Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last 15 years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.

Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide ("A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have.") and a galaxy full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod's girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; and Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years.

Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? Why do we spend so much time in between wearing digital watches? For all the answers stick your thumb to the stars. And don't forget to bring a towel!

Listening Length

5 hours and 51 minutes
Author

Douglas Adams
Narrator

Stephen Fry
Audible release date

April 28, 2005
Language

English
Publisher

Random House Audio
ASIN

B0009JKV9W
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	5 hours and 51 minutes
Author	Douglas Adams
Narrator	Stephen Fry
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	April 28, 2005
Publisher	Random House Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0009JKV9W
Best Sellers Rank	#229 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #2 in Humorous Science Fiction (Books) #2 in Humorous Science Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

5 star		71%
4 star		16%
3 star		8%
2 star		3%
1 star		2%

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LJWing

I quit 33% of the way in

Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2020

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I can probably count the amount of times I have quit a book without finishing it. Even the worst I’ll try to trudge through.

I got 33% of the way through (says Kindle) and had to put it down. It wasn’t funny. There was a loose story though every time the “Hitchhiker’s Guide” info came up I couldn’t even follow what it was talking about.

I can’t figure out why it’s on the “100 Books You Must Read List.” Shrug.

26 people found this helpful

Helpful

Charles Scott

A light-hearted, adventure story about an imaginative fellow who goes on a long trip with friends.

Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2019

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams, published in 1979 is a thrilling work of science-fiction and highly entertaining to read. It is a well-written book, with a surplus of thought-provoking ideas. The prose conceals flashes of brilliance and unearths pearls of wisdom. The characters are themselves illuminating, with respect to their sharp perceptions, astute assessments of the situation, quick reactions, and outright candor. You get the impression that the story could very easily have been about a likable group of college students who plan to go on a road trip for spring break, so that they can experience all that life has to offer, let off a little steam, and reduce some stress before final exams.
But, alas, the book is more complicated than that. It is more like, what if you know for certain that identifiable flying objects piloted by alien beings are in close proximity, and you have the coded electronic transporter boarding pass device, granting you unlimited access to go anywhere in the universe, right there in your hot little hand.
You find that this quite interesting group of individuals demonstrates great camaraderie and superlative rapport in their timely interactions. They provide keen insight, regarding their interpretations of recent events and take on a variety of pertinent subjects. Such as: "what should we do next in order to survive imminent disaster?"
Basically, they learn to get along exceedingly well together as they travel through the galaxy in a space ship they've somehow managed to commandeer and fly out to distant points as yet unknown. The space ship, incidentally, as it turns out, incorporates the latest and greatest technology ever seen anywhere.
Again, the book is cleverly written, of a deeply philosophical nature, and incredibly fun to read. I'd recommend it to anyone. "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" is the next title in the book series.
R. Royce saw the note attached to the refrigerator with a small magnetic ornament in the shape of a wild-flower. It read, "We decided to let you sleep in. Be back in a jiffy with your truck of chinchillas."
"Good morning, Royce," said Cornelius Korn. "Are you ready to travel?"
"Where is everyone?" asked Royce.
"They went to gas up the vehicles for the trip to Minnesota. As you know we need to deliver four truck-loads of the cute, cuddly critters to the new chinchilla ranch up near the Canadian border," explained Korn.
"I thought we were still in the early planning stages for that assignment," said Royce. "How'd you get the ball rolling so fast?"
"In case you weren't aware, the democratic process can work miracles in times of great need. The majority voted we go now," said Korn. "Plus, we have just received a sizable cash advance on our proceeds, the amount we get upon final delivery."
"Apparently, you didn't need my vote," said Royce. "Doesn't matter. I'm all for the plan."
"The Montana rancher sold us all of his chinchillas, but he's holding on to the minks and sables," said Korn.
"Makes perfect sense to me," said Royce. You can make very expensive, complete fur coats out of mink or sable. They manufacture the chinchilla fur hides into fashionable leather coat collars, hats, gloves, and accessories. It involves different manufacturing processes entirely."
"Some people keep them as pets, as well," added Korn. "They're docile, playful, and curious. Intelligent creatures."
"You say that we're delivering paired couples of chinchillas to the rancher in Minnesota?" asked Royce. "And we get a share of the profits for the first litters?"
"That's right," said Korn. "$20 bonus, for each baby chinchilla born upon or after arrival at the destination. $80 each, for the red-haired, striped, or spotted blondes. That's because they're rarer breeds and much in demand."
"I can see how this venture might prove profitable," said Royce. "What do the girls have to say about our travel prospects?
"Mostly, they want to experience fine dining along the way, stay in scenic hotels, and go to the International Mall in Minneapolis," said Korn. "Who can argue with their logic?"
"Not me," said Royce. "Here they are now. Let's get this show on the road. Shall we?"
"We're all fueled up and ready to roll," said Raquel Remington. "I've been thinking about those chinchillas. Maybe we should do some additional research."
"I agree," said Alexis Sue Shell. "There may be a big demand for chinchilla oil in the field of medicine."
"Or, for the wild, musky chinchilla scent, in the perfumery industry," continued Raquel.
"We'll definitely have to look into the matter and make discrete inquiries accordingly," said Korn, nonchalantly. Which probably meant that he had other sticks in the fire, as well. For all they knew, he might already have sold some of the cute, furry creatures to NASA for their Mission to Mars program. His next detour: The Biology Unit, Life Support Section, Advanced Obscure Scientific Research Corporation, a subsidiary of NASA. It was inevitable, and so conveniently nearby the chinchilla ranch.

22 people found this helpful

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Zach

Kindle edition full of typos

Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2021

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Some intern managed to replace EVERY word with emphasis in the first chapter of the Kindle edition with the word 'bulldozer'. Pretty immersion breaking.

18 people found this helpful

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Eric H. Malloy

Totally dumb

Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2020

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I'm not sure why I bought this book. I think I thought it was a cult classic or something, or that it would be fun reading, it does have a catchy title. However, I only read 10% maybe 15% of it. It was sooo dumb. Most any motivated middle schooler could do way better. Please don't waste your time or money. (Like I did)

18 people found this helpful

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Kindle CustomerTop Contributor: Star Trek

The opening book to one of the best series.

Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2020

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Author Douglas Adams brings us the opening book in his five-part trilogy of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. As the book opens we meet Author Dent a human from the planet Earth who doesn't know it yet but his best friend Ford Prefect is from a little planet near Beetleguice. On one Thursday morning Author sees that the local counsel has sent bulldozers to knock down his home. But Ford is rushing to him to talk with him and take him to the local pub because they're going to need the mussel relaxant. Once Ford arrives there he talks Author into coming with him but just as they're settling in for their third pint of bear the bulldozers destroy Author's home. Ford runs after him and makes sure that he grabs a towel to take with him as the Vogon construction fleet fill the sky. Thus begins the adventure for both Ford and Author that will take them to the recently stolen Heart of Gold starship and to the planet Magrathea where Author will find out about the true origins of Earth and why two little white mice want the question to the ultimate answer of 42. This is a great book and I highly recommend reading the entire five book series.

11 people found this helpful

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MikeD

Mostly Harmless

Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2018

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This novel is really just a bunch of sci-fi comedy skits linked together with a weak story, and not much of an ending.

The main characters have no arc, Arthur and Ford are the same at the beginning of their story as at the end.

In addition, the only time the mains characters impact the story is at the beginning when they decide to beam off Earth. Actually only Ford influences the story at that point.

After that, Arthur and Ford don’t have any impact on the story, they are merely passages on the story train as the story train continues on its rails to the next scene; intermixed with a comedy skit.

The comedy skits are funny and the book has a lot of quotable lines. But as a good story? Mostly harmless!

10 people found this helpful

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C. M. Foust

Not what I expected but still good

Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2020

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When it said it was illustrated, I thought it would be more like a graphic novel. Instead it's a ... collage of photos and images. The layout feels late 1980s-early 1990s, which fits since this was published in 1994. But it's still a cool book. I love the shiny dust cover. And the book is monstrously large, as others say. I've got my 42nd birthday coming up soon, so this is a nice treat. Though a little weird. Just as Douglas Adams would like it, I guess. :)

7 people found this helpful

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Sheldon Oberholtzer

Christmas book for 15 year old grandson.

Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2018

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Think he will love it.

28 people found this helpful

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Mr. M. Harris

Always struggled with this book.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 16, 2021

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I have always struggled with this book. I was 13 when it came out. A big fan of Monty Python, NTNN everyone was reading it and I tried but failed to get past... well, wherever it was at the time.

Curiously I know all the names of the characters and their peccadilloes and could chat with friends about them knowingly sharing the in-jokes of a dedicated reader.

I tried again in my 30s thinking that I’d better fill in the gaps, but again failed.

I’ve just finished it after the third try. Lucky? Not sure. I can still see why I could not make progress in the past as it was just as hard to pick up this time around. I have read four books since the beginning of the year and this was the hardest.

Why didn’t you I get on with this book? It’s not that I don’t embrace silly, or there weren’t chuckle moments but after much deep thought, the answer to the question has to be: ‘I can’t put my finger on it.’

Don’t let that put you off.

12 people found this helpful

Michelle

1 star

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 16, 2020

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Yeah, I'm not the intended audience for this book, with a male dominanted cast in space I was never going to be able to relate.

I'd heard great things but I couldn't get into it, my mind kept drifting, i looked for the humor but couldn't find it (was it where the British guy wanted a cup of tea on a spaceship?).

It just didn't hold my attention im afraid which is a shame as its such a cult classic.

13 people found this helpful

Paul Durrant

Almost as good as the Radio Series

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 7, 2017

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This review is for the current (2017) ebook edition.

A splendidly funny and silly book, quite a successful novelisation of the Radio Series.

Note that the extracts from the archives come right at the end of Chapter 35, and are interesting, especially the fax from Douglas to the American script editor, explaining why some things shouldn't be changed. For some reason, they're not listed in the table of contents.

22 people found this helpful

Suziey

Hyperspeed straight to Red Dwarf!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 30, 2020

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Didn't enjoy this book at all. Two stars for the original concept only. The writing style and language seems forced and contrived which only serves to override any empathy that the reader may have had for the characters. This equates to a lack of reliability and I found I just didnt care what happened to them the further I read on. The humour has dated badly and it appears to be written for teenagers who want to learn how to read lengthly/ pointless made up words in a desparate attempt to sound more intelligent. Thanks but no thanks, I'll stick to Red Dwarf!

7 people found this helpful

Mr. M. Sotiriadis

Fairly entertaining!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2020

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Perhaps I'm rating this book only with three stars out of five only because of my age since I'm currently 36 and I believe I should have read this book when I was about 15 to 25 at the most so I could properly and fully appreciate it.

Most of it sounded, in my head, like extremely well improvised, composed and delivered gibberish and not much more than that.

To be absolutely fair, this might simply not be my type of humor, hence my not finding it truly funny or amusing, although there were about three to five at the most instances throughout the book that did instigate that LOL outburst.

All in all, it is a pretty decent read. Particularly for the ages around 20 or less.
However, specifically with regards to all the hype surrounding this book, I, personally, couldn't possibly justify it.

5 people found this helpful

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