The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #1) in The Complete Idiots Guide to the Ultimate Reading List

Sep 02, 2009 Gaijinmama rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, re-read, favorites, science-fiction

I first read this book when I was in high school, back when dinosaurs walked the earth, people still thought digital watches were a pretty cool idea, and mobile phones were the size of a suitcase.

I enjoyed it at least as much this time. Humor is subjective, and I still find it bloody hilarious! If you don't enjoy Monty Python-esque British humor it may not be your cup of Earl Grey, but it still works for me! I do a lot of my reading on the train, in coffee shops , and while waiting in doctors' o ...more

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May 17, 2014 H. rated it liked it

Note: After glancing through some of the other reviews, I see that the trolls are out criticizing anyone who doesn't rate this a full 5 stars. I'm fully ready for you all to try and crucify me- but it doesn't change my opinion, sorry! :)
I guess my main question with this book is whether Douglas Adams is crazy, or some sort of genius, whether he wrote this whole book at random, or carefully plotted it all out.

The answer is probably mostly the latter, but it reads a lot like the former. Maddeningl Note: After glancing through some of the other reviews, I see that the trolls are out criticizing anyone who doesn't rate this a full 5 stars. I'm fully ready for you all to try and crucify me- but it doesn't change my opinion, sorry! :)
I guess my main question with this book is whether Douglas Adams is crazy, or some sort of genius, whether he wrote this whole book at random, or carefully plotted it all out.

The answer is probably mostly the latter, but it reads a lot like the former. Maddeningly intentional, I'm sure.

I have two problems with this book that prevented me from giving it a higher rating. First, the characters are very flat, and hard to engage with. The most developed character is the Vogun guard who can't figure out why he's shouting and throwing people off ships for. The main character, Arthur Dent, is boring and a little stupid. Ford and Zaphod have a little more character development, but still are more or less just vehicles for the Author's quips and zingers. Trillian is the flattest character of all, only there to fill the female void.
I mean, Earth was just blown up, and there's nothing to make you feel sorry for Arthur at all. I think perhaps the British style just doesn't translate well for me.

The second problem is that I don't like a story to have too many convenient coincidences. It cheapens the plot. But this book is based on convenient coincidences- I mean, the Heart of Gold practically runs on them. So, if that's the case, I suppose they're not really coincidences at all, but they're still pretty convenient, and thinking about that makes my head hurt a bit.

If you can get past those two things, this book is a quick, light read, that also humorously comments on politics and life in general. With plot twists galore, there's no chance to get bored. It's very imaginative, especially when you consider that it was originally written in 1979, and it got some aspects of modern technology right.

I find it hilarious that even the 'highly intelligent pan-dimensional beings' are all still normal chaps who worry about money and how everyone else is going to perceive them.

I ended this book wanting to pick up the next in the series, just so I can know what happens at the restaurant at the end of the Universe- and maybe learn the Question to the Answer of life, the universe, and everything. ...more

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Nov 19, 2008 Tara Lynn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: booklist-for-2008, personal-favorites

The history of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is now so complicated that every time I tell it I contradict myself, and whenever I do get it right I'm misquoted. So the publication of this omnibus edition seemed like a good opportunity to set the record straight--or at least firmly crooked.

--Douglas Adams

This is probably one of the most quotable books on the planet...and the solar system. It's also one of the funniest novel/series I've had the joy to read in years. Having boycotted it in h ...more

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May 12, 2009 Arlene Allen rated it really liked it

Somehow the humor in this never gets stale. I didn't love it as much as some, but I still enjoyed the satirical romp through space. What did I learn? The meaning of life, of course. ...more

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