The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (book)
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Image:Hitchhiker's Guide (book cover).jpg
Image:Illustrated Hitchhikers Guide 25th front.jpg
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979, ISBN 0330258648) is the title of the first of five books in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy comedy science fiction series by Douglas Adams. The novel is an adaptation of the first four parts of Adams's radio series of the same name. The novel was first published in London in October, 1979. Template:HitchhikerSpellingDisclaimer
The novel takes its name from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a fictional guidebook written in the form of an encyclopedia.
Plot
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ('The Guide is definitive; reality is frequently very inaccurate') is the most popular known reference work for two reasons: it is inexpensive, and it has the words 'Don't Panic' written on it in large, friendly letters on its cover. It is a galactic bestseller everywhere except on that backward planet Earth, where they still think digital watches are "A pretty neat idea". One morning, to the disappointment of few, the entire planet is demolished to make way for a "hyperspace bypass". However, one of the supposed Earthlings is actually Ford Prefect, a Betelgeusian roving reporter for the Guide, and just before the planet goes bust, he hitches a ride on one of the demolishing crafts, dragging along his permanently baffled Earthling friend, Arthur Dent. The two narrowly escape death in deep space through the mysterious workings of the Infinite Improbability Drive, which powers the starship Heart of Gold. Unfortunately, the starship Heart of Gold has just been stolen by Ford's semicousin Zaphod Beeblebrox, former president of the Galaxy, and his girlfriend Trillian. It is only when the band stumbles upon the legendary planet of Magrathea that Trillian learns that the pet mice she brought with her are in truth hyper-intelligent pan-dimensional beings, seeking the question to the Ultimate Answer of Life, the Universe, and Everything. Some police come to Magrathea after Zaphod, but he and the others escape with the help of a robot named Marvin. The story continues in the sequel, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
Illustrated Edition
"The Illustrated Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is a specially designed book made in 1994. It was first printed in the United Kingdom by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Limited and in the United States by Harmony Books (who sold it for $42). It is an oversized book, and came in silver-foil "holographic" covers in both the UK and US markets. It features the first appearance of the 42 Puzzle, designed by Adams himself, a photograph of Adams and his literary agent Ed Victor as the two space cops, and many other designs by Kevin Davies, who has participated in many Hitchhiker's related projects since the stage productions in the late 1970s. Davies himself appears as Prosser. This edition is out of print - Adams bought up many remainder copies and sold them, autographed, on his website.
External link
cs:Stopařův průvodce po Galaxii
sl:Štoparski vodnik po galaksiji it:Guida galattica per gli autostoppisti (romanzo)