#16: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.

Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide ("A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have") and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox--the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod's girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years.

Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? Why do we spend so much time between wearing digital watches? For all the answers stick your thumb to the stars. And don't forget to bring a towel!

193 pages
First published October 12, 1979

SELECTION #16: January 01, 2023 - February 29, 2023

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Freshly roasted Galactic Pub Nuts

MINUTES: 

Jodi and I met at her place to discuss this selection and watch the movie on March 11th. She prepared a wonderful movie themed nosh, and a good time was had by all, especially Bill, who added to the discussion in between his game play upstairs, helping our understanding by talking about the subsequent novels. Book inspired, she prepared us some delicious vegan Rhino Cutlets. We snacked on Galactic Pub Nuts and even enjoyed an alcoholic Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster! She's a terrific hostess.

During this meeting we decided on the creation of a rating system based on ye olde 5-Star rating system, but with our own criteria, that we can utilize in the future for rating selections. I think this stemmed from me realizing I am far too easily entertained and didn't realize I could even not like a book until Jodi and I started actually discussing them in Book Club. I surmised I am too easy on them, rating wise, and could benefit from some criteria defining what a "good" read even is. Our rating system will be able to be applied to the Good Reads 5- star system, but will be based on our own criteria. Before it's all said and done, there may be a learning curve though, and several months of training during the onboarding process to understand how to use it. I jest...somewhat. I am a sucker for systems though, and seem to love over-complicating things, so we'll see what happens. 😆 

Delicious vegan "Rhino Cutlets"

REFLECTIONS: 

In conclusion of this selection, Jodi stated she did not really care for it and we gathered it was from the nonchalant manner in which the eradication of the earth is handled, which she could not get over. One of the best discussion questions we covered was "Is anything in this novel taken seriously?" which somewhat helped us figure out what bothered her about it. Nothing really was serious, nothing was sacred, even. I mean, he blew up the fucking Earth pretty much first thing, so it's understandably a difficult thing to accept and it's almost immediately made secondary in the story, or third or fourth, even. 

Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters!

We watched a few minutes of the older films, and it is interesting how this novel was based off of radio show episodes and later written after it was already a living thing, almost like a novelization of a Broadway play or something. Or like the novelization of The Toxic Avenger that happened years later.  Backwards to how you'd think it would have been conceived, perhaps. Trillian has very little speaking dialog and her and Arthur's relationship is somewhat nonexistent compared to the film version. I'd probably read the sequels to this, but not anytime soon. It was a good read, though. Would that be 3 or 4 stars?