My 50th read of 2022!

I finally listened to this hilarious classic of the science fiction genre, which is narrated wonderfully by Stephen Fry, who really accentuates the quirky and witty tone of this story. It is the first time I read this, and I dived in blind, with no clue about what was going to happen, but that seems to have been the right call.

I thought the first half was brilliant. Ford Prefect is a great character, as is Arthur, and their interactions on earth are just great. It did become a bit too absurd for me in the latter third, but I was engaged from beginning to end. Definitely worth the read!

See my video review here: https://youtu.be/hfJJDQOroho

This is a book written in 1979 which follows the story of Arthur Dent who is having a bad day because his house is about to be torn down to make way for a highway. However, he has more things to worry about because the Earth is about to be demolished to make way for the galactic highway. Arthur Dent and his friend Ford Perfect are scooped up from Earth just a second before it is wiped out. The two of them travel through the galaxy and encounter many different people along the way including a depressed robot.

The first half of the book was really funny. I was reading this with a family member, and we both were laughing out loud every couple of minutes. The second half of the book was less funny because it was more plot driven. This book won't be for everyone, because some of the humor is a bit dry. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I am not sure if the jokes will really translate that well to the big screen.

Overall, it was a quick read and pretty enjoyable. However, as mentioned earlier, the pacing felt a bit off but keep in mind this book was written in the 1970's before the 8 second attention spans developed by YouTube.

2025 Reading Schedule
JantA Town Like Alice
FebtBirdsong
MartCaptain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
AprtWar and Peace
MaytThe Woman in White
JuntAtonement
JultThe Shadow of the Wind
AugtJude the Obscure
SeptUlysses
OcttVanity Fair
NovtA Fine Balance
DectGerminal

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A work that showed humanity its insignificance and that madness is a general, entertaining trait in the universe.

One of the greatest milestones of the rare Sci-Fi comedy hybrids, although it´s losing quality after the first 3 parts. Fantasy seems to be more prone to comedy than Sci-Fi, I don´t know why that´s the fact. I would tend to call it kind of Terry Pratchett in space, because of the unique wit, just without the stamina for so many parts. Adams dying in a fitness center of a heart attack comes in here too, although he already stopped continuing the series years before.

More sheer fun than the rest of the serious
It´s just hilarious and very clever, using different comedy tropes in space, not for science! One of these ideas one has once in a lifetime, in Adam's case mixed with talent. It´s mostly constructed by

Running gags, some sci-fi elements, and comedy characters.
Thereby, the wacky protagonists construct the laughs with slapstick, some deeper stuff, and general strangeness. The underlying criticism level isn´t very high in the first part, which can mostly be seen as pure entertainment.

So successful because it´s so easy to read
There is better, more ironic, and more complex sci-fi out there, but nothing as pleasant as Adam's work. No need to think too hard or get depressed about human nature, no info dump and worldbuilding overkills, just characters, puns, and gags mixed with some dept and

The second and third part of the series include some of the best indirect social criticism too.
But it sadly doesn´t improve after that, I´ve read until the fifth one and Adams just can´t live up to the expectations anymore, starts recycling his schemes, and just isn´t as compelling as in the original trilogy. Maybe he had already enough money, wasn´t really motivated, or lost his muse, but it´s quite a shame because there would have been potential as endless as space for more, really good parts.

Useless fandom trivia
The author, as the story goes, had the idea while watching the sky completely wasted, some might say poisoned, by Gösser beer in my home country Austria. I don´t believe this, because Stiegl beer is just much better than this bitter concoction. Whip me with a towel if you have a problem with that, I can easily handle a little intergalactic spanking.

Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...

What a unique book, truly one of a kind. Science fiction? Well kind of. Humor? Yes, that to. And who knows what else was going through Adams mind when he wrote this. It's almost like "stream of consciousness" science fiction/humor/satire. But whatever you call it, it was entertaining and fun to read. 4.5 stars.

Full review now posted!

I finally know the answer to life, the universe, and everything.

This was my third attempt at reading this book, because it’s just so gosh-darned silly that I could never get past the first three or so chapters. Well, what was the difference this time, you might be asking. The difference was a British gentleman by the name of Stephen Fry. I would have never made it all the way through this admittedly short book without the voice talents of Stephen Fry. The man is a genius! Every character had a completely unique voice, and they were all engaging. I’m not positive which came first, the movie or the audiobook, but Fry’s version of Arthur Dent sounded incredibly similar to Martin Freeman, who played Dent in the movie.

I’m not usually an audiobook girl. I tend to get frustrated with the slow pace and pick up the print version of whatever book I was listening to, because I can just read faster. But I never had that desire listening to Fry. He was absolutely fabulous, and now I want to track down other audiobooks he’s read. Just another reason to wish I was British, so I could have Audible access to his readings of Harry Potter. *disgruntled sigh*

Onto the book itself. I’m pretty sure Douglas Adams is a national treasure of the U.K., as he well should be. These books are meant to be silly, and they most definitely are. The tone of his writing was great, and I love the idea of the story, but something about the humor didn’t translate well for me. It was just too much, somehow, as stated earlier. Honestly, the book itself would have been somewhere between a 2 and 3 star read for me (please don’t lynch me!) had it not been for Fry’s marvelous audio. His reading saved the day and bumped the book up to 4 stars for me. I did end up really enjoying listening to this story, though I’m not sure I’ll continue the series. However, I’m glad to have read this book, and to now understand the cultural references and impact Adams provided here.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

For more of reviews, as well as my own fiction and thoughts on life, check out my blog, Celestial Musings

I honestly couldn't care less for Zaphod and his part of the story, or the most of it. Therefore I give it 4,5 stars. Other than that I loved the book and the humour in it. It was simply brilliant. Easy read with lots of fun. Pity I didn't have a chance to read it as a teen. In English.

I need a Babel fish and make it translate my mind.

"Whatever happened to my mind, I did it."

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.
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"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."

Story: Earth is demolished. A man is secretly taken to another planet. So enjoy I say.

It's filled with weirdos because most of them are beings from somewhere else (to keep it subtle or to make it worse) and the story is chaotic and funny as heck.

But really though, reading this series talking about demolishing the Earth during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic did made me question my choice of books.

(And every book I pick up these days are either too depressing or stressed the heck out of me. I question my choices. Yes, I do that a lot these days.)

I was going crazy trying to calm down and understand what was going on in the first few chapters. But then chapter 6 started and there's no going back. Of course, we gotta read the first 5 chapters to get this feeling.

I love this chapter! Funny yet the discussion going on in there. Fun! Faith vs Man.

My favourite character would be Ford. He would be someone I would want to punch in the face but cannot survive without.

Arthur. Oh Arthur. You remind me of us humans that I keep getting all the second-hand embarassment whenever you appear.

Trillian. The way her character is reminds me of some of the most calmest yet intriguing people. I like how her vibes scream sarcasm towards Gaphod, the semi-cousin of Ford.

And what the hell is wrong with Grunthos (yes, that's a real fictional character's name... Real and fictional.) Torture yourself with the poems by Poet Master Grunthos. (My Favourite Bathtime Gurgles....yes, get the hint.) The horror! I cried laughing there!

And you will meet a few more characters. Almost philosophical ones I would say.

Marvin, you will be remembered.

The more pages you turn, the more you will enjoy the story. There's nothing normal here. Because, of course, it didn't happen on our planet. Let your imagination have its exercise and be tickled with an imaginary world somewhere out there.

The entire read reminds me so much of the nerds Sheldon Cooper, Lennerd, Howard and Raj. Like they have written a story together finally!

(The irony though that the book series happened years before the show.)

Another story there, Magrathea. It could happen. Myth?

Love the space time I had with the first book!

Parts like this out of nowhere got me laughing out loud
("Ah...! What's happening?it thought.

Er, excuse me, who am I?

Hello?

Why am I here? What's my purpose in life?

What do you mean by who am I?")

Of course, it's not always about the human and humanlike beings here.
I just wish no fictional animal was harmed in the story.

The end of chapter 21 made me quite emotional. I wish I never have to say such lines. Ever.

And (bam!) the chapters that followed this until the end made this read a perfect read for me. I am telling you this is the kind of book the more pages you read the more you get invested.

I kept telling myself "this is so chaotic", "do I need to be worried about how worried I am now while reading this crazy story?" and "I want to go there". Actually the whole story felt rather claustrophobic too.

I really love the last few chapters more. It's everything you need to think about you, the world you live in and what might be actually happening as opposed to what we are made to believe all our lives.

And human, be very scared of mice. (Now I know why we go crazy sht seeing mice!)

"Resistance is useless."

استفاده از رگه‌های طنز در آثار فانتزی یا علمی تخیلی، کار عجیبی نیست، ما در آثاری مثل «هری پاتر» یا «تلماسه» هم گاهی با شوخی‌های نویسنده مواجه شده‌ایم. اما کسی هری پاتر و تلماسه را اثر کمدی نمی‌داند.
حالا در مجموعه‌ی «راهنمای کهکشان برای اتواستاپ‌زن‌ها» تعداد این شوخی‌ها آنقدر زیاد است که رسما می‌‌توانیم کتاب را ترکیبی از ژانر علمی-تخیلی و ژانر کمدی بدانیم.
و ترکیب این دو ژانر، بهتر از چیزی که انتظار داشتم درآمده و از معدود نکات مثبت کتاب است.
داگلاس آدامز داستان را ابتدا به صورت بخش‌های نیم ساعته برای پخش در رادیو بی‌بی‌سی می‌نویسد، و بعد که کارش می‌گیرد و مشهور می‌شود، از سوی ناشران پیشنهادهایی برای چاپ داستانش در قالب رمان دریافت می‌کند و سرانجام، این مجموعه آنقدر معروف و محبوب می‌شود که از روی آن فیلم و سریال و بازی کامپیوتری هم ساخته می‌شود.
در مقدمه‌ی بامزه‌ی نویسنده در آغاز کتاب (این مقدمه در ترجمه‌ی فارسیِ کتاب وجود ندارد و من آن را از نسخه‌ی انگلیسی نقل به مضمون می‌کنم) داگلاس آدامز نوشته:
n  

در زمان نوشتن کتاب، از دنیا کمی اوقاتم تلخ شده بود و نتیجه این شد که در تمام طرح‌های ذهنم برای داستان، قرار بود کره‌ی زمین نابود شود.

n
بله! داستان از این قرار است که در همان ابتدای کتاب، نویسنده موقعیتِ کمیکی خلق می‌کند که کره‌ی زمین توسط آدم فضایی‌ها به منظور احداث بزرگراه فضایی، نابود می‌شود و «آرتور دنت» که یک انسان زمینیِ از همه‌جا بی‌خبر است، با کمک دوستش «فورد پریفکت» که یک موجود فضایی است که برای تحقیق به زمین آمده، موفق به فرار از زمین قبل از نابودی آن می‌شود. (نویسنده نام فورد پریفکت را انتخاب کرده تا نشان دهد این شخصیت از قوانین زمینی بی‌اطلاع بوده، چون فورد پریفکت در واقع نام یک مدل معروف خودروی فورد ساخت بریتانیا بوده)
خلاصه که داستان درباره‌ی سفرهای فضایی جناب آرتور دنت و ماجراهای اوست.
این مجموعه در شش جلد چاپ شده که در واقع پنج جلد اول را خودِ داگلاس آدامز نوشته و جلد ششم بعد از مرگ او بر اساس یادداشت‌هایش توسط نویسنده‌ی دیگری نوشته شده است.
به طور خلاصه نظرم در مورد کتاب -حداقل جلد اولش- این است که داستان، پر از ایده‌های بسیار خلاقانه است، اما این ایده‌ها به خوبی پرداخت و اجرا نشده‌اند. مثلا نویسنده توانسته تیپ شخصیت‌های بسیار جالب و بامزه‌ای خلق کند. از «زاپود بیبلبروکس» که برای دزدیدن سفینه، رئیس جمهور کهکشان شده تا رباتی که آنقدر اطلاعات زیادی دارد که افسرده شده یا رباتی دیگر که زیادی شاد و شنگول است. اما هیچ کدام از شخصیت‌ها عمق کافی ندارند و در واقع شخصیت‌پردازیِ کتاب خوب نیست.
به علاوه داستان، تعلیق و هیجان لازم را به عنوان یک اثر علمی تخیلی ندارد. بدتر از همه این که سؤالی که برای من در حین خواندن کتاب مرتب تکرار می‌شد این بود که «خب حالا که چی؟!». میخواهم بگویم کتاب پیام روشن و درون‌مایه‌ی آشکاری مثل بعضی از علمی تخیلی‌های معروف از جمله «تلماسه» ندارد. (گرچه مقایسه‌ی تلماسه با این مجموعه خیلی هم مقایسه‌ی درستی نیست)
به نظرم هیچ‌کدام از شوخی‌های کتاب آنقدر خنده‌دار نیست که خواننده قهقهه بزند، ولی انصافاً بعضی از شوخی‌ها پیچیده و عمیق هستند و به مسائل اجتماعی- سیاسی کنایه می‌زنند.
شاید بعدها یک جلد دیگر از این مجموعه را هم بخوانم تا ببینم داستان به جای جالبی می‌رسد یا نه.

درباره‌ی ترجمه
از ترجمه به چند دلیل راضی نیستم:
• تمام کتاب به زبان محاوره یا به اصطلاح، فارسی شکسته ترجمه شده است و من از توضیحات مترجم در مقدمه‌ی کتاب در این باره قانع نشدم. شاید داستان در رادیو طور دیگری خوانده می‌شده یا شاید زبان محاوره با فضای داستان تضادی نداشته باشد، ولی ربطی به زبان اصلی کتاب ندارد.
• علاوه بر تعداد انگشت شماری غلط واضح در ترجمه‌ی کتاب، تعدادی از اصطلاحات داستان هم ترجمه‌ی دقیق یا باکیفیتی ندارند مثلا Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster ترجمه شده به مشروب الکلی رعد پان کهکشانی. در مورد اصطلاح «اتواستاپ‌زن» که ترجمه‌ی کلمه‌ی «hitchhiker» است هم، توضیحات مترجم در مقدمه برایم قانع کننده نیست. نمی‌دانم، شاید فقط منم که کلمه‌ی اتواستاپ‌زن را نشنیده‌ام و این کلمه برایم ناآشنا و وصله‌ی ناجور به زبان فارسی است. (شما تا حالا این کلمه را شنیده بودید؟) برای من «مسافر بین‌راهی» با این که می‌دانم ترجمه‌ی صددرصد دقیقی برای hitchhiker نیست، ترجمه‌ی قابل قبول‌تری است.
• بعضی قسمت‌های داستان سانسور شده‌اند مثل طرز تهیه‌ی همان مشروب الکلی رعد پان کهکشانی!
یک نکته‌ی جالب هم این که ناشر و مترجم متوجه شده‌اند اگر کلمه‌ی god را به جای «خدا» به «ایزد» ترجمه کنند، می‌توانند حداقل در مورد بحث‌های آتئیستیِ کتاب، از چنگ سانسور وزارت ارشاد بگریزند. این هم از عجایبی است که در کمتر جایی از زمین، و حتی کهکشان‌ها پیدا می‌شود!

What the hell did I just read?

What does Kim Jong-Il, a thong-wearing mechanic and this missing link furry fellow have to do with The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?
n  n
...you owe it to yourself and your family to find out.

With the plethora of wonderful reviews already written for this book by my fellow GRs, I decided instead to provide some helpful, practical advice on why reading this book might benefit my fellow goodreaders. Therefore, as both life management tool and a safety warning, I have compiled my:

Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Read Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:
.
.
n  Number 5n: It’s a pleasant diversion to keep your mind occupied and pass the time while you are getting electrolysis to remove those areas patches blankets of unwanted hair:
n  n
…Yikes, somebody please get that man a Klondike Bar.

n  Number 4n: The book is smart, funny, well-written and full of wonderful commentary on the human condition and clever humor:

n   …The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't.

t… ‘You know,’ said Arthur, ‘it's at times like this, when I'm trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse, and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space that I really wish I'd listened to what my mother told me when I was young.’tt
‘Why, what did she tell you?’tt
‘I don't know, I didn't listen.’

… Now it is such a bizarrely improbable coincidence that anything so mindboggingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as the final and clinching proof of the non-existence of God. The argument goes something like this: `I refuse to prove that I exist,' says God, ‘for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.’ ‘But,’ says Man, ‘The Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED.’ ‘Oh dear,’ says God, ‘I hadn't thought of that,' and promptly vanished in a puff of logic.

t …For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons

t… ‘Ah,’ said Arthur, ‘this is obviously some strange usage of the word safe that I wasn't previously aware of.’n

Number 3: This gentleman DOES NOT appear in the book:

n  n

Seriously, isn’t the absence of thong-boy reason enough to give this book a chance?

Number 2: North Korea's Kim Jong- il hates this book
n  n
...and the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

And finally….

Number 1: Understanding the deep, nuanced meaning at the heart of this novel will help better prepare you should you ever find yourself in a situation like this:
n  n

Don’t wait until it’s too late…for yourself and your loved ones, read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy today.

If through sharing the above bit of meaningless nonsense wisdom, I have: (i) introduced someone to a worthwhile read, or (ii)provided a means of dealing with the agonizing pain of having chunks of fur ripped from their body, or (iii) shown people a picture of a man in a thong changing a tire, or (iv) pissed off a despotic assclown, or (v) simply provided a safety tip regarding avoiding unsolicited sexual advances in the guise of impromptu gift-giving, than I feel I have accomplished something.

I only did this because I had a collection of funny pics and couldn’t figure out what else to do with them so I bootstrapped them in to a review I care.

3.5 stars.

They stumbled out of the Heart of Gold and looked around them. It was very quiet among the tall buildings. The ground was covered with brightly-colored objects that, from a distance, looked a little like paperback novels. Trillian picked one up.

"It's a paperback novel!" she said, surprised. "Long Hard Ride, by Lorelei James." She flipped through it. "Hm, who'd have thought that the late inhabitants of Frogstar Z would have been into women's erotica?"

She picked up some more. "Be With Me, by Maya Banks... Dangerous Secrets, by Lisa Marie Rice... A Little Harmless Pleasure, by Melissa Schroeder. They're all women's erotica!

The rest of this review is available elsewhere (the location cannot be given for Goodreads policy reasons)

Thanks for all the fish.
[Reread, December 2024]