Happy Birthday Douglas Adams, and Thanks for All the Fish

tubemonkey · 03-11-2013, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Douglas Noel Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English writer, humorist, and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold more than 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television series, several stage plays, comics, a computer game, and in 2005 a feature film. Adams's contribution to UK radio is commemorated in The Radio Academy's Hall of Fame.

HomeInMyShoes · 03-11-2013, 01:40 PM

Happy Birthday indeed. I listen to the entire set of radio plays at least a couple of times a year. Just great fun. His Dirk Gently books were very entertaining as well.

Has anyone read the posthumously published book in the series? I've been tempted to, but think I would be disappointed since Douglas didn't write it, but then FictFact is nagging me that I haven't 'finished' the series yet.

tubemonkey · 03-11-2013, 01:43 PM

Today's Google Doodle is honoring him

crich70 · 03-11-2013, 04:33 PM

Hope he didn't forget his towel when traveling.

Happy Birthday Mr. Adams and may all your vogons be little ones.

avantman42 · 03-11-2013, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Has anyone read the posthumously published book in the series? I've been tempted to, but think I would be disappointed since Douglas didn't write it, but then FictFact is nagging me that I haven't 'finished' the series yet.

Radio 4 here in the UK had it as their Book at Bedtime a while ago, and I listened to that. I thought it was OK. Not as good as Douglas Adams at his best, but still fun. That was abridged, though, so it's possible that the full version would be better (or worse).

IcecreamLtDan · 03-11-2013, 06:35 PM

I read it not long after it came out and I wasn't impressed personally. It seemed to me that the author tried too hard to copy Adams' style and the book was just a mish-mash of poor puns.

BWinmill · 03-11-2013, 10:27 PM

I'm quite confident that Dirk Gently would have something to say about the nature of wishing a dead person a happy birthday.

crich70 · 03-12-2013, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWinmill

I'm quite confident that Dirk Gently would have something to say about the nature of wishing a dead person a happy birthday.

Possibly, but then Arthur Dent was insulted several million years before he was born so I think he'd have been pleased even if Dirk Gently wouldn't have been.

Sregener · 03-12-2013, 07:34 AM

His books were funnier before I became well versed in philosophy. Scary to realize that people really do think and see the universe that way. Did Mr. Adams, or was he merely showing how ridiculous it was?

crich70 · 03-15-2013, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sregener

His books were funnier before I became well versed in philosophy. Scary to realize that people really do think and see the universe that way. Did Mr. Adams, or was he merely showing how ridiculous it was?

I think part of it is cultural as well. British humor isn't always like American humor and so forth.

BenBanned · 03-15-2013, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sregener

His books were funnier before I became well versed in philosophy. Scary to realize that people really do think and see the universe that way. Did Mr. Adams, or was he merely showing how ridiculous it was?

Please explain.

ApK · 03-15-2013, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IcecreamLtDan

I read it not long after it came out and I wasn't impressed personally. It seemed to me that the author tried too hard to copy Adams' style and the book was just a mish-mash of poor puns.

I think Eoin Colfer did a good job. I thought he was faithful to the style, and wrapped up some story elements in a satisfying way.

Ninjalawyer · 03-15-2013, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

I think Eoin Colfer did a good job. I thought he was faithful to the style, and wrapped up some story elements in a satisfying way.

I didn't get very far into Colfer's book before putting it down. It was like the uncanny valley applied to literature: close enough to Adam's style to be weird and creepy, but not so close as to be actually funny. I don't know about satisfying, but the last Hitchiker's book definately wrapped things up in a decisive way.

But this thread gives me all the excuse I need to crack out my dog eared copies of the Dirk Gently books.

Bookpossum · 03-16-2013, 08:29 AM

Thanks for reminding us, tubemonkey. We lost him far too soon.

Fluribus · 03-18-2013, 04:30 PM

I've avoided this thread due to bitterness. I never got any fish. None. I've held a grudge for many years.

This thread rekindled the rage. Then...suddenly...I realized...I don't like fish. I even hated Aquaman. Fishy bastard!

Thank you, Douglas, for never giving me any fish.

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03-11-2013, 01:40 PM	#2
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	Happy Birthday indeed. I listen to the entire set of radio plays at least a couple of times a year. Just great fun. His Dirk Gently books were very entertaining as well. Has anyone read the posthumously published book in the series? I've been tempted to, but think I would be disappointed since Douglas didn't write it, but then FictFact is nagging me that I haven't 'finished' the series yet.

03-11-2013, 01:43 PM	#3
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,858 Karma: 158733736 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Today's Google Doodle is honoring him

03-11-2013, 04:33 PM	#4
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	Hope he didn't forget his towel when traveling. Happy Birthday Mr. Adams and may all your vogons be little ones.

03-11-2013, 06:35 PM	#6
IcecreamLtDan Groupie Posts: 178 Karma: 1928980 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: North Carolina Device: JetBook Lite, Kobo wireless, Kobo Glo	I read it not long after it came out and I wasn't impressed personally. It seemed to me that the author tried too hard to copy Adams' style and the book was just a mish-mash of poor puns.

03-11-2013, 10:27 PM	#7
BWinmill Nameless Being	I'm quite confident that Dirk Gently would have something to say about the nature of wishing a dead person a happy birthday.

03-12-2013, 07:34 AM	#9
Sregener Addict Posts: 239 Karma: 1664052 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle 4NT	His books were funnier before I became well versed in philosophy. Scary to realize that people really do think and see the universe that way. Did Mr. Adams, or was he merely showing how ridiculous it was?

03-16-2013, 08:29 AM	#14
Bookpossum Snoozing in the sun Posts: 10,146 Karma: 115423645 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch	Thanks for reminding us, tubemonkey. We lost him far too soon.

03-18-2013, 04:30 PM	#15
Fluribus Guru Posts: 891 Karma: 8893661 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: Kindle	I've avoided this thread due to bitterness. I never got any fish. None. I've held a grudge for many years. This thread rekindled the rage. Then...suddenly...I realized...I don't like fish. I even hated Aquaman. Fishy bastard! Thank you, Douglas, for never giving me any fish.

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