- Paperback: 832 pages
- Publisher: Del Rey Books; Corners Dog Earred edition (April 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0345453743
- ISBN-13: 978-0345453747
- Product Dimensions: 15.5 x 3.6 x 23.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (138 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 270,172 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
At last in paperback in one complete volume, here are the five classic novels from Douglas Adams’s beloved Hitchiker series.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Seconds before the Earth is demolished for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is saved by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised Guide. Together they stick out their thumbs to the stars and begin a wild journey through time and space.
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Facing annihilation at the hands of warmongers is a curious time to crave tea. It could only happen to the cosmically displaced Arthur Dent and his comrades as they hurtle across the galaxy in a desperate search for a place to eat.
Life, the Universe and Everything
The unhappy inhabitants of planet Krikkit are sick of looking at the night sky– so they plan to destroy it. The universe, that is. Now only five individuals can avert Armageddon: mild-mannered Arthur Dent and his stalwart crew.
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Back on Earth, Arthur Dent is ready to believe that the past eight years were all just a figment of his stressed-out imagination. But a gift-wrapped fishbowl with a cryptic inscription conspires to thrust him back to reality. So to speak.
Mostly Harmless
Just when Arthur Dent makes the terrible mistake of starting to enjoy life, all hell breaks loose. Can he save the Earth from total obliteration? Can he save the Guide from a hostile alien takeover? Can he save his daughter from herself?
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Seconds before the Earth is demolished for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is saved by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised Guide. Together they stick out their thumbs to the stars and begin a wild journey through time and space.
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Facing annihilation at the hands of warmongers is a curious time to crave tea. It could only happen to the cosmically displaced Arthur Dent and his comrades as they hurtle across the galaxy in a desperate search for a place to eat.
Life, the Universe and Everything
The unhappy inhabitants of planet Krikkit are sick of looking at the night sky– so they plan to destroy it. The universe, that is. Now only five individuals can avert Armageddon: mild-mannered Arthur Dent and his stalwart crew.
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Back on Earth, Arthur Dent is ready to believe that the past eight years were all just a figment of his stressed-out imagination. But a gift-wrapped fishbowl with a cryptic inscription conspires to thrust him back to reality. So to speak.
Mostly Harmless
Just when Arthur Dent makes the terrible mistake of starting to enjoy life, all hell breaks loose. Can he save the Earth from total obliteration? Can he save the Guide from a hostile alien takeover? Can he save his daughter from herself?
From the Back Cover
“WITH DROLL WIT, A KEEN EYE FOR DETAIL AND HEAVY DOSES OF INSIGHT . . . ADAMS MAKES US LAUGH UNTIL WE CRY.”
–San Diego Union
“LIVELY, SHARPLY SATIRICAL, BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN . . . RANKS WITH THE BEST SET PIECES IN MARK TWAIN.”
–The Atlantic
–San Diego Union
“LIVELY, SHARPLY SATIRICAL, BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN . . . RANKS WITH THE BEST SET PIECES IN MARK TWAIN.”
–The Atlantic
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
let me say two words… BUY IT! Okay, hopefully you’re still with me so I’ll continue. The Hitchhiker’s Guide consists of five stories plus a very short story which isn’t really worth the paper it’s written on (no loss however, there’s another 800 pages in the book to be entertained by).
The theme throughout the stories is the life of Arthur Dent, a relatively normal earthling, quite reserved and in many ways quintessentially english, a bit of a ditherer and someone who’s life will never really come to much. The books tell the story of how he met Ford Prefect (a non-earthling as it turned out) and embarked on a journey throughout the known (and often unknown) universes just before Earth got destroyed due to a council mix up about intergalactic roadworks. His guide along this journey is strangely enough the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy, a book so detailed that it summarises earth in two words. Along the way he meets wonderful characters such as Zaphod Beeblebrox, Trillian, Slartibartfast and Marvin the miserable robot.
The stories that make up this book are quite distinct although they need to be read in the order they’re written to make that much sense (and even then a few bits seem odd). At times reading the book I felt the idea got a little bit tired and then I turned the page and found something I couldn’t help but laugh to myself about.
In terms of who this book appeals to, well certainly it helps if you’re a sci-fi fan, although one of the appeals of this book is that it seems to have such general appeal, so long as you have an appreciationo the english sense of humour and perhaps a vague understanding of cricket.
I cannot recommend this book enough to you, particularly if you’ve never read Douglas Adams before as it combines all his major books into one. The imagination of Adams is quite incredible both in terms of storylines as the names of some of the characters and technologies he invents, my favourite being the Infinite Improbability Drive. As for the significance of the towel in the heading of this review, well you’ll just have to read the book to find out what that’s all about.
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Leather Bound
This is a fairly nice edition: a tough padded hardback, printed on gilt-egded paper which one might normally expect to see on a bible. This is quite thin, however, and the print shows through slightly from behind each page which is not an altogether bad thing, since the five novels are comprising the hitch-hiker "trilogy" form a volume about two-and-a-half inches thick. Good travel reading, in other words.
(The "story," by the way, is a tale about Zaphod's youth, and is also printed in the sadly unfinished Dirk Gently novel " The Salmon of Doubt.")
The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy is an undisputed classic of modern literature, and this is its definative edition, wrapping up the many incarnations of the Guide. Adams himself states that it is the purpose of the book to "set the record straight, or at least, firmly crooked." This is an excellent book, and and printed in a very nice edition. At the price it's an absolute steal.
(The "story," by the way, is a tale about Zaphod's youth, and is also printed in the sadly unfinished Dirk Gently novel " The Salmon of Doubt.")
The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy is an undisputed classic of modern literature, and this is its definative edition, wrapping up the many incarnations of the Guide. Adams himself states that it is the purpose of the book to "set the record straight, or at least, firmly crooked." This is an excellent book, and and printed in a very nice edition. At the price it's an absolute steal.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A few years ago, I hated fiction books. The only ones I read were those prescribed at school. I tried several authors and could never finish a single book. Then a friend handed me The Hitch Hiker's guide to the galaxy to read as I was planning on staying in that night. I could not put it down. It's pure genius. I read the next four and then went on to read the Dirk Gently Books. Douglas Adams was a brilliant man!
You have to read this book - the rest will follow.
You have to read this book - the rest will follow.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The ultimate hitchhikers guide to the galaxy review.
Although this book is written around the 1980's and you should think that it would be terribly old fashioned by now, it's remarkably up to date and the story line keeps being... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Rob
Should have read these sooner
The late Douglas Adams - friend of Stephen Fry and Richard Dawkins, first person to buy a Mac in the UK, science enthusiast, wildlife advocate and comedy writer. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Steve M
Probably the most useful thing you could own, after a towel
If you're already a Hitchhiker's fan looking for a complete set, look no further; if youve never read them before (just what are you waiting for, the Earth to be demolished?! Read more
Published on 13 Oct 2009 by BookJumper
All you wanted to know about the Hitchhikers Guide but were forced to...
Where to start.
I have been a big fan of The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy since first listening to the radio series in 1985 (ish) courtesy of a cassette tape of a... Read more
I have been a big fan of The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy since first listening to the radio series in 1985 (ish) courtesy of a cassette tape of a... Read more
Published on 20 Oct 2008
Best version of Hitchhikers possible
When this book arrived I was shocked at its size and weight.
This reminds me of a heavy built Bible. Read more
This reminds me of a heavy built Bible. Read more
Published on 12 Sep 2008 by C. Walker
AWESOME
Seriously, never has british humor ever gone to such heights as this. The storyline is incredibly intriguing, with all sorts of dry humor, stupidly funny overtones, and a serious... Read more
Published on 31 Dec 2007 by Flufy
'Is that a BIBLE you're reading?'
Content alone renders even five stars somehow unworthy, but leather and gilt?? Surely somebody has been maxing out their Improbability Drive. Read more
Published on 27 Aug 2007 by bangandthedirtisgone
You can't be a Douglas-fan without having read this one!
Having read this "trilogy" three times over, I can safely say it's totally worth it. The sheer bizarreness and randomness of it is amazing, and just the sort of thing to expect... Read more
Published on 12 May 2007 by Filipia
This Book Knows Where It's Towel Is
Anything that happens, happens.
I read this book.
I read this book.
Anything that in happening, causes something else to happen, casues something else to happen. Read more
Published on 4 May 2005 by "drums_guitar_and_death"
The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
If you haven't read Douglas Adams, you've missed out on one of the greatest writers of modern times. Read more
Published on 17 April 2005 by "sarahburry"
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