The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Illustrated Edition - by Douglas Adams (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This is the story of Arthur Dent, who, seconds before Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, is plucked off the planet by his friend, Ford Prefect, who has been posing as an out-of-work actor for the last fifteen years but is really a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Together they begin a journey through the galaxy aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, with the words don't panic written on the front. ("A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have."). In their travels they meet: Zaphod Beeblebrox-the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch President of the Galaxy; Trillian-Zaphod's girl friend, formerly Tricia McMillan, whom Arthur once tried to pick up at a cocktail party; Marvin-a paranoid android, a brilliant but chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig-former graduate student obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years. To find the answers to these burning questions: Why are we born? Why do we die? And why do we spend so much time in between wearing digital watches? read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. But remember -- don't panic, and don't forget to bring a towel. The story of a British earthling plucked from his planet, and his subsequent adventures elsewhere in the universe."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

This beautifully illustrated edition of the New York Times bestselling classic celebrates the 42nd anniversary of the original publication--with all-new art by award-winning illustrator Chris Riddell.

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. . . .

Review Quotes

"Extremely funny . . . inspired lunacy . . . [and] over much too soon."--The Washington Post Book World

"Lively, sharply satirical, brilliantly written . . . ranks with the best set pieces in Mark Twain."--The Atlantic

"Irresistible!"--The Boston Globe

"With droll wit, a keen eye for detail and heavy doses of insight . . . Adams makes us laugh until we cry."--The San Diego Union-Tribune

"One of the greatest achievements in comedy. A work of staggering genius."--David Walliams

"Really entertaining and fun."--Michael Palin

"Fizzing with ideas . . . brilliant."--Charlie Brooker

"Weird and wonderful."--Eoin Colfer

"It changed my whole life. It's literally out of this world."--Tom Baker

About the Author

Douglas Adams was born in 1952 and created all the various and contradictory manifestations of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio, novels, TV, computer games, stage adaptations, comic book, and bath towel. He was born in Cambridge and lived with his wife and daughter in Islington, London, before moving to Santa Barbara, California, where he died suddenly in 2001.

Chris Riddell, the 2015-2017 UK Children's Laureate, is an accomplished artist and the political cartoonist for the Observer. He has enjoyed great acclaim for his books for children. He has won a number of major prizes, including the 2001, 2004, and 2016 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medals. His book Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse won the Costa Children's Book Award 2014. Riddell has been honored with an OBE in recognition of his illustration and charity work. He lives in Brighton with his family.