The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy [Hardcover]

The mega-cult-blockbuster-bestseller in a must-have cute hardback format. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Don't panic! You're not timetripping! It's the tenth anniversary of the publication of Douglas Adams's zany, best-selling novel, and to celebrate Harmony is reissuing a special edition of this cult classic!

By now the story is legendary. Arthur Dent, mild-mannered, out-to-lunch earth-ling, is plucked from his planet by his friend Ford Prefect just seconds before it was demolished to make way for a hyper-space bypass. Ford, posing as an out-of-work actor, is a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Together the gruesome twosome begin their now-famous inter-galactic journey through time, space and best-sellerdom.

For Hitchhiker fanatics (you know who you are!) who've read the books, seen the television program, and listened to the radio show, as well as newcomers to Douglas Adams's unique universe -- remember -- don't panic, don't forget to bring a towel, and don't forget to celebrate The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy's tenth anniversary by wearing your bathrobe.

Thirty years of celebrating the comic genius of Douglas Adams… On 12 October 1979 the most remarkable book ever to come out of the great publishing corporations of Ursa Minor (and Earth) was made available to humanity – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s an ordinary Thursday lunchtime for Arthur Dent until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly afterwards to make way for a new hyperspace bypass and his best friend has just announced that he’s an alien. At this moment, they’re hurtling through space with nothing but their towels and an innocuous-looking book inscribed with the big, friendly words: DON’T PANIC. The weekend has only just begun… Volume one in the trilogy of five --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Douglas Adams was born in 1952 and created all the various and contradictory manifestations of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: radio, novels, TV, computer game, stage adaptation, comic book and bath towel. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy's book was published 30 years ago on 12 October 1979 and its phenomenal success sent the book straight to Number One in the UK Bestseller List. In 1984 Douglas Adams became the youngest author to be awarded a Golden Pan. His series has sold over 15 million books in the UK, the US and Australia and was also a best seller in German, Swedish and many other languages. Douglas lived with his wife and daughter in California, where he died suddenly in 2001. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

" 'Hey,' he said, 'what you do that for?'
Trillian was tapping her fingers on a screenful of figures.
'I've just thought of something stupid,' she said.
'Yeah? Worth interrupting a news bulletin about me for?'
'You hear enough about yourself as it is.'
'I'm very insecure. We know that.'
'Can we drop your ego for a moment? This is important.'
'If there's anything more important than my ego around, I want it caught and shot now.' Zaphod glared at her again, then laughed.
'Listen,' she said, 'we picked up those couple of guys...'
'What couple of guys?'
'The couple of guys we picked up.'
'Oh yeah,' said Zaphod, 'those couple of guys.'
'We picked them up in sector ZZ 9 Plural Z Alpha.'
'Yeah?' said Zaphod, and blinked.
Trillian said quietly, 'Does this mean anything to you?'
'Mmmm,' said Zaphod, ' ZZ 9 Plural Z Alpha. ZZ 9 Plural Z Alpha?'
'Well?' said Trillian.
'Er... What does Z mean?' said Zaphod.
'Which one?'
'Any one.'

One of the major difficulties Trillian experienced in her relationship with Zaphod was learning to distinguish between him pretending to be stupid just to get people off their guard, pretending to be stupid because he couldn't be bothered to think and wanted someone else to do it for him, pretending to be outrageously stupid to hide the fact that he didn't actually understand what was going on, and really being genuinely stupid. He was renowned for being amazingly clever and quite clearly so-but not all the time, which obviously worried him, hence the act. He preferred people to be puzzled rather than contemptuous. This above all appeared to Trillian to be genuinely stupid, but she could no longer be bothered to argue about it." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.