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A couple weeks ago, a cool cat gifted me The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. This book is freaking stellar, interstellar? Should we talk about McConaughey movies all day? No. Books! Although there was a movie made about this book. I haven’t watched it and the ratings look pretty low, so admittedly I not going to.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was written by the late Douglas Adam’s and is actually a trilogy (which ended up turning into quintet), which sold more than a million copies in his lifetime. It’s science fiction doused in humor that is suspense driven – so totally quick, easy, and hilarious to read. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy reminded me of works by Tom Robbins or Kurt Vonnegut. Here’s the set of Hitchhiker books and a list of books similar to Hitchhiker’s Guide if you’ve already read it.
You’ll Enjoy Reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy If :
- You like science fiction and humor.
- You try not to take life too seriously.
- You can laugh at the absurdity of life.
- You need a story that can act as a temporary escape from life.
- You need a book that propels you through it to get back into a good reading habit.
- You want a book you can read with just about any friend of any age or sex.
- You’re working your way through a list of ‘must reads’ because this appears on most.
Like I did with The Nature Fix, I thought it would be interesting to also fill in the benefits of reading list I shared on the Read With Me post with actual examples from the book I finished today, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I may end up doing this with every book I read this year. I feel like it’s a good review and it tests my list and hey, it might possibly expand it too. We’ll see.
Why We Should Read More Often :
Expands your vocabulary and improves your writing
While there weren’t so many new words presented, except for made up ones, the sentence structure and syntax was extremely clever in this novel. Sometimes a scene would be set up so vividly only to be ended with a single, simple sentence as if a mega plot wasn’t just played out before us only to never be discussed again. See some of my favorite lines and passages below.
Improves your understanding of the world
This novel presented a refreshing view of the human race. One in which we know very little and aren’t in control at all. I love this idea. I think it’s pretty much accurate so to be able to read a novel based on it and built up with humor on all sides was welcoming.
Prepares you to take action and create change
Even a seemingly silly book like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy can prep you to take action. If anything, the message in this book is that life is too damn short. You have no idea what will happen tomorrow so just by committing yourself to any action or personal change is a triumph.
Boosts your imagination and creativity and improves brain function
Hells yes. I’d say it is rare that I read fiction let alone science fiction. This book not only opened me up to a new genre, but it also presented new concepts for my own daydreams.
Reading sets a great example for those around you
While reading this book, I had no less than a dozen people tell me they a) want to read this book or b) read and loved the book. Woohoo for books bringing strangers together! Now I have to decide who to pass it on to.
A few favorite lines from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy :
“She wishes she knew what it was she was trying not to think about.”
“The immensity of time worried him, he could feel it as a presence.”
“The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy also mentions alcohol. It says that the best drink in existence is the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, the effect of which is like having your brains smashed out with a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick.”
“Bypasses are devices that allow some people to dash from point A to point B very fast while other people dash from point B to point A very fast. People living at point C, being a point directly in between, are often given to wonder what’s so great about point A that so many people from point B are so keen to get there, and what’s so great about point B that so many people from point A are so keen to get there. They often wish that people would just once and for all work out where the hell they wanted to be.”
“Arthur blinked at the screens and felt he was missing something important. Suddenly he realized what it was.
“Is there any tea on this spaceship?” he asked.”
Books I’m reading now :
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
How Emotions Are Made : The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett
Books I’ve finished in 2018 :
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
The Tao of Pooh – I read this again as part of Meditative Mondays. You should give it a go!
The Nature Fix – read my thoughts on that here.
Invisible Monsters – read my thoughts on that here.
Again, this isn’t a competition, but if it was……..
I didn’t realize this was a competition. I am so in…will reply back with numbers once calculated. It’s on!
Oh shit, now I may need to make sure my numbers are accurate! (If anything they’re low, so read on suckahhh)
I’m loving this bit of healthy competition!