The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
Book Title: "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"
Author: Douglas Adams
Nekodeco Price: 500 yen
Shelf Owner ID: 2350
Commentary inserted in the book
While technically classified as science fiction, this is a comedy novel filled with nonsensical and sarcastic British humor.
The Earth, being an inconvenience in the path of a galactic bypass, is wiped out in an instant. Arthur, who happens to survive, finds himself wandering the galaxy as a hitchhiker alongside the President of the Imperial Galactic Government and Marvin, the most depressed robot in the universe. All he can rely on is "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and a towel.
A cult classic that is considered essential reading in the IT industry. The watchwords are "Don't Panic" and "42".
A comedy you should read if you like "Monty Python"
The "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," which gives the book its title, is a guidebook for travelers hitchhiking through the galaxy. It is packed with information for traveling safely, such as how to deal with Vogons. Incidentally, the entry for the insignificant planet Earth is just "Harmless" (later revised to "Mostly Harmless").
In that vein, it is full of British, nonsensical, yet sarcastic humor, so if you like "Monty Python"-style comedy, you will definitely enjoy it.
An essential read for the IT industry, also loved by Elon Musk
For some reason, there are many fans of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" in the IT industry, and Elon Musk is one of them. When his company, SpaceX, launched a rocket toward Mars, the console of the Tesla Roadster carried as a dummy weight displayed "DON'T PANIC!," which is also a theme of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."
The nonsensical yet ultimate number "42" is also loved by fans
Though said to be impossible to adapt, there is also a film version
Given that it's set in space despite being so chaotic, it must have been difficult to adapt. However, it summarizes the original work well and is a genuinely enjoyable piece. It ended with a "let's go to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe" vibe, so I'm hoping for a sequel, though that's probably unlikely.
By the way, the scene where Earth is destroyed in the movie might be the shortest destruction scene in film history. From the perspective of the Galactic Empire, that is how insignificant Earth is.
The novel series continues with "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe," "Life, the Universe and Everything," "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish," and "Mostly Harmless." You can tell just by the titles that it's definitely interesting. Highly recommended.
Side note
Alan Rickman, who played Snape in the Harry Potter series, voiced Marvin in the film version. Marvin's melancholy is indescribable.
Purchase history
2024/12/25
2025/4/27