The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
Published September 27th 1995 by Del Rey Books (first published 1979)
Mass Market Paperback, 216 pages
Source: Borrowed from the husband!
Seconds before the 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 begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker’s Guide (“A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have”) and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox–the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod’s girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years.
Can I simply say I don’t know that I’ve done enough drugs in my life to fully get this book? Or are you not supposed to get this book, I don’t know?
I knew this was going to be a bizarre read, but I think I expected more substance? Maybe I’ll find it as I continue in the trilogy. I am very curious to see what happens to this motley crew and the depressed robot at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. I was definitely entertained, and I’m curious as to what else Adams says about the meaning of the universe.
On the upside, I do know where my towel is! On to the next TBR Challenge book!
Gun In Act One 
I didn’t know what to make of this book, either. I did get some good chuckles out of it, though.
You will not get any more answers in the next books- be warned! But they are terribly entertaining, I think. It may be time for a re-read for me!
Very good to know! I’ll keep reading for the amusement at least 🙂
I read them all 🙂
This does not surprise me!
Omg THAT’S what this book is about?!? Like I hear the title get thrown around a lot but…I just somehow didn’t think it would be quite so…zany?! That blurb totally weirded me out alone. o.O
Right? Its so ingrained in popular culture you don’t even realize until you read it how much it’s referenced
This book is a bit like those Monty Python sketches — most people either think they’re hilarious and fun OR just don’t get what’s so funny about it all, hardly anyone is in between. I happen to think the Hitchhiker’s series is a good silly romp, but a few of my friends don’t want to hear a word about it, haha.
Spoiler: The answer is always 42 😉
I read this in high school for a book club at my school largely because my favorite math teacher loved it. I remember enjoying it a lot at the time because it was so zany and wacky (and just funny) but I ultimately never even made it through book 2 let alone the rest of the books in the series. I feel like this book is kind of like a joke where it’s only funny if you’re there–like it’s great at the time but in retrospect you aren’t really sure why.