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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Deluxe 25th Anniversary Edition [Hardcover]

Douglas Adams
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,040 customer reviews)


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Book Description

October 19, 2004
Packed with an Astounding Amount of New and Never-Before-Collected Material.

Why are people born? Why do they die? Why do they want to spend so much of the intervening time wearing digital watches?

No one but Douglas Adams could have pared life’s meaning down to these three questions, and they remain as inspired and head-scratchingly clever today as they did twenty-five years ago when they appeared in the first edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Showcasing his quick wit, comic genius, and wide-ranging intelligence, Hitchhiker’s has become nothing less than a cult classic and cultural phenomenon.

To celebrate its quarter century and the extraordinary legacy of Adams, this gorgeously designed, mostly harmless deluxe edition gathers never-before-collected photographs, original artwork, memorabilia (from the strange to the sublime), and wisdom gleaned from a first read or first encounter as Douglas’s friends remember how the galaxy was forever changed a mere twenty-five years ago (not to mention the original text of the novel) into a one-of-a-kind Guide as stunning as two suns setting over Magrathea.

Whether you are well versed in the antics of Arthur Dent, a mild-mannered Earthman plucked from his planet seconds before it’s demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, and Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy posing as an out-of-work actor, or are hitching a ride for the first time, this is the book that has everything you’ll nee to know about anything.So please do not be alarmed. Definitely don’t panic. Just be sure to grab a towel.


Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Join Douglas Adams's hapless hero Arthur Dent as he travels the galaxy with his intrepid pal Ford Prefect, getting into horrible messes and generally wreaking hilarious havoc. Dent is grabbed from Earth moments before a cosmic construction team obliterates the planet to build a freeway. You'll never read funnier science fiction; Adams is a master of intelligent satire, barbed wit, and comedic dialogue. The Hitchhiker's Guide is rich in comedic detail and thought-provoking situations and stands up to multiple reads. Required reading for science fiction fans, this book (and its follow-ups) is also sure to please fans of Monty Python, Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, and British sitcoms. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Review

Don't panic! Here are words of praise for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!

"It's science fiction and it's extremely funny...inspired lunacy that leaves hardly a science fiction cliche alive."

Washington Post

"The feckless protagonist, Arthur Dent, is reminiscent of Vonnegut heroes, and his travels afford a wild satire of present institutions."

Chicago Tribune

"Very simply, the book is one of the funniest SF spoofs ever written, with hyperbolic ideas folding in on themselves."

School Library Journal

"As parody, it's marvelous: It contains just about every science fiction cliche you can think of. As humor, it's, well, hysterical." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Crown; 25 Col Anv edition (October 19, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1400052939
  • ISBN-13: 978-1400052936
  • Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 1 x 9.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,040 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #687,149 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Douglas Adams (1952-2001) was the much-loved author of the Hitchhiker's Guides, all of which have sold more than 15 million copies worldwide.

Customer Reviews

This is a very witty, amusing and often laugh out loud funny book. The Emperor  |  107 reviewers made a similar statement
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is written by Douglas Adams. Harold Graven  |  115 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
240 of 249 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Don't forget to bring a towel December 12, 2002
Format:Mass Market Paperback
No matter how many times I read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and I've read it quite a few times already, it never fails to thrill me and induce bouts of almost uncontrollably hearty laughter. With this novel, Douglas Adams gave life to a phenomenon that will long outlive his tragically short life, delighting millions of readers for untold years to come. I'm not sure if science fiction had ever seen anything like this before 1979. This is science fiction made to laugh at itself while honoring its rich tradition, but it is much more than that. Adams' peculiarly dead-on humor also draws deeply from the well of sociology, philosophy, and of course science. Whenever Adams encountered a sacred cow of any sort, he milked it dry before moving on. Beneath the surface of utter hilarity, Adams actually used his sarcasm and wit to make some rather poignant statements about this silly thing called life and the manner in which we are going about living it. This is one reason the book is so well-suited for multiple readings-a high level of enjoyment is guaranteed each time around, and there are always new insights to be gained from Adams' underlying, oftentimes subtle, ideas and approach.

Arthur Dent is your normal human being, and so he naturally is more concerned about his house being knocked down than facing the fact that the world is about to end. His friend Ford Prefect, he comes to learn, is actually a researcher from a planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse, but before he can even begin to comprehend this fact, he finds himself zipped up into the confines of the Vogon space cruiser that has just destroyed the planet Earth. Things become even trickier for him when he discovers the great usefulness of sticking a Babel fish into his ear and then meets the singular President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox and his shipmate Trillian, both of whom Arthur actually met months before at a party. Such impossible coincidences are explained by the fact that Beeblebrox's ship is powered by the new Infinite Improbability Drive. Dent grows more and more confused during his travels on board the Heart of Gold, and the story eventually culminates with an amazing visit to an astronomically improbable world.

Much of the humor here is impossible to describe; this novel must be read to be appreciated. It seems like every single line holds a joke of some kind within it. The characters are also terrific: the unfortunate Arthur Dent, who basically has no idea what is going on; Ford Prefect, Arthur's remarkable friend from Betelgeuse; Zaphod Beeblebrox, with his two heads, three arms, and cavalier attitude; Trillian the lovely Earth girl who basically flies the Heart of Gold; Slartibartfast the planet builder and fjord-make extraordinaire; and my favorite character of all, Marvin the eternally depressed robot. Life-"loathe it or ignore it, you can't like it" is the Paranoid Android's philosophy. One brilliant thing that Adams does is to step away from the action every so often to present interesting facts about the universe as recorded in the Hitchhiker's Guide; here we learn about Vogon poetry, the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal, Trans Galactic Gargle Blasters, and other fascinating tidbits about life in the crazy universe Adams created. He even gives the reader the ultimate answer to the question of Life, the Universe, and Everything in these pages.

This novel is just an amazingly hilarious read that will leave you yearning for more; to our great fortune, Adams indeed left us more in the form of four subsequent books in the Hitchhiker's "trilogy." If you don't like science fiction, it doesn't matter; read this book just for the laughs. The most amazing thing about Adams' humor is the fact that everyone seems to "get" it. Adams broke all the rules in writing a novel quite unlike any that had come before it, and he succeeded in spades. This may well be the funniest novel ever written.

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113 of 124 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Review of the audio versions only March 9, 2004
Format:Audio Cassette
Since there are many reviews of the book itself, I thought someone should review the audio versions independently. There are two versions of this title in audio format, the dramatized edition, which is abridged, and the version read by the author, which is unabridged; I have both! I you are a fan of the dramatized versions of books please be sure before you buy which version you are getting. I enjoyed both the dramatized version and the version read by Douglas Adams himself as each has its own pros and cons.

The Dramatized version, done by the BBC (or at least the version that I have is), is very well done, as are all of the BBC dramatizations. The cast does a fantastic job as does the special effects team on the sounds. Be aware that dramatized versions are typically abridged, which is not a big problem generaly but some people don't care for it. This version was originally released as a multiple part radio program so if you are familiar with that format you have a good idea of this version. The only drawbacks are the it is in an outmoded format (cassette) and that it is abridged.

The unabridged spoken version is read by the author, Douglas Adams, and is very good. This is a special treat since he has passed on. I enjoy the ability to hear the author's concept of how the story should read in his own voice. This version has a permanent home on my iPod so that anytime I need a little boost, I can queue it up. It is easy to listen to and quite enjoyable but if you are used to the dramatized versions of audio books you may find that it takes 5 or 10 minutes to get used to the single voice. It is worth it though!

I would recommend either audio version to anyone that commutes or has at least thirty minutes of free time at a stretch. Both versions are well done and are enjoyable to listen to. For anyone who has not experienced audio books before, I would recommend a good tile like this to start off with.

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58 of 64 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars So Long Douglas, and thanks for all the laughs. May 15, 2001
Format:Mass Market Paperback
With the passing of Douglas Adams on Friday 5/11/2001, I picked up this book after quite a number of years and gave it a good ol' read....and you know what... this novel will forever be poignant, witty and downright entertaining. I laughed all over again. I mean, I really laughed. I'm going to miss Douglas.

Douglas wasn't just at the forefront of comedy-sci-fi....he basically created the genre. My only regret, along with quite a number of fans, is that we shall never again relish in the adventures of Arthur Dent and the gang. No more Vogon poetry. No more Pan Galactic Gargleblasters. No more Babel fish. No more tongue-twisting names. Therein lies the real shame.

New readers to Douglas Adams, take heart! Each of the novels that make up this series are all fantastic tales! If you own a copy of Hitchhiker's, you hold in your hands a classic! Cherish it always and read it as it was intended.... as a truly light-hearted romp through the cosmos.

Take a look at some of the reviews listed here. Over four hundred people can't be wrong. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is without a doubt one of the greatest books of all time by a quirky and innovative author. (We'll just have to forgive him for wearing a digital watch.)

Thank-you Douglas for the fun and adventures. You were one of a kind. May we one day meet at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. The first round's one me. I'll bring the towel.

A classic. A gem. You must own this novel.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
Reading this book was quite like having my brains smashed out by a slice of lime wrapped around a large gold brick. Read more
Published 12 days ago by atg
5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting work of science fiction
My son thoroughly enjoyed this book about space travel. Highly recommended for adolescent aged readers, as long as they understand that it is partially fact partially fiction
Published 16 days ago by Michael Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic in every way
Oh sure, you read this what, 30 years ago? Read it again. It is very funny and many of the things that seemed like science fiction back then are common place now. Read more
Published 17 days ago by MT Clarity
5.0 out of 5 stars a lifelong adiction
You Will never be able to go back to the time before you read this Series, nor would you want to
Published 19 days ago by great green arkelseizure
4.0 out of 5 stars a good read
great reading style...connecting word images that are unusual...kind of like when you do a double-take on something you encounter and it dawns on you that what you just experienced... Read more
Published 22 days ago by David B. Goehner
2.0 out of 5 stars Childish Rubbish
I made a decision a few months back to get the top 100 books of all time read, so I found a site run by Harvard University, which had their top 100 Book List. Read more
Published 25 days ago by C. Hill
1.0 out of 5 stars Not Good
I had high hopes for this book. It is funny and witty in parts, but mostly it is just dull. I couldn't get past the half way point.
Published 27 days ago by Rob M
4.0 out of 5 stars Funny
Although there are a lot of non sense stuff, it is quite funny. I think It is worth the reading.
Published 27 days ago by Guilherme
4.0 out of 5 stars Very funny
A story full of good humor and ingenuity. I read it in a few hours, which might be equivalent of a nothingth of a second. A pity Einstein didn`t have a chance.
Published 27 days ago by Javier
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
Very amusing and enjoyable book. Hardcover. Arrived in top condition and it timely manner. I recommend this book to everyone with a good sense of humor.
Published 28 days ago by R. MCBAIN
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I didn't like the movie...will I like the book
definitely. I thought the movie was kind of boring, annoying and grim. the book is much better. it get's rid of the whole "oh we need to get the gun so we can get my head back and get the coordinates" thing. a lot of stuff was invented for the movie. the book is not at all boring.
Oct 19, 2008 by Aaron Mackler |  See all 9 posts
Good choice for English10 Honors literature circle assignment? Be the first to reply
am i missing a cd or something?
I believe so because every CD book verson indicates it has 5 discs. (the CD's published in 2005 and read by S. Fry) The one at my library also has 5 discs.
Oct 19, 2012 by Lee Haskell |  See all 2 posts
Email from Amazon
I didn't see any glaring errors when I read the book.
Jul 18, 2009 by J. Peek |  See all 3 posts
Is this book okay for a 12 year old
I'm reading it with my 10-year-old. There are some adult themes, but nothing too bad, and he is falling head-over-heels in love with the book, which is so gratifying that I will explain any number of subtle sexual innuendoes just for the joy of seeing him experience this story. I haven't read it... Read more
Feb 24, 2009 by CLC |  See all 9 posts
Kindle version?
No, you are not hallucinating. I bought this as my first book, because like you, it just seemed appropriate. Now my buddy bought a Kindle and this was going to be his first book as well. When he told me there was no Kindle version listed, I didnt believe him. Well, now I do. What's up with... Read more
Mar 28, 2009 by Edward W. Herrmann |  See all 4 posts
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