Hitchhikers' Guide Books

[Phrenolo]

"the fifth book in the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy trilogy."
Hmmm - a "trilogy" with more than three books.
[/nitpick]

[Darat]

That's quite often how it is referred to e.g. "A trilogy in 5 parts" and so on. It's meant to be humorous.

ETA: E.g. The books are described as "a trilogy in five parts", having been described as a trilogy on the release of the third book, and then a "trilogy in four parts" on the release of the fourth book. The US edition of the fifth book was originally released with the legend "The fifth book in the increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker's Trilogy" on the cover. Subsequent re-releases of the other novels bore the legend "The [first, second, third, fourth] in the increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker's trilogy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker's_Guide_to_the_Galaxy

[Lothian]

It's meant to be humorous.In the opinion of this nerd it succeeds.

[Phrenolo]

Got it. Thanks. I appreciate wacky. Now I really have to read it.

[fishbob]

Probably oughta read all of them.

[Lothian]

Probably oughta read all of them.And listen to the Radio series, get the T shirt, Name your first born Ford and buy a house from Hotblack Desiato.

[brodski]

And listen to the Radio series, get the T shirt, Name your first born Ford and buy a house from Hotblack Desiato.

But quickly, the world's abbout to end.

[alfaniner]

But quickly, the world's abbout to end.

So grab a pint first. And some peanuts.

And don't forget your towel.

[Wowbagger]

It's not like Douglas Adams intended it that way!

He originally was going to write one novelization based on the radio series. But, he got half-way through the story, when he decided to cut it short, and make two books. And, that was supposed to be the end of that.

Then the books got really, really popular. So popular, that Adams was pressured to write a 3rd book. He did so by ripping off an idea he originally conceived for a Dr. Who episode, that did not get completed (until the 1990s, anyway). And that, as they say, was supposed to be the end of that!

Then the books got even more popular, so he wrote a forth one, as well, to end the series. But, he neglected to make it impossible to write any more of them.

Then, several decades later, he wrote a fifth, because he felt the need to end the series in a manner that would make it impossible to write any more of them!

Then, while writing a new Dirk Gently novel, he decided to change it into a sixth HHGG book. But, he died before he could complete it. Some of the scraps of this uncompleted masterpiece are published in The Salmon of Doubt.

That is the story, in a nutshell. I am leaving out lots of stuff: The computer game, the TV series, the other books he had written, his propensity to miss deadlines, etc.

The novels are very good. My favorites, of course. The radio series, both old and new, is relatively good. But, the movie leaves much to be desired.

Share and enjoy!

[Beady]

So grab a pint first. And some peanuts.

And don't forget your towel.

But above all,

Don't Panic!

[alfaniner]

Sure, but I might have used this font:


DON'T
PANIC!!


(the key being "large, friendly letters". Purely subjective, I know.) ;)

[SphereGuy]

If they make a Dirk Gently movie, I'd like to direct it. They didn't call on me to direct the first Hitch Hiker's movie and looked how it turned out.

[jimbob]

I'm for the second spaceship

[catbasket]

In related news, Robert Rankin's Brentford Trilogy is now up to (at least) seven books. IIRC his trilogy got to four parts before Adams' did.

Both excellent, funny authors!

Snow (on a mission to get more people to read RR's "far fetched fiction" novels)

[tkingdoll]

Without being mean, you gotta have some kind of giant ego to assume you are smarter than a) Douglas Adams and b) the publishers and promoters of one of the biggest-selling series of comedy/fantasy books of all time.

The 'trilogy in five parts' is a joke in the exact same spirit as the books. Why anyone would think that a writer as accomplished, as genius, as Douglas Adams wouldn't know what the word 'trilogy' means is beyond me.

[Beady]

If there's anything around here bigger than my ego, I want it caught and killed right now!

[Robaato]

Well, I still have time for another bath then.

Jynnantonix, all round.

[Mojo]

I'd rather have a ouisghian zodah.

[tkingdoll]

If there's anything around here bigger than my ego, I want it caught and killed right now!

You killed MY ego!!! :eek:

[Beady]

Gotta keep you in your place, woman.

[Zax63]

But can any of you PROVE that there was a Big Bang Burger Bar? It's just a THEORY.

[Phrenolo]

Without being mean, you gotta have some kind of giant ego to assume you are smarter than a) Douglas Adams and b) the publishers and promoters of one of the biggest-selling series of comedy/fantasy books of all time.

The 'trilogy in five parts' is a joke in the exact same spirit as the books. Why anyone would think that a writer as accomplished, as genius, as Douglas Adams wouldn't know what the word 'trilogy' means is beyond me.
Did you read the commentary piece? It does not attribute the use of the word “trilogy” to the book author or any other party. When I read the piece, I connected the use of “trilogy” to the writer of the piece, identified as “David”. I thought this “David” had misused the word. Now tkingdoll has leapt to an erroneous assumption just as I did. Please join me for a beer in the Damaged Ego pub.

[Z]

Yes, read them... but be prepared to hate the ending. Any sensible person hates the ending. As D.A. intended.

[steve s]

And listen to the Radio series, get the T shirt, Name your first born Ford and buy a house from Hotblack Desiato.

Don't forget the TV series from the early '80s. That's how I first became aware of Douglas Adams. Then I got into the books. Did anyone notice the original Marvin in the movie?

Steve S.

[Mick Houlahan]

Do you have a towel? You're gonna need a towel.

[tkingdoll]

Did you read the commentary piece? It does not attribute the use of the word “trilogy” to the book author or any other party. When I read the piece, I connected the use of “trilogy” to the writer of the piece, identified as “David”. I thought this “David” had misused the word. Now tkingdoll has leapt to an erroneous assumption just as I did. Please join me for a beer in the Damaged Ego pub.

?

Perhaps you should have supplied that information in your OP? There are lots of people here who don't read the commentary.

In fact, I suspect that's the majority of people. So I leap to no erroneous assumption as you didn't identify where you got your information from.

[Phrenolo]

This post is in the section titled "Latest Commentary Issues". My post started with a quote from the latest commentary.

[tkingdoll]

This post is in the section titled "Latest Commentary Issues". My post started with a quote from the latest commentary.

Meet you in the pub? :D

PS: by way of explanation, I use the 'new posts' button so never notice which section a post is in. Perhaps I will next time :P

[Phrenolo]

The first round is on me.

[rjh01]

Correction to the above. The series is not fiction, it is a historical series, true in every respect. At least it is consistent though out the books, which is more than what I can say for books that pass for fact, ie The Bible.

[fromdownunder]

"the fifth book in the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy trilogy."
Hmmm - a "trilogy" with more than three books.
[/nitpick]

There can be only one answer to this nitpick:

42


Norm

[Wowbagger]

Yes, read them... but be prepared to hate the ending. Any sensible person hates the ending. As D.A. intended. But.... I... like the ending. :boxedin:

What do you have against light music?!

[Robaato]

I would've posted again sooner, but I was busy feeding an alleged 'cheese sandwich' to the dog, who then promptly ignored a passing microscopic space fleet.

I also seem to have disintegrated my common sense node again.

Anyone for a cup of no tea?

[UnrepentantSinner]

Then, several decades later, he wrote a fifth, because he felt the need to end the series in a manner that would make it impossible to write any more of them!

Are you sure about that?
---------------------

I shall not return to post to this thread for Seven and a half...

[JC Fla]

But can any of you PROVE that there was a Big Bang Burger Bar? It's just a THEORY.

That's easy! But just try and convince people you have evidence of the Gnab Gib, and they look at you like you just asked for a lightly grilled weasel on a bun, with french fires!

[jimbob]

Correction to the above. The series is not fiction, it is a historical series, true in every respect. At least it is consistent though out the books, which is more than what I can say for books that pass for fact, ie The Bible.

AND it is inconsistent with the Radio version and the TV version.

I think the TV version worked because of the slightly naff special effects.

Another hit series for BBC radio 4 (try "I'm sorry I havent a clue" on their listen again service).

[UnrepentantSinner]

Note to thread readers - the fact that Jimbob and I are posting sequentially is not some sort of performance art stunt based on Slartibartfast's chastizement that, "that will be all," by the mice. :D

Are you sure about that?
---------------------

I shall not return to post to this thread for Seven and a half...

...Thousand seconds!

(Well, without someone tossing in the "so not until next week then" joke, it wasn't as good.)

I think the TV version worked because of the slightly naff special effects.

The television series was superior to all other versions, save the book... and that's up to the individual reader/viewer because it could have imagry like the animation - deliciously cheesy as it was - as well as the text over the course of 8 hours. That's where the movie failed.

[jimbob]

You are correct there URS...

[Z]

Yes, the movie was vaguely disappointing... and I haven't ever even seen the BBC production or heard the radio versions! My only exposure was to the books, prior to the movie, and though I was excited to see it all on the big screen, I found it lacking, heavily.

Still, it did have some quality moments. The beach on the Vogon homeworld, for example. Very funny!

[Wowbagger]

Are you sure about that? You're right, it was less than 1 decade, not several decades.

(But, it sure felt like several decades, at the time.)

[Beady]

... and I haven't ever even seen the BBC production

It has been available on DVD for quite some time, so you have no excuse.

[Lothian]

The television series was superior to all other versions, save the book... and that's up to the individual reader/viewer because it could have imagry like the animation - deliciously cheesy as it was - as well as the text over the course of 8 hours. I prefered the radio series to the TV one.

[arthwollipot]

I'd just like to point out to all the people who are annoyed with the inconsistencies between the different instances of HHGG - they're all inconsistent with each other. But for the record, the BBC TV series was least inconsistent with the original radio series, and the recent movie brought back some ideas that have not been seen since the radio series.

But the series is different from the books, which is different from the TV series, which is different from the stage play, which was different from the movie. So don't complain. Inconsistency is one way that more ideas get included, and it's an essential part of the whole zeitgeist.

So there.

[rjh01]

That is it! Proof that it is fact! I mean if it was fiction then Mr Adams would have been able to make them all consistent with each other. However because it is based on historical fact then certain statements would appear to be inconsistent with other statements because they are from different points of view.

[Beady]

Inconsistency is one way that more ideas get included, and it's an essential part of the whole zeitgeist.

Are you saying the Bible is right?

[rjh01]

The difference between the two books is that the Bible is inconsistent in many critical areas. The guide is only inconsistent in the details.

[arthwollipot]

Are you saying the Bible is right?

It's as historically accurate as Hitchhiker's, if that's what you mean. :D

[zooterkin]

But the series is different from the books, which is different from the TV series, which is different from the stage play, which was different from the movie.

Not to mention the LP version, too, which was different again, but closest to the radio version.

My order of preference would be radio, book, movie, TV. That may be because I heard the radio version first, and just didn't feel the TV version did it justice.

[arthwollipot]

Fair enough. I read the books first, then the TV series. I didn't actually hear the radio version until much later.

[Wowbagger]

My first exposure to HHGG was actually the computer game, but I had a hard time getting through it, initially.

I didn't complete that game until after I had read the first four books (the fifth was not written, yet), and thought the game would be just as delightfully funny!
Well, only some of it was.

I remember borrowing audio tapes of the HHGG radio series, from a friend in HS, and thinking it was mildy amusing, but I still liked the books better.

I thought the TV was mostly clunky. I watched it on PBS a couple of times.

And, that the movie was very... "meh", to put it as mildly and politely as possible.

Now, I got a copy of virtually every version of the HHGG ever made, including the comic books! (I don't have the official towel, yet, but I hardly think it counts, actually.)

Did I mention my Douglas Adams fan site? http://www.mitchlampert.net/FanPages/DAdams/Index.aspx
I know it needs work, but the content should keep you well informed.

[Jon.]

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is definitive. Reality frequently gets it wrong.

In all seriousness, if I could bring back one person to life, I think it would be Douglas Adams. Or Jimi Hendrix. I don't think DNA would mind.

[tracer]

I would've posted again sooner, but I was busy feeding an alleged 'cheese sandwich' to the dog, who then promptly ignored a passing microscopic space fleet.

I also seem to have disintegrated my common sense node again.

Anyone for a cup of no tea?
So long as it's not that substance that the Nutrimatic dispenses, which tastes almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea.

I think you lose 30 points if you actually drink it.

[tracer]

In all seriousness, if I could bring back one person to life, I think it would be Douglas Adams. Or Jimi Hendrix. I don't think DNA would mind.

I'd like to bring back Jim Henson.

Both he and Adams died way too early, and both of their deaths were eclipsed in the news media by the death of a celebrity singer that same week. (Perry Como in the case of Adams, Sammy Davis Jr. in the case of Henson.)

[arthwollipot]

Personally I heard a lot more in the news about Douglas Adams than I did about Perry Como.

Who's Perry Como?

[steve s]

My first exposure to HHGG was actually the computer game, but I had a hard time getting through it, initially.

I had the game, too. I won a free copy of it in a contest. It was one of those all-text games which were rather clunky to work with. Basically you just throw out a lot of comments to see what sticks. Most of the time the computer responded by saying that it didn't understand.

Steve S.

[NobbyNobbs]

But quickly, the world's abbout to end.

What, is it Thursday already?


You're right, it was less than 1 decade, not several decades.

(But, it sure felt like several decades, at the time.)

Yeah, well, the first few decades were the worst. The next few weren't so great either. After that, it just got depressing.


Are you saying the Bible is right?

Well, it certainly can't be said to be "harmless".....

[Robaato]

I had the game, too. I won a free copy of it in a contest. It was one of those all-text games which were rather clunky to work with. Basically you just throw out a lot of comments to see what sticks. Most of the time the computer responded by saying that it didn't understand.

Steve S.If you were just throwing stuff out there at random, then I can see how you'd think they were "rather clunky." However, if you were very observant (and, in my case, had set the responses to "verbose"), you'd have a good idea as to what works before you typed in your commands.

And besides, some of the "I don't get it" responses are very funny. You even NEED to have at least one mistaken entry to win the game.

(Isn't it fun reading all the footnotes?)

You can play an illustrated version of the game at the BBC Radio 4 website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game.shtml).

[brettDbass]

I had the game, too. I won a free copy of it in a contest. It was one of those all-text games which were rather clunky to work with. Basically you just throw out a lot of comments to see what sticks. Most of the time the computer responded by saying that it didn't understand.

Steve S.

That very game is hosted online by the Good Ol' BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game_nolan.shtml

(link for edition two - http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game_andrew.shtml )

[Small Town Jesus]

I saw it as a stage play in London back in the early 80's. Being sat in the front row I was rudely accused by the cast of being a telephone sanitiser.

[DavidS]

I had the game, too. I won a free copy of it in a contest. It was one of those all-text games which were rather clunky to work with. Basically you just throw out a lot of comments to see what sticks. Most of the time the computer responded by saying that it didn't understand.

Steve S.

Ah, the good old Infocom "text adventures" of the Zork genre. Come on, the parser wasn't *that* bad; at least it permitted some adjectives and more readable grammar than most other games that made you shoehorn every command into "verb object" structure. Trying to confuse it was half the fun (e.g. in Zork I, try something like "put the box in the bag. put the bag in the box." rather than "put the box in the bag. take the box from the bag. put the bag in the box").

I actually loved those games. Lacking any graphics or real-time response pressures your imagination could assemble the game world freely. Like any bit of prose, the quality of writing made all the difference in the world. The first one I played was "Planetfall", authored by the same guy who did the H2G2 game (Meretzky IIRC?). I was really impressed by the way the robot Floyd's annoying, childish, disruptive antics, instilled an emotional attachment which really added to the intensity of the endgame.

You can download the common parser engine and the p-code (Z-code?) for most of those old games. Alas, I don't have the link handy and filters here at the office complicate my quick Googling efforts.

DLS

DLS

[Robaato]

That very game is hosted online by the Good Ol' BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game_nolan.shtml

(link for edition two - http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game_andrew.shtml )*ahem*

I seem to have beaten you to the punch, as it were. By more than two hours, no less! Must I assume that nobody ever reads my posts...?:boxedin:

[jimbob]

*ahem*

I seem to have beaten you to the punch, as it were. By more than two hours, no less! Must I assume that nobody ever reads my posts...?:boxedin:

Maybe people thought that your link was just some random formatting

[SomeGuy]

Maybe people thought that your link was just some random formatting

?? Who are you responding to?:p

[Robaato]

?? Who are you responding to?:pdrat. It seems that my SEP field generator is stuck on again...

[Lothian]

If anyone is interested in the game here is a link. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game_nolan.shtml).











What ?

[UnrepentantSinner]

I prefered the radio series to the TV one.

I'm not sure how many radio episodes I remember hearing, but I can definatively aver that I didn't hear the whole series, while I did see the whole TV series to I guess I'm a bit biased because of that. Unlike, say Cosmos, I wasn't aware of what a gem PBS was providing us during the radio series. It was only about 5 years later, after I'd read the books, that I understood what I'd missed out on.

Not to be Ken Burns' pimp, but I had a similar situation 10 years later when I missed The Civil War during it's first airing, though I was aware of it, and fell in love with the series after finally enjoying it's magnificence.

[Wowbagger]

I saw it as a stage play in London back in the early 80's. Being sat in the front row I was rudely accused by the cast of being a telephone sanitiser.I wish someone made a recording of all the stage versions. I would be very curious to see them. (Even if most of them sucked.)

[grunion]

...Please join me for a beer in the Damaged Ego pub.Make it a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster and you're on.

[HawkeyeMD]

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is definitive.

Except, of course, the parts that are apocryphal. Or at least wildly inaccurate.

[BillyJoe]

None of you are going to believe this but...

I had never ever read, heard, or seen anything written by Douglas Adams until earlier this year when I picked up a copy of "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy". I'd heard it referred to so often on this forum that I finally decided to read it.

[Robaato]

...And what did you think of it?

[BillyJoe]

I couldn't put it down.

[grunion]

None of you are going to believe this but...

I had never ever read, heard, or seen anything written by Douglas Adams until earlier this year when I picked up a copy of "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy". I'd heard it referred to so often on this forum that I finally decided to read it.Great, Billy Joe. Believe me, you will just LOVE the convenience and comfort of electricity and indoor plumbing when they make their way out to Woop Woop as well.

[JQH]

Except, of course, the parts that are apocryphal. Or at least wildly inaccurate.

But it is not wrong. Any discrepencies are the fault of reality for failing to be either beautiful or true.

[Mojo]

Well, it certainly can't be said to be "harmless".....


How about "mostly harmless"?

[Scott Haley]

When I worked for temporary service companies, I often didn't know what kind of work I would do in a day. One day I was told I'd move office furniture, and the employer asked us to clean used telephones. I like to think that I was a first class telephone sanitizer.

[BillyJoe]

Great, Billy Joe. Believe me, you will just LOVE the convenience and comfort of electricity and indoor plumbing when they make their way out to Woop Woop as well.


What a great idea: inside toilets!

[Mojo]

What a great idea: inside toilets!


Hmm. Sounds kind of unhygienic doing it inside the house...

[BillyJoe]

...but you could put it in a separate room with a window venting to the outside!

[Mojo]

What will they think of next?

[Buckaroo]

Did anyone catch the offhand reference in the Doctor Who episode "The Christmas Invasion?" :

The Doctor: "Not bad for a man in his jim-jams, very Arthur Dent... now there was a nice man."

Had me in stiches. Fitting, considering DA used to write for DW.