April group read: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

[Juanita]

Voting is now closed and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams was selected as our first group read.

Those who are interested in participating are welcome to do so. You may be able to slot this in another category if you've filled "satirical book" already.

To see the poll results, go here.

[Mike]

I've read this one before several times. But it's been at least a decade since the last time so I'm in.

[Sara]

I don't plan to participate in this group read. I really have no interest in this book (yes, I know I'm in the minority!). If there is one thing I've learned through these reading challenges is that while stretching myself is good there are some books/categories that I just don't enjoy.

Also, my satirical book was the first book I read this year :)

Happy reading to everyone who will participate!

[Mike]

Catharina wrote: "I'm a bit confused regarding The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
The link at the top of this post is a 216 pages edition, and I think the full 800+ pages "Ultimate" version is more common here in..."

It looks like The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a collection of the first five novels in the Hitchhiker's Guide Series:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Life, the Universe and Everything
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
and Mostly Harmless

whereas what has been chosen for this group read is just the first novel.

I would still recommend reading the entire series.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Juanita]

Mike is correct. My book club read Hitchhiker's Guide last year. One of our members ended up with the 800-page collection from her library. We just read the first.

[Jillian]

Anyone who has read this book think it could be used for the task: A book about a road trip or would that be to much of a stretch. From looking at the book info it says that they go on a journey through space.

[Juanita]

I think it is a stretch. I think road trip implies car journey.

[Jillian]

That it what I was thinking too.

[Nadine in NY]

I already read this one and I'm not doing any re-reads (unless the prompt specifies them) so I'm out. Everyone enjoy, and don't forget your towel!!

[Rachel]

I'm out for this one since I'd already had my books chosen and ordered from the library. I'd like to read this book at some point, but it's not really a high priority. But I am intending to read my satirical book and/or book by a comedian in April, as I thought that's how the monthly challenge was set up.

[Juanita]

I'll be in the same plan as you, Rachel. I read Hitchhiker's last year so will pick another satire.

[Brandy]

Out for the same reason. Read Hithhiker last year. Will pick something else.

[Nadine in NY]

Who voted for this book?? Most of us are saying we are skipping it since we read it already. (This used to happen in my bookclub too, back then it seemed like the people who voted in the poll and the people who read the books were two different groups.)

[Kirsten]

Nadine wrote: "Who voted for this book?? Most of us are saying we are skipping it since we read it already. (This used to happen in my bookclub too, back then it seemed like the people who voted in the poll and t..."

LOL!

[Jillian]

Nadine wrote: "Who voted for this book?? Most of us are saying we are skipping it since we read it already. (This used to happen in my bookclub too, back then it seemed like the people who voted in the poll and t..."

That happened in a bookclub I was part of too. Tons (ok maybe 15-20) people voted yet there was only 4-5 people who constantly read the books.

[Mindy]

Funny! Speak up, you 28 people. LOL

[Juanita]

For the next group read, I will just put the link to the poll in the weekly check-in folder instead of sending a message to all 1300 members. That way only the active members will see it to vote. Thoughts?

Live and learn.

[Katherine]

Yeah, that sounds like a good call. Thanks for always organizing everything, Juanita! You keep this group alive and awesome. :)

[Daneil]

Catharina wrote: "Haha not sure, I'm pretty sure I voted Animal Farm so I'm somewhat undecided for this still because my mom really recommend Animal Farm :)"

I've never read HGttG, but I highly recommend Animal Farm!!

[Juanita]

I read both HGttG and Animal Farm last year. I would recommend Animal Farm.

Hitchhiker's allure was lost on me. It was a chore to finish.

Animal Farm also is a better satire IMHO.

[Mindy]

Thumbs up from me, Juanita! Thanks.

[Brandy]

I'm reading Animal Farm myself, I think.

[Kirsten]

Juanita wrote: "I read both HGttG and Animal Farm last year. I would recommend Animal Farm.

Hitchhiker's allure was lost on me. It was a chore to finish.

Animal Farm also is a better satire IMHO."

"a chore to finish"? *shakes head in disbelief*

[Mindy]

It was a dnf for me some years ago. We all have our preferences.

[Nadine in NY]

So I finished my satirical book (I thought it would take longer to read! but I read it in one day). I read Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions, and if anyone is considering that one, I strongly advise you to consider a different book. It was such a disappointment! Classic Vonnegut writing style, but it was so angry, and he writes from such a juvenile point of view (his point is that so many Americans are behaving juvenilely) - I mean, he tells us the penis size of every male character. Dick humor ... not my thing.

[Tara]

I was planning on reading it for a different category so I'll join in :)

[Steven]

I agree Juanita. Hitchhiker lost its allure on me as well. Read it last year and I guess the humor was lost on me mostly

[Kirsten]

Hard to believe... I know we have different preferences .... but it's till hard to believe. I wonder if it's a preference for US vs Brit humor. I'm American, but I was raised on Britcoms and normally think US humor is not that funny.

[Mike]

I was thinking about reading a book of Vogon poetry for our Book of Poems prompt. Any suggestions?

[Kirsten]

That's right up there with reading Shakespeare in the original Klingon.

[Giulia]

I've just finished HGttG; It's a good book and I liked its humour but I agree with Juanita that on the whole, its allure was lost on me.
Probably it's just not my cup of tea, which isn't surprising since I'm not a huge fan of sci-fi in general.

[Marta]

Mike wrote: "I was thinking about reading a book of Vogon poetry for our Book of Poems prompt. Any suggestions?"

I would make sure to have someone nearby, ready to dial 911. Under no circumstances read it out loud or let them read it at the same time.

[Marta]

I did not finish it the first time but picked it up later and loved it. You have to be in the right mood for it. Also, it is absurd humor - some love it, others don't get it.

@Kirsten - I prefer British humor, too, it is more creative, less crass.

As far as Animal Farm, I found it a chore to finish... good thing it was short. We are all different... :)

[Ana]

I didn't read it for the challenge because I have another satire book I want to read for the challenge (and I read Hitchhiker last year), but I still reread it because it is a fun book.

It's one of those books that doesn't exactly have a point, but there are still fun moments. Of course, now I want to buy the rest of them to see how the story continues. :)

[Alison DeGrave]

Just finished. I actually liked it and found it pretty amusing. I think I may read Restaurant at the End of the Universe once I get through my latest library haul.

[Luella]

I didn't vote for this one but I will read it. I've been on my TBR forever. Just picked it up from the library.

I once found that Ultimate Collection at a cheap used book store but did not purchase it because I wasn't sure I wanted to read all of the books.

[Jessica]

I finished it a couple of days ago. I'm somewhere in the middle of the road on this book. It had some good parts and some ehh parts. I don't feel the need to rush out and continue the series, but maybe one day I'll continue.

[Christophe]

This is a book I read years ago, and I loved it! The opening is one of the most hilarious things I ever read. True, some passages are maybe less great - you got to remember that this was initially designed for radio; hence the succession of shortish sessions, written one after the other.

All in all I would strongly recommend the five volumes of this "increasingly misnamed trilogy"; also, the two Dirk Gently books are maybe even better. Douglas Adams' death, combined with long bouts of internet-fueled procrastination, have deprived us of a third book in this series, which would have been called either The Salmon of Doubt or something about the last spoon in the washing-up. Speaking of which, don't miss The Meaning of Liff, either.

And that, folks, was my Wendsday morning ramble. Thank you for your attention, and don't forget your towel.

[Luella]

So I finished this one this weekend. I did think some parts were humorous and I really liked the end of the book. I may or may not continue the series just because of the ending of the book but the middle was pretty tedious.

At the end there it reminded me a little of At the Mountains of Madness. All in all it turned out to be worth my time but I don't know if I would necessarily recommend it to someone else.

[Kirsten]

What a strang comparison Luella. I would never have compared it to that one.

[AF]

I finished this book last weekend. I have to admit, I had to force myself to finish it. It was okay, but I definitely won't be reading the other books in the series. I guess I don't get it.

What kept me amused while reading it though was picturing all the characters and settings in 1970's style! Should I dare watch the movie??

And I now get several jokes I've heard in movies, plays or TV and finally get the reference. :)