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Summary: Asimov meets Monty Python
Review: I've had this book for a long time but I never bothered to read it. The idea of comedy Sci Fi just didn't appeal to me. When I finally did I was in for a pleasent surprise. It was actually quite funny and intelligently written. One of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time. It actually caused me to laugh out loud several times. Oh and the best part was that I finally learned the meaning of life. It's 42 (who would've known).
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Summary: ADVENTURES THOUGHT OUT THE GALAXY
Review: The thrilling yet hilarious book Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams, includes an exciting plot, great characters, and very cool ways of looking at the galaxy, as a human named Arthur and an alien named Ford travel though space in search of adventure. Ford is sent to do research for the book Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, an electronic book that tells information about the galaxy. Ford and Arthur sneak away on a passing space ship, just as Earth is destroyed. They attempt to hide from the captain of the ship, but fail and are jettisoned into deep space! Knowing that they only have 30 seconds left of air, they try to find some way to save themselves. Just as they are about to die a passing ship picks them up, but Arthur and Ford aren't ready for the adventures that are about to happen to them. One reason someone should read this book is because it is extremely funny. The book has very humorous ways of looking at earth and the galaxy from an alien's point of view. One example is in the beginning when the aliens describe earth as " An utterly insignificant little blue green planet whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea."(1) Another example of humor is when the aliens are describing Jesus: " One man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change"(2) There are many more funny jokes and comments about people and things through out the book. Another reason to read this book is because the adventures that Ford and Arthur have are very exciting and action filled. One example is when Arthur, Ford, Zaphod, Trillen, Veet, and the robot Marvin discover the lost planet, Magrathea, which is rumored to not exist. When they come closer to the planet they are shot down with missiles and crash into the planet, and discover strange creatures and buildings on the planet. Another example is when Arthur, Ford and the gang get into a shoot out with police when they get caught with a stolen ship. The adventures and jokes that Douglas Adams comes up with are so funny it makes you want to read this book again. One reason why someone might not like to read this book is because if one reads the book too fast you might miss a transaction and be confused. The book as weird ways of saying things you might skim one thing and think it means something different then it really means, so you must read kind of carefully. This reason is not a good reason to not read the book because is a great book. All one need to do is read a little carefully and the only problem with the book is gone. If one does not read this book this will be missing out of all the funny adventures that Ford and Arthur go on. This book is defiantly a must read, you will have many hours of enjoyment reading this book.
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Summary: Fall over laughing
Review: I'm not generally into comedies. Sci-Fi and Fantasy are definately my thing though. So when Daddy handed me this book, I was excited.This book points out some interesting "facts": that if you climb on a roof with a towel, aliens will pick you up since they'll assume you have everything you need to keep from stinking. These "facts" are what keep you reading, along with characters that you can't help but shake your head out. So if you're in the mood to laugh, I recommend this book and a chair you can't easily fall out of.
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Summary: Great if you just want a little humor
Review: This is a very funny book showing up some of human nature. This isn't a "sci-fi/ horror" genre, it's just a comic book with space in it. It is philiosphical in a ironic kinda way showing charcteristic errors through the different species of aliens. From the prideful, trying to be sophisticated but truly barbarious, Vogons to the Mice who only care about finding out what the "question" is. A light read.
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Summary: This book is a hilariously ironic sci-fi novel.
Review: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a great book for people who not only like science fiction, but like humorous novels too. Douglas Adams throws in a mix of humor and irony in a science fiction setting,and that's what I personally like about the book. For example, you have to laugh at Arthur Dent who is upset that his house is being demolished, when little does he know that his planet will be demolished shortly afterward. The Hitchhiker's Guide also makes comments about the human race that aren't just funny, but also make you think as well. My favorite quote from this book is, "This planet has-or rather had-a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy." I've read it 3 or 4 times this year since I bought it. This book is a definite must read! If you like the Hitchhiker's Guide then I recommend you read the sequels too because the story doesn't end when you finish the book. When I finished the Hitchhiker's Guide for the first time, I had to run out to the book store and buy the next book. Now I'd have to say that that Douglas Adams is my favorite author and I hope other people become fans too.
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Summary: A Wholly Remarkable Book.
Review: This is possibly the funniest book in the galaxy...or universe...or whatever. I've read it and "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" and I can't wait to get the others. I admire authors like Douglas Adams for being able to write such incredibly amusing and complicated books. This story is about Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect, a normal human and a humanoid creature from Betelguese, respectively, and their travels through time and space after Ford saves Arthur because Earth is being destroyed to build a bypass. What follows is an unbelieveably hysterical tale with so much to laugh at and so many events it's nearly impossibly (or at least highly improbable) to do it justice in one review. The other main characters would be Trillian, Zaphod Beeblebrox, and a very very despressed robot named Marvin. In this book, you will learn why you should always bring a towel if you're traveling in space (it means you're a "really amazingly together guy," or a frood, hence the hitchhiker slang expression: "Hey, you sass that hoopy Ford Prefect? He's one frood who knows where his towel is!" Sass means meet and hoopy means "really together guy"), why it is so important never to listen to Vogon poetry, how man used the Babel fish to prove God's nonexistence, and that there are actually people who still think digital watches are a pretty cool idea and feel safer in a completely new and terrifying outer space world if they can see a small package of cornflakes. Oh, and there is much more. But DON'T PANIC! You still have time to read this book before everyone has. And then read the sequal, which is equally hilarious.
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Summary: A hysterical, yet edjucational book that you should read.
Review: As soon as you hear the tittle, "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy", you know something is up and/or going to happen. This science fiction will last a life time, er make that ten life times. The protagonist, an earthling by the name of Arthur Dent, is faced with very unusual events. His friends, who come from a variety of different planets, are trying to teach him about living and handling problems in the Universe, unfortunatly we know the answer to the Universe but not the question. Arthur has many people and creatures to deal with. These include: Zaphod Beeblebrox, The Great Computer, Marvin, and The Heart of Gold. In this book, you will find out that humans are not the second smartest animals on Earth, but that we are the third smartest animals on Earth, that the image of infinity is much worse than infinity itself, and how to translate a Dolphin's message of attempting a backwards flip through a hoop while whistling the national anthem. In other words, this is a hysterical, but edjucational book that every one should read.
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Summary: Just a short Correction
Review: Greetings hoopy froods from America-land
Just a short correction for you. The Radio series (on BBC Radio 4) came first, then the original books were written from the radio script.
For all of those interested, a new radio series is going to be broadcast (again on BBC Radio 4), in September this year. See the BBC web site for details. Also, a film is being made at this momment. Personally, I don't think any film can match the comic genius of Douglas, but hopefully I'll be proved wrong.
Rating: 
Summary: A Very Entertaining Book
Review: This book, which I found entertaining to the end, follows Arthur Dent journey through the galaxy. Earth is destroyed for a galactic freeway. Luckily for Arthur Dent, his best friend Ford Prefect, who is a researcher for "The Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy", saves him by sticking there thumbs out into space. After being picked up, they have a very wild journey through time and space. I would suggest to the readers that if you do not understand what Ford Prefect is saying, or any other alien, that you continue reading because it will either explain its self or it is not important. I read this book and the following 4 books in a volume called "The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." I would recommend that you either be prepared to have all 5 books or buy the volume with all 5 books, since each one leads into the next. Have fun reading this hilarious volume wonderfully written by Douglas Adams.
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Summary: After 20 years it is still funny
Review: Twenty years ago this book came into my hands and for one entire week I laughed my head off. This is one of the most beautiful pieces of holographically insane literature I've ever read. The fact that it is science fiction is almost irrelevant. Some pages are so nutty/funny I'd be left gasping for air after each paragraph trying to smother uncontrollable laughter. Other pages, whilst not as funny, were so absurdly pedantic that you were left adrift in amazement. One of the most successful literary attempts at psychedelic writing in my 40+ years of reading. The book is miraculously manic; I hope you enjoy it.
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