The Milky Way Galaxy, is in a state of confusion, the dozen Universes , ( you didn't know, there are more than one?), have exploded into each other. Nothing is what it was, historians have quit, what's the point, everything keeps on changing, since history is so fluid. Tricia McMillan (Trillian , in another existence} , is not happy, the television anchor is back in England, after an unsuccessful job interview in New York City, at ten times more money too! Dead tired from the overnight flight, she can barely walk to her house, but her odd gardener, Eric Bartlett, points out strange marks on Tricia's lawn, space aliens undoubtedly, and being polite, pretends to care and listen . This interesting conversation must end soon, or she'll keel over, at last, the bed. Next day, Tricia can figure out what to do with the rest of her life, then the aliens land, in the back yard.Three thin, green figures, come down from their small craft, Grebulons, on a reconnaissance mission, would she like to visit them, on Rupert, (Persephone)? The elusive Planet X, in the solar system, that astronomers have sought for many years. The tenth planet, counting in this world, mighty little Pluto, restored to its proper place, in the cosmos ! Before departing the unexpected guests, deny kidnapping Elvis, they like him ... The greatest story of all time, slowly falls apart like everything else, these creatures, can't remember who they are, what they're supposed to do , where the invaders came from, not even their own names,( eons have gone by on this voyage), since the ship has computer problems. On this frozen planet, Rupert, ( the distant Sun, is just another remote, cold, weak light, in the dark sky), with structures, in a cave, that look like a set from a cheap science -fiction film. The Grebulons, ( a name unknown, to these space travelers), like watching television persistently, from Earth, copying all. Tricia's camera, shall produce fuzzy pictures, back home, she will be laughed at, if the video is seen by anyone...Ford Prefect, also has no luck, the Guide is under a different management, the new editor wants Mr.Prefect to write a restaurant column, how degrading. He quickly jumps out a window of the Guide's building, on one of the top floors, having noticed that the bosses, are evil Vogons. He'll think of something going down to save his hide, Ford sincerely hopes. Passing the 17th level, his life too, goes by, in his jumbled mind. A happy robot this time, stops the descending man from a bad, sudden ending ....Meanwhile Mr. Arthur Dent's, spaceliner, crashes on a primitive planet, Lamuela, but he's still alive. The only survivor, takes up a new profession, Sandwich Maker. Adored by the natives, he is a gift from the gods, what skill with his hands , nobody here would think of putting meat, from Perfectly Normal Beasts, don't ask, and whatever else, between two pieces of bread ... Arthur is finally content, a job that he is good at ... But this universe cannot let people be that, Trillian/Tricia arrives, hands him his unknown daughter Random, she says, and hastily leaves, a product of his, Arthur's, need for monetary funds, depositing much, in institutions, around the galaxy, that paid quite well, for his seed. Random hates Mr.Dent, of course, the same emotion prevails towards her mother, and is not that crazy either, with all the other universes. Mr. Arthur Dent, will now experience what being a father entails, may God have mercy on your soul...
The universe is a joke. Even before I was shown the meaning of life in a dream at 17 (then promptly forgot it because I thought I smelled pancakes), I knew this to be true--and yet, I have always felt a need to search for the truth, that nebulous, ill-treated creature. Adams has always been, to me, to be a welcome companion in that journey. Between the search for meaning and the recognition that it's all a joke in poor taste lies Douglas Adams, and, luckily for us, he doesn't seem to mind if you lie there with him. He's a tall guy, but he'll make room.For all his crazed unpredictability, Adams is a powerful rationalist. His humor comes from his attempts to really think through all the things we take for granted. It turns out it takes little more than a moment's questioning to burst our preconceptions at the seams, yet rarely does this stop us from treating the most ludicrous things as if they were perfectly reasonable.It is no surprise that famed atheist Richard Dawkins found a friend and ally in Adams. What is surprising is that people often fail to see the rather consistent and reasonable philosophy laid out by Adams' quips and absurdities. His approach is much more personable (and less embittered) than Dawkins', which is why I think of Adams as a better face for rational materialism (which is a polite was of saying 'atheism').Reading his books, it's not hard to see that Dawkins is tired of arguing with uninformed idiots who can't even recognize when a point has actually been made. Adams' humanism, however, stretched much further than the contention between those who believe, and those who don't.We see it from his protagonists, who are not elitist intellectuals--they're not even especially bright--but damn it, they're trying. By showing a universe that makes no sense and having his characters constantly question it, Adams is subtly hinting that this is the natural human state, and the fact that we laugh and sympathize shows that it must be true.It's all a joke, it's all ridiculous. The absurdists might find this depressing, but they're just a bunch of narcissists, anyhow. Demnading the world make sense and give you purpose is rather self centered when it already contains toasted paninis, attractive people in bathing suits, and Euler's Identity. I say let's sit down at the bar with the rabbi, the priest, and the frog and try to get a song going. Or at least recognize that it's okay to laugh at ourselves now and again. It's not the end of the world.It's just is a joke, but some of us are in on it.
What do You think about Mostly Harmless (2000)?
Its years since I read the first four volumes of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and really enjoyed it. Perhaps my taste has changed or I can't get into the 'mood' but I really didn't enjoy this book. It just seemed to be a 'clever' messa round with words and the sort of adolescent fantasies of the universe that kids who were stoned and listening to Pink Floyd tended to come up with. Like a lot of things, it was more fun to have lived it than to read about it.There were a couple of good sentences that made me pause and think and that boosted up the rating, but only to a two-star.
—Petra X
I don't rate many books with a 5. I think the Hitchhiker books are brilliant in the way I believe Ron Wesley means something is brilliant that he is referring to in the Harry Potter books.Memory is a bit hazy because I am getting a little long in the tooth. But, I first heard about "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" in 1981 or 1982 when I was a freshman at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo. I had a friend who enthused about it. I don't remember if he carried on about the book before or after he got his handwritten letter from Douglas Adams. Regardless, my friend had written Douglas Adams a fan letter because he had loved the book so much. And Adams responded with a handwritten response (It was at least 2 pages, maybe 3 or 4 long)because my friend's letter had been the first fan letter he had ever received.Well, I had never heard of the book, and wasn't even interested in looking at the letter because my friend was in the habit of enthusing about things that ended up leaving me disappointed.But, I did read "Hitchhikers". I thought it was Okay, and have often wondered if I didn't see what was there just because I was digging my heels in, or what. When it came out I skimmed "Restaurant". Owned a copy of the 3rd book and never read it.About 10 years ago I reread "Hitchhikers" a couple of times and was finally won over. I think it is brilliant but could not bring myself to return tot he trough for the rest of the books.A few months ago my 14-year-old borrowed my copy, wanted me to check out the rest of the books for her and she recommended that I read them. Well, what else do you do other than read the rest of the books.I will happily admit that my friend was right, I was wrong. I would eat crow if I could read the words on that letter. I know, I know...there are probably real Adams fans out there who would salivate over this story.Me, when I heard about Adams' death all of those years ago, after his phenomenal success, I was sorry that he was finished. I also thought about my friend and his great good fortune, though, I am positive he would have traded it for the great man getting to live a few more decades.
—Phillip
For some reason this fifth volume is not included in most collection of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and I've only realised this recently. As with most of Adams' book, I finished the book with the feeling that I only sort of know what was going on and wasn't really sure what the point of it was but I had so much fun along the way that I didn't really care. This edition sees a new guide being created which works across all the dimensions. Queue chaos. Arthur Dent spends a great deal of time being a sandwich maker and loves it but my favourite part of the book was a space ship which got confused and lost of all it's inhabitants minds. An alien race who have no idea what there purpose was so guess is very funny. The ending of this one is really odd, it just sort of ends. It almost feels like it could have continued for a little longer and Adams had planned to write a sixth book but died before he had chance. It's a shame as there just feels like there is more to tell. All in all though, a brilliant addition to the trilogy.
—Dan
