Friday, January 9, 2015

Friday Flashback: Rec. #42: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

I decided to start doing Friday Flashbacks in case you missed some early posts the first time around. You're busy; I understand.


What: I'm sure many of you can see why this had to be Rec. #42. (If you can, you really don't need me to say anything else. If you can't, read on. Well, read on either way.) 

Over a span of thirty years, the adventures of Arthur Dent, Trillian, Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox, and Marvin have been, among other things, a radio play, a five-book "trilogy," a television series, a computer game, a movie, a comic book series, and a few stage shows. This is the first book --- wherein Arthur Dent leaves Earth for the first time and learns the meaning of life.

Comparable to: The series appeals to several different types of nerdom: 
  • Anglophile/British intellectual nerdom (all Arthur Dent really wants is a proper cup of tea, one "action" sequence involves torture via bad poetry)
  • Science fiction nerdom (space, robots, aliens)
  • Retro-chic-hipster nerdom (it started as a radio play!)
  • Pop culture trivia nerdom (many, many inside jokes)
  • Computer nerdom (Douglas Adams was an early adopter of Macs, the "Guide" of the title is basically an iPad)

Representative quote:
"Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so."

You might not like it if: You avoid most forms of nerdom, as a general rule.

How to get it: The book is available in so many ways ("ultimate" edition, 25th anniversary edition, deluxe edition, etc.) that it's amazing someone hasn't dropped off a special edition at your door while you've been reading this. Actually, maybe they have. You'd better check.

Connection to previous Wreckage: 


[Originally posted 2/10/11.]


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