through the first page.

Wonderful books, although I do think that the fourth and fifth books of the trilogy try too hard to tie things together. I've only read those once each.

Take care, Ian

Loved the original, but have always reckoned the farther it diverged from the radio series, the worse it got. Never had much time for the LPs, the later books, etc.

I have a special fondness for Hitchhiker's Guide because my discovery of it is tied in with a particularly happy period in my own life.

A magician walked along the beach, but nobody needed him.

I'm halfway through book 3 at present, I do not remember reading 4 and 5 last time but I might be mistaken, it was some time ago.

The Somebody Else's Problem field is much simpler and more effective, and what's more can be run for over a hundred years on a single torch battery. This is because it relies on people's natural disposition not to see anything they don't want to, weren't expecting, or can't explain.

Was Mr Adams interested in magic perchance?

"Be like the twenty-second elephant in space with heated value - BARK!"

They don't write stuff like that any more. Probably forgotten how...

A_n_t wrote:I'm halfway through book 3 at present, I do not remember reading 4 and 5 last time but I might be mistaken, it was some time ago.

The Somebody Else's Problem field is much simpler and more effective, and what's more can be run for over a hundred years on a single torch battery. This is because it relies on people's natural disposition not to see anything they don't want to, weren't expecting, or can't explain.

Was Mr Adams interested in magic perchance?

Only in so far as he really liked Tommy Cooper.

( In the like it or loath it film, the heart of gold references this, by transforming briefly into Tommy's fez)

There's a touring show at the moment which reunites most of the original radio cast, they perform HHGTTG as a radio show but with hilarious visual aspects, sound effects are created on stage, the musicians not only play, they act as extras, do the sound effects and many other things. Marvin is wonderfully recreated as a full size marionette and even sings at one point. Cast members are Simon Jones, Geoff McGivern, Susan Sheridan, Mark Wing-Davey and the voice of Stephen Moore. The Book is played by various guest actors, Phil Jupitus is the current guest. Two days after the show takes place, the 'radio recording' of that show can be downloaded and saved - for a fee, of course!

http://www.hitchhikerslive.com tells you all about it, and the show is on national tour until July 21st.

I have the books, the Complete audio and the tv series on DVD.

I absolutely love the hitchikers guide and was appalled when it was released as a film. They failed to capture the essence of the series and true to rush through it.

One of my favourite parts is when Arthur is in the cafe at the train station and he sits down with his biscuits. It's pure genius.

Great thread.

If you know your ASCII, 42 is significant. It's the universal wildcard "*". It stands for anything. So, the meaning of life is anything you're searching for. And to think, Adams simply thought "forty-two" sounded funny. It's a coincidence just like the phone number of the flat where Arthur failed to get off with Trillian was the exact probability at which Arthur and Ford were picked up by the Heart of Gold!

For the ultimate answer to the biggest time waster in life, the universe and everything try this

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game.shtml

As well as the original books I have a book of the radio scripts. Well worth adding to your collection. Some of the directions for sound effects are very funny.

Barry

I loved the books. My son is reading them now, and loving them.

Here is a recommendation: anyone who loved the Hitch-hiker's Guide should really read Flan O'Brien's The Third Policeman. The humour is wonderful and the convoluted logic should really appeal to Douglas Adams fans.

TonyB wrote:
Here is a recommendation: anyone who loved the Hitch-hiker's Guide should really read Flan O'Brien's The Third Policeman. The humour is wonderful and the convoluted logic should really appeal to Douglas Adams fans.

I'd never heard of that, but there are some very positive reviews on Amazon...

Thanks for the recommendation!

Barry

TonyB wrote:I loved the books. My son is reading them now, and loving them.

Here is a recommendation: anyone who loved the Hitch-hiker's Guide should really read Flan O'Brien's The Third Policeman. The humour is wonderful and the convoluted logic should really appeal to Douglas Adams fans.

I read that once. I think I still have it somewhere. Very odd stuff. Like Spike Milligan on acid.