HitchHikers Guide to the Universe,, have you read it?

[DustyRoundup]

I was reading a thread on Ebay prices, and Kyle brought up the Hitchhikers guide.
I bought that book last summer , while on a trip to a big city, at a major book store.
I thought it would be a good bathroom book,, LOL,, lots of pics .

But it has ended up on my book shelf, to be forgotten.

I was just curious, if any of you had heard of , or have purchased it.
I thought it to be a pretty cool book, but sort of a "novelty" book.

Whats your thoughts?

 

[Natch]

It was a great, fun read back in college, but that was long ago in a far, far distant galaxy.

Natch

 

[roogles]

I'm guessing that this is in reference to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "trilogy" (there are actually five of them) by Douglas Adams?

If so, the Hitchhiker series is my absolute favorite literary series (of all time!).

I have them bound as a single volume, which I have read hundreds (maybe thousands) of times since first reading them in 1994.

I read the series at least a couple of times a year, and it is one of a few books that I will pick up, let fall open, and just read a few pages here and there as bathroom/waiting room reading to pass the time.

There have been at least two movies, a handful of video games, a radio series, and tons of fan generated "Hitchhiker's" stories.

None of them do justice to Adams' original work though.

... I'm rambling aren't I?...

Anyway - They are fantastic! Totally my favorite book.

Cheers!

 

[gravel]

I've read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and the books following. Funny and quirky book without any pictures.

 

[DustyRoundup]

LOL, Natch,,,

Oops, I may have a problem here.
I thought this was the book, but the book I have is:

The art of shen ku
the ultimate travelers guide of this planet
The first intergalactic artform of the entire universe.
By ,,,,"Zeek"

Hmmm ? sorry, I goofed, this isnt the hitchhikers guide.

 

[Boulder]

I saw the movie.

 

[MisterE]

Don't panic.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

They're a great series of books.

They exists now "The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," where all the books are combined into one (more convenient, really...)...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ultimate-Hitchhikers-Guide-Galaxy-/290560421998?pt=US_Fiction_Books&hash=item43a6c0306e

 

[dougc905]

Fantastic series of books. The movie pales in comparison, but then, I always think the book is better!

Once you've read that series, go on to read Douglas Adams' Last Chance to See for a more serious side of the man.

 

[Puff Daddy]

Don't panic.

And don't forget your towel.

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

42

 

[gravel]

I prefer my peril sensitive sunglasses over my prescription sunglasses.

 

[MartinH]

42

Man.. you beat me too it.

 

[old_salt]

So long , and thanks for all the fish

 

[Josjor]

LOL, Natch,,,

Oops, I may have a problem here.
I thought this was the book, but the book I have is:

The art of shen ku
the ultimate travelers guide of this planet
The first intergalactic artform of the entire universe.
By ,,,,"Zeek"

Hmmm ? sorry, I goofed, this isnt the hitchhikers guide.

That is NOT the book in question. However, looking at the description and reviews, it appears that it may be worth picking up sometime.

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Shen-Ku-Intergalactic-Universe/dp/0399527257/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326888339&sr=8-1

The author is definately exactly unlike Arthur Dent who:

"........had been extremely chastened to realise that although he originally came from a world which had cars and computers and ballet and armagnac he didn't, by himself, know how any of it worked. He couldn't do it. Left to his own devices he couldn't build a toaster. He could just about make a sandwich and that was it."

 

[DrT999]

"He could just about make a sandwich and that was it."

Of course, Arthur found out near the end of the series the value some societies might put on the ability to make a good sandwich!

 

[Josjor]

That portion that I quoted inspired a guy to actually try and build a toaster from scratch. I bought his book and it was an entertaining read. Here's a link to the project: http://www.thetoasterproject.org/

 

[ZeroContent]

I saw the movie.

The movie was crap compared to the book, I was very disappointed. They totally butchered a lot of the jokes.

 

[lowflyingpenguin]

The best adaptation of the books was done by the BBC. It was a series of 6 or 7 one hour episodes and was really close to the books. BTW , Adams was writer for the BBC back in the day (Dr Who) so they probably had him either doing or vetting the adaptations. I have the DVDs here someplace I'll have to check on his involvement in the BBC series.

 

[roogles]

I saw the movie.

The movie was crap compared to the book, I was very disappointed. They totally butchered a lot of the jokes.

I agree that the 2005 movie was crap. Very poorly done, and not in the spirit of Douglas Adams at all.

The best adaptation of the books was done by the BBC. It was a series of 6 or 7 one hour episodes and was really close to the books. BTW , Adams was writer for the BBC back in the day (Dr Who) so they probably had him either doing or vetting the adaptations. I have the DVDs here someplace I'll have to check on his involvement in the BBC series.

I have the BBC miniseries on VHS around here somewhere! Despite the very very cheesy (1981) sci-fi, it was a great adaptation of the books. I think it went through the end of The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. IIRC, Adams was involved in the BBC adaptation of the books as well as the BBC radio program for the Hitchiker's Guide.