Why this book. selected by my Sci Fi reading group. It continues to appear on many lists of best, (or most influential) Sci Fi books of all time. Also Elon Musk has read it several times.  

Summary in 3 Sentences. The story is not as important as the satire Adams is making of conventional American life, but here goes:  Moments before earth is destroye  Arthur Dent is rescued from earth by Ford Prefect an alien from Betelgeuse who has been living (under cover) as an earthling for 15 years. Prefect whisks Dent off into the galaxy on the Heart of Gold spaceship run by the Vogons, a notoriously grouchy group, to experience a number of intergalactic adventures. Zophod is the captain of the Vogon space ship and eventually succeeds on his mission to find the obscure but legendary planet Magrathea, and when the Heart of Gold lands there, another whole series of adventures happen to include finding the ultimate purpose of life, which we realize is a ridiculous and pointless exercise. 

My Impressions: I had trouble following this book – not realizing until well into it that it is science fiction as satire on things that we earthlings take seriously – like bureaucratic rules, consumer capitalism, abstract thinking and ultimately, the purpose of life.   

Originally published in 1979, the book presages several technological developments that we are seeing today, including a super computer called “Deep Thought” very similar to an AI, a humanoid robot named Marvin who is depressed and self-loathing, as well as cell-phone and a few other like capabilities.  There are mice who design planets, intergalactic police who are after Zaphod for stealing the Herat of Gold space ship, and more crazy stuff. We also learn about the “Infinite Improbability Drive” which basically makes all things possible, and which explains all coincidences and serendipity, .

The primary targets of Adams’ satire are thoughtless bureaucratic rule following, and how foolish and meaningless most authority is when observed from a distance.   Also targets for his satire and humar are  the importance of seeking “meaning” in life, or serious people seeing as “meaningless” activities that are simply pleasurable.

A little research shows that this book has had a lot of influence over the decades, to include having spawned a number of sequels, and its humor has been copied by Monty Python among others. I for one found the humor a bit dated and cliched and which I might refer to as  techie-juvenile – but when it first came out it was probably very original, and perceived as clever. Elon Musk still thinks its one of the greatest books ever written.   I didn’t particularly enjoy the book, nor will I read the sequels, but am glad I have a bit of perspective on a book that is often cited as a groundbreaking science fiction novel.  

By the way.  The Deep Thought super-computer figured out the purpose of life.  It is “42.”