Don't Panic: Douglas Adams & The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a complete fanboy's trawl through the history of the franchise." (5 stars) -- SFX Magazine Review 2004, by Steve O' Briens

Droll and informative ... indispensable -- American Library Association

Hilarious fun ... a source of much delightful trivia. -- Publishers Weekly

Indispensable ... a treasure trove of quotes and anecdotes. -- Locus

Probably the best book currently out there on Douglas Adams. -- SFX Magazine, December 2003

Product Description

"It’s all devastatingly true — except the bits that are lies" — Douglas Adams

Upon publication Don’t Panic established itself as the definitive companion to Adams’s life and work. This new revised edition comes up to date, covering his later work and untimely death in 2001, and including a new introduction by Neil Gaiman.

Acclaimed author Neil Gaiman celebrates the life of Douglas Adams who, in a field in Innsbruck in 1971, had an idea that became The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy — the radio series that started it all, the five book ‘trilogy’, the TV series, almost-film, and everything that followed. Don’t Panic also tells the story of the other projects Douglas worked on, including his posthumous collection The Salmon of Doubt.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Titan Books (May 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1840237422
• ISBN-13: 978-1840237429
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #280,156 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great tribute to a great man, February 11, 2005

By	isala "Isabel and Lars" (Fairbanks, Alaska,, US) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This is part a biography of Douglas Adams, and part a description of how the different versions of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy came to be. Douglas Adams was a very interesting and intelligent man whose life was cut tragically short. The story of how his most famous work was created is almost as funny and capticating as the Hitchiker's Guide itself. We get some examples of his early work, which can be incredibly funny ("How many kamikaze missions have you flown?" "Fourteen Sir!" "Shouldn't it be just one?"). He was involved with the Monty Python group, and wrote some material for them.
I think the book should be essential not only for Hitchhiker's buffs but also for wannabes in any creative profession.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny and Informative, November 10, 2004

By	K. Lakas "scullystwin42" (Chicago) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Neil Gaiman does an excellent job of capturing the style and mood of Douglas Adams, and reveals the man behind the books revered by many. This book is enjoyable, and interesting, and a definite read for anyone who loves the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The only sad part is that it's a bit short - like Adams' life. So that's a bit depressing. Otherwise, a good read!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's the bonus disc to the H2G2, June 30, 2005

By	Rotten Arsenal (Burleson, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This is a neat little book. I found the 1st edition years ago by chance in my university bookstore and bought it. When this revised edition (with some new material) was released, I snapped that up as well and re-read it.
Basically, think of this as the book equivalent to a "Bonus Features" DVD. It's jam packed with odd little stories and insights into the making of the Hitchhiker's universe (all media: radio, records, books, & TV). Die-Hard Adams fans will enjoy this.
And the fact that this happens to be compiled by Neil Gaiman, one of my other favorite writers, is just an added bonus.