The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

By: Douglas Adams

Narrated by: Stephen Fry

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Extremely funny . . . inspired lunacy . . . [and] over much too soon.”—The Washington Post Book World

Now celebrating the pivotal 42nd anniversary of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy!

Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read

It’s an ordinary Thursday morning for Arthur Dent . . . until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly after to make way for a new hyperspace express route, and Arthur’s best friend has just announced that he’s an alien.

After that, things get much, much worse.

With just a towel, a small yellow fish, and a book, Arthur has to navigate through a very hostile universe in the company of a gang of unreliable aliens. Luckily the fish is quite good at languages. And the book is The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy . . . which helpfully has the words DON’T PANIC inscribed in large, friendly letters on its cover.

Douglas Adams’s mega-selling pop-culture classic sends logic into orbit, plays havoc with both time and physics, offers up pithy commentary on such things as ballpoint pens, potted plants, and digital watches . . . and, most important, reveals the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything.

Now, if you could only figure out the question. . . .©1980 Serious Productions Ltd; (P)2005 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

Don't panic! Here are words of praise for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!

"It's science fiction and it's extremely funny...inspired lunacy that leaves hardly a science fiction cliche alive."

Washington Post

"The feckless protagonist, Arthur Dent, is reminiscent of Vonnegut heroes, and his travels afford a wild satire of present institutions."

Chicago Tribune

"Very simply, the book is one of the funniest SF spoofs ever written, with hyperbolic ideas folding in on themselves."

School Library Journal

"As parody, it's marvelous: It contains just about every science fiction cliche you can think of. As humor, it's, well, hysterical."

Douglas Adams is pure genius

I read this book a few years ago and was left with the feeling that Douglas Adams was a pure genius - the Monty Python and Andy Kaufman of literature. In other words, he has a very peculiar sense of humor, but if you find it funny you will be laughing to hard that people will be staring at you on the subways. Now, I listened to a version of the book prior to the release of the 2005 movie, so I don't know if this new version of the book by random house audio is the same or if it has been modified for the movie. Frankly the movie stank with comparison to the original book so hopefully this is the original book just re-narrated or re-released.

I read this some twenty years ago

I was stuck in the vast emptyness of Yuma Arizona, a one gas station, Mcdonalds, Del Taco kind of place. Stationed there as 19 y/o US Marine I found the whole experience there miserable at best. Then on the second day a lovely young girl gave me this book to read, she said it was funny and filled up the boredom that enveloped Yuma. I took it and read it and loved it. True I do have a warped sense of humor, or at least those who know me would claim. Which may explain my passion for all of Douglas Adams books. Nonetheless, I am looking forward to listening to this book, and after that I'm off to see the movie, well maybe not the movie. I'll wait for the DVD, $8 for popcorn is bit too pricey for me.

Two creative geniuses, how could they go wrong?

Since I have a long-standing love for Douglas Adams' works and also admire Stephen Fry as an actor, I naturally had high expectations for this audio book - and was in no way disappointed.

If you've never heard the original radio show, do yourself a favor and go find it, because there's nothing quite like it; but if you're looking for a straightforward (no sound effects, etc.) yet brilliant (and delightfully British) reading of the book version, this is it.

I've picked up the H2G2 books many many times when I felt down or needed a chuckle. I'm sure I will listen to this many times too. Money very well spent.

Just the right voice for this story

I've long been a fan of this series by Douglas Adams and purchased this audiobook to share it with my children on a long road trip. Well, now we've got two more fans. Stephen Fry is a pleasure to listen to . . .I'd probably listen to his grocery list. But, given the excellent deadpan humor of this novel, he gave a genius reading.

Pure Douglas Adams insanity

This is the first part of the famous Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy trilogy (plus a couple extra volumes). It is a perfect example of the insane and illogical universe created by the author. This is admirably narrated by Stephen Fry, who's delivery perfectly fits the subversive style of the story.

If you enjoy things like Monty Python or Red Dwarf, this is absolutely for you. If you prefer the universe to make perfect logical sense, this might be a bit more challenging... but you should still give it a try.

I can't love this book enough!

This book is still funny even after almost 40 years it's a classic and I highly recommend it. Stephen Fry voice acting is amazing

Amazing and entertaining!

This is by far one of the most important cornerstones to Science Fiction there is. And Stephen Fry reading it to me was the best way to experience it.

Not impressed by this book...

I know it's supposed to be a classic, but I had a hard time wading through the frivolous make-believe. I know it's sci-fi, I know it's fiction, but the overly done up foundation of characters and plants and systems and OMG! was distracting to me. The plot all by itself was thin, and lacked substance IMO.

But that's just my opinion.

Nice comedy story

Good book. Nice British Humor. Story wasnt the best but was good for its purpose. I dont have anything bad to say really.

Too funny!

I don't know think I have ever laughed so much at a book! Steven Fry does an amazing job and the story is great.