The Hitchhiker's Guide - An Absurd, Melancholy Masterpiece

In this episode of bookshelf A to Z, Tuesday examines the Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy via underwhelming, absurdist life of one Arthur Dent; all while exploring a less than empty spaceship.
Check out Beck on TikTok:
www.tiktok.com/@sagemoonzz
James Webb Space Telescope Article:
www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasas-webb-delivers-deepest-infrared-image-of-universe-yet/
Music (By Order of Appearance):
The Last Frontier - Luke West
Weirder Stuff - Geographer
Future Rennaissance - Godmode
Another Breath - Futuremono

[@jester333]

i really love how fitting it is that they just die at the end, but in my dismay after i first read the books, i found out about the ending that you mentioned from the radio show. i also find that ending to be fitting aswell, because them all being saved by some unforeseen sci-fi mumbo-jumbo is just what always happens. p.s. i also like that ending because fenchurch is the best character dont at me p.p.s still haven't stumbled upon "and another thing" damn you colfer for not being popular enough to get in my second hand book store (edit "redio"

[@iamtuesday9502]

Yeah, weird whenever I stumble across an ending that is thematically fitting while being narratively unfulfilling. That's why I like the radio show ending better, it stands in line with the more hopeful undertones of the series while also giving us narrative closure. Also, Fenchurch is great. Thought so ever since I read the series the first time. We Stan Fenchurch on this channel

[@dot23X]

apparently 6*9=42 in base 13 - which would indicate that the progenitor species behind our universe had 13 fingers or tentacles. I have a Douglas Adams story: I got given a book by my dad called Mindswap by Robert Sheckley (it's great). I met Adams when he was touring Last Chance to See - I approached him after and asked him if he'd ever read Mindswap, he said no. I said, 'That's an amazing coincidence because the main protagonist hires a holistic detective to track down his missing body, which has been kidnapped, and his technique of detection bares an uncanny similarity to Dirk Gentley's". Adams walked off looking shifty. 6 months or so later, i spotted a new edition of mindswap, which had been out of print for many years, in Waterstones. curious, I picked it up. On the front cover was an endorsement by Adams - "The most influential sci fi book I've ever read." perhaps I had some influence too :)

[@dot23X]

btw thinking about it 6*9 equates with 69, which might lead one down the rabbit hole of alestier crowley and sex magic, robert anton wilson and Illuminatus! and Ministry's Psalm 69 :)