The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams – A Cosmic Comedy of Life, the Universe, and Everything

Earth's demolition destroys the question.

The mice are angry.

A short summary:

Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy begins with the destruction of Earth to make way for an intergalactic bypass. This event wipes out not only humanity but also the ultimate question to life, the universe, and everything. Swept up moments before the explosion, Arthur Dent joins his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the titular Guide, on a wildly absurd journey through space. Along the way, they meet two-headed presidents, depressed robots, and a pair of brilliant mice who are rather upset that their grand experiment—the Earth—was demolished before yielding its final data. Equal parts satire and cosmic comedy, the book reminds readers that the universe is both profoundly ridiculous and hilariously indifferent.

My favorite quote from the book:

"Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?"

Questions I pondered while reading:

How many roads must a man walk down?

Why do we look for hidden meanings in everything?

My review:

I’ve always loved the answer 42. There’s something profoundly hilarious about reducing the meaning of life, the universe, and everything to two digits. Douglas Adams had a way of distilling both the wonder and the absurdity of existence into something you could laugh at, because really, what else can you do when faced with cosmic bureaucracy, talking doors, and the end of the world?

What makes The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy truly special, though, is how it connects people. There’s an instant kinship when someone recognizes the reference, that moment of shared grin between fellow travelers who know the secret of the towel. It’s more than a story, it’s a symbol of the geek spirit, of finding humor and curiosity in the chaos of it all. Geeks united forever. Towels up.

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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to her travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

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