Book Review: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams’s 1979 science fiction comedy novel “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” is a hilarious modern classic that will entertain even non-readers with its absurd humor. Follow the adventures of Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect as they catch an intergalactic ride to escape the destruction of the Earth.
This novel will please fans of Monty Python and “The Princess Bride” with its utter lack of seriousness. At times, the plot of this novel appears to exist solely as a means of presenting the jokes, with the humor of this novel taking center stage. The humor ranges from sarcastic to absurd but remains deadpan as characters simultaneously quip and remain serious about the novel’s ridiculous and chaotic events. Adams uses the novel’s science fiction status to his advantage, making the alien aspects of the novel ridiculous and comedic. If you want a guaranteed laugh, then this is the book for you.
Do not let the absurd humor fool you: This novel is interesting from a thematic standpoint as well. Adams uses the absurdity of the novel to explore philosophical concepts such as “The Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything”—which you will have to read “Hitchhiker’s Guide” to discover the answer to. Because the themes of this book are approached humorously, they add depth to the novel without adding density to it. Fans of “The Good Place” are sure to enjoy this blending of humor and theme.
“Hitchhiker’s Guide” is one of the most well-written books that I have read. I am incapable of reading it without binging it. Novels can be daunting; they are often a large time commitment. I have read “Hitchhiker’s Guide” twice, and each time I have found that it is absolutely worth the time. This novel is equally suitable for avid readers and people who proudly proclaim that they “don’t read.” The humor makes this novel easy and fun to read as the jokes are rapid enough that it is hard to get bored while reading “Hitchhiker’s Guide.” If you are at all interested in becoming a hoopy frood, then grab your towel and a copy of “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” and discover how to make a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, the significance of the number 42 and whether the whale gets saved.
