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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

By Douglas Adams (Author)

Paperback published by Del Rey (Random House Publishing Group)

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

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About This Book
Seconds before 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 began a journey through space aided by a galaxyful of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed, ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian (formerly Tricia McMillan), Zaphod’s girlfriend, whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; and Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he’s bought over the years.

Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? For all the answers, stick your thumb to the stars!
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Seconds before 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 began a journey through space aided by a galaxyful of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed, ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian (formerly Tricia McMillan), Zaphod’s girlfriend, whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; and Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he’s bought over the years.

Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? For all the answers, stick your thumb to the stars!
Product Details
Paperback (208 pages)
Published: June 23, 1997
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Imprint: Del Rey
ISBN: 9780345418913
Other books byDouglas Adams
(32)
  • Doctor Who: The Pirate Planet

    Doctor Who: The Pirate Planet
    The BBC Full-Cast Television Soundtrack...
    Tom Baker stars as the Fourth Doctor in this TV soundtrack adventure by Douglas Adams, with linking narration by John Leeson. The TARDIS materializes on a planet where the age of prosperity comes often, and precious jewels line the streets like litter. Overseeing the citizens is the bombastic Captain, half human and half machine. Lurking in shadows are the Mentiads, mysterious cowled figures who set their sights on certain individuals and claim them for their own. As the Doctor, Romana and K9 become entangled in local events they are caught between the apparently insane Captain and apparently sinister Mentiads. But then the Doctor makes a terrible discovery beneath the surface of the planet, and realizes the true nature of the Captain's operations. Soon yet another planet comes under threat from the Captain, one which the Doctor knows well: Earth. Can he manage to save it from a terrible fate? John Leeson narrates this classic full–cast TV adventure, written by Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), and in a special bonus interview he recalls his time as the Voice of K9 in the TV series. Also included are color PDF files of the original TV camera scripts.
    Visit Book Page

    Life, the Universe and Everything

    Life, the Universe and Everything
    The unhappy inhabitants of planet Krikkit are sick of looking at the night sky above their heads–so they plan to destroy it. The universe, that is. Now only five individuals stand between the killer robots of Krikkit and their goal of total annihilation. They are Arthur Dent, a mild-mannered space and time traveler who tries to learn how to fly by throwing himself at the ground and missing; Ford Prefect, his best friend, who decides to go insane to see if he likes it; Slartibartfast, the indomitable vice president of the Campaign for Real Time, who travels in a ship powered by irrational behavior; Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed ex-president of the galazy; and Trillian, the sexy space cadet who is torn between a persistent Thunder God and a very depressed Beeblebrox. How will it all end? Will it end? Only this stalwart crew knows as they try to avert “universal” Armageddon and save life as we know it–and don’t know it!
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    The Salmon of Doubt

    The Salmon of Doubt
    Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time
    On Friday, May 11, 2001, the world mourned the untimely passing of Douglas Adams, beloved creator of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, dead of a heart attack at age forty-nine. Thankfully, in addition to a magnificent literary legacy—which includes seven novels and three co-authored works of nonfiction—Douglas left us something more. The book you are about to enjoy was rescued from his four computers, culled from an archive of chapters from his long-awaited novel-in-progress, as well as his short stories, speeches, articles, interviews, and letters. In a way that none of his previous books could, The Salmon of Doubt provides the full, dazzling, laugh-out-loud experience of a journey through the galaxy as perceived by Douglas Adams. From a boy’s first love letter (to his favorite science fiction magazine) to the distinction of possessing a nose of heroic proportions; from climbing Kilimanjaro in a rhino costume to explaining why Americans can’t make a decent cup of tea; from lyrical tributes to the sublime pleasures found in music by Procol Harum, the Beatles, and Bach to the follies of his hopeless infatuation with technology; from fantastic, fictional forays into the private life of Genghis Khan to extended visits with Dirk Gently and Zaphod Beeblebrox: this is the vista from the elevated perch of one of the tallest, funniest, most brilliant, and most penetrating social critics and thinkers of our time. Welcome to the wonderful mind of Douglas Adams. From the Hardcover edition.
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    The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

    The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
    Facing annihilation at the hands of the warlike Vogons? Time for a cup of tea! Join the cosmically displaced Arthur Dent and his uncommon comrades in arms in their desperate search for a place to eat, as they hurtle across space powered by pure improbability. Among Arthur’s motley shipmates are Ford Prefect, a long-time friend and expert contributer to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; Zaphod Beeblebrox, the three-armed, two-headed ex-president of the galaxy; Tricia McMillan, a fellow Earth refugee who’s gone native (her name is Trillian now); and Marvin, the moody android. Their destination? The ultimate hot spot for an evening of apocalyptic entertainment and fine dining, where the food speaks for itself (literally). Will they make it? The answer: hard to say. But bear in mind that The Hitchhiker’s Guide deleted the term “Future Perfect” from its pages, since it was discovered not to be!
    Visit Book Page

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  • Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. Orbiting this at a distance of roughly ninety-two...

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  • February 17, 2013
    SUZANNE MOORE
    Reader Review
    THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY

    I wasn't into this book the first time I consumed it, but the second time around I started to tune in to all the hidden sarcasm and jokes. I listened to it on audio, and will likely read the series at some point. Having seen the original movie years ago, I went into the book with the impression that it was a silly nonsense story and didn't expect to like it. I was right about the nonsensical parts, but I was wrong about not enjoying the book. Adams was before his time when describing the actual guide. It had all the characteristics of today's Kindle ... here is website I found that makes a good comparison between the two: The Real Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Has Arrived

    I also was excited to find reference to a Dylan song ... "How many roads must a man walk down?" ... the perfect question to understanding the universe, life, and everything? what is the meaning of it all?
    I am still trying to figure out the answer to the question ... why 42??

    Show less

    I wasn't into this book the first time I consumed it, but the second time around I started to tune in to all the hidden sarcasm and jokes. I listened to it on audio, and will likely read the series at some point. Having seen the original movie years ago, I went into the book with the impression that it was a silly nonsense story and didn't expect to like it. I was right about the nonsensical parts, but I was wrong about not enjoying the book. Adams was before his time when describing the actual guide. It had all the characteristics of today's Kindle ... here is website I found that makes a good comparison between the two: The Real Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Has Arrived

    I also was excited to find reference to a Dylan song ... "How many roads must a man walk down?" ... the perfect question to understanding the universe, life, and everything? what is the meaning of it all?
    I am still trying to figure out the answer to the question ... why 42??


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  • November 23, 2012
    SREARLEY
    LibraryThing User

    I had read this a million years ago, and as I listened to Stephen Fry's awesome narration, I remembered some of it, but there was lots of things I had forgotten. I enjoy the humor and wordplay, this is a book that is good for me to listen to -- I read so fast, I might have missed some of the really clever stuff.

    Show less

    I had read this a million years ago, and as I listened to Stephen Fry's awesome narration, I remembered some of it, but there was lots of things I had forgotten. I enjoy the humor and wordplay, this is a book that is good for me to listen to -- I read so fast, I might have missed some of the really clever stuff.


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  • November 16, 2012
    MANEEKUHI
    LibraryThing User

    "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" was written in the late 1970's, pre-laptops, cell phones, and tablets and yet in several scenes in the book the author seems to forsee these products years before their universal use (pun). The book, a very short one at about 215 pages, begins with the total destruction of the earth. One second it's there, and the next it is not, poof. All due to future plans for an intergalactic highway of some sort. But our two heroes (?) Arthur and Ford, manage to leave at one second before the critical time, and they hop a ride on one the attacking ships - from another planet of course. Ford and Arthur have a number of mis-adventures and meet a number of weird characters, some with two heads or more. And they travel to various points in the galaxy. There is quite a bit of humor, some of it rather funny and a bit pointed at various targets, such as astronomers, computer designers, probability experts, e.g scientists generally. And politicians and.....But too much was just boring, and maybe it tried too hard to be funny. I know I am in the minority here and this book has developed a bit of a cult following, ditto for the follow-on movie. I would recommend it for a student in his later teens, but not for my friends even for those with a PhD in one of the sciences.

    Show less

    "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" was written in the late 1970's, pre-laptops, cell phones, and tablets and yet in several scenes in the book the author seems to forsee these products years before their universal use (pun). The book, a very short one at about 215 pages, begins with the total destruction of the earth. One second it's there, and the next it is not, poof. All due to future plans for an intergalactic highway of some sort. But our two heroes (?) Arthur and Ford, manage to leave at one second before the critical time, and they hop a ride on one the attacking ships - from another planet of course. Ford and Arthur have a number of mis-adventures and meet a number of weird characters, some with two heads or more. And they travel to various points in the galaxy. There is quite a bit of humor, some of it rather funny and a bit pointed at various targets, such as astronomers, computer designers, probability experts, e.g scientists generally. And politicians and.....But too much was just boring, and maybe it tried too hard to be funny. I know I am in the minority here and this book has developed a bit of a cult following, ditto for the follow-on movie. I would recommend it for a student in his later teens, but not for my friends even for those with a PhD in one of the sciences.


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