I was first introduced to the works of the late great Douglas Adams when I was in Std 7 (Grade 9). It was on our weekly family trip to the local library one Thursday evening. Walking through the quiet aisles that evening, with my quota of books that I would read that week safely tucked under one arm, I was killing time until my sisters had finished their hoard.
I knew the aisles pretty well already. I’d seen all those books before – week after week, neatly packed away on the shelves. And then I saw ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.’ I’d seen it many times before, but I’d never picked it up. The title was a bit odd. Some futuristic book with someone travelling through space, I thought. Not exactly what I was into at that time. But because I had time, I picked it up and read the cover.
A trilogy in four parts. Even odder than the title. I was intrigued.
“One Thursday lunchtime the Earth is unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass.”
That was the clincher!
I quickly put back one of my already carefully chosen books and grabbed this one. And I am glad to say that the rest is history.
This was the first book I had ever read where I actually had to set it down next to me just so that I could have a good laugh before carrying on again. I loved the language and the way he described things and his flow of thought. It was bizarre! It was genius!
One of my absolute favourite lines which I remember to this day is: “The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks
don’t.”
Needless to say, the next Thursday I reluctantly returned ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’, and took out ‘The Restaurant at the End of
the Universe’, ‘Life, the Universe and Everything’ & ‘So Long, and Thanks for All The Fish’, just to be safe.
My reading repertoire was drastically changed from then on in for which I am eternally grateful.
And so, on this Towel Day 25 May 2013, I salute you Mr Adams. Thank you for Vogon poetry, the Babel fish, towels and the meaning of life (or should I say Liff? )
So go get your towels ready. I have mine. And if you’ve forgotten, you still have four days to go, so DON’T PANIC!
I knew the aisles pretty well already. I’d seen all those books before – week after week, neatly packed away on the shelves. And then I saw ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.’ I’d seen it many times before, but I’d never picked it up. The title was a bit odd. Some futuristic book with someone travelling through space, I thought. Not exactly what I was into at that time. But because I had time, I picked it up and read the cover.
A trilogy in four parts. Even odder than the title. I was intrigued.
“One Thursday lunchtime the Earth is unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass.”
That was the clincher!
I quickly put back one of my already carefully chosen books and grabbed this one. And I am glad to say that the rest is history.
This was the first book I had ever read where I actually had to set it down next to me just so that I could have a good laugh before carrying on again. I loved the language and the way he described things and his flow of thought. It was bizarre! It was genius!
One of my absolute favourite lines which I remember to this day is: “The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks
don’t.”
Needless to say, the next Thursday I reluctantly returned ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’, and took out ‘The Restaurant at the End of
the Universe’, ‘Life, the Universe and Everything’ & ‘So Long, and Thanks for All The Fish’, just to be safe.
My reading repertoire was drastically changed from then on in for which I am eternally grateful.
And so, on this Towel Day 25 May 2013, I salute you Mr Adams. Thank you for Vogon poetry, the Babel fish, towels and the meaning of life (or should I say Liff? )
So go get your towels ready. I have mine. And if you’ve forgotten, you still have four days to go, so DON’T PANIC!
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