Der zweite Band der "Per Anhalter durch die Galaxis"- Reihe schafft es das Fazit der Handlung auf das Leseerlebnis zu übertragen: Es ist alles sehr sehr sinnlos und man ist mehr oder weniger nur da um eine möglichst spaßige Zeit zu haben. Wenn man nur das erwartet kann man schwer von Douglas Adams enttäuscht werden.

Once again a difficult book to rate since its cultural impact far exceeds its mere literary quality (even though that’s definitely not bad either). I wonder how I would have experienced and judged my enjoyment of this book had I been able to read it when it was originally released and Deep Thought, 42, Don‘t Panic and the Towel were new and not reduced to the I understood that reference - Meme. Alas, I read it now, and the good bits are wildly known through cultural osmosis — even to those not even remotely interested in SF (or British humour). And while the good bits are still good bits, I can‘t help but feel the rest feels more like filler to me, swinging from one catchy quote to the other. I should mention that humourous tales are always very hit and miss for me — blame it on me being very stereotypically German. But, if any country‘s humour can make me chuckle, it‘s the British one. Out of the holy trinity of British humour — Adams, Pratchett and Monty Python— Monty Python will remain my favourite; however, I don‘t detest any of them — and that‘s saying a lot. Similarly to Pratchett, I feel like Adams slightly overstays his welcome, even though his novels are thankfully shorter than many of Pratchett‘s. So, while I will continue with the series for at least the second volume — as I know many people who like it even more than the first — I will take a break from it for now, lest I grow annoyed or impatient. Last but not least: RIP Spermwhale. You didn‘t deserve your fate. As Ford gazed at the spectacle of light before them excitement burnt inside him, but only the excitement of seeing a strange new planet, it was enough for him to see it as it was. It faintly irritated him that Zaphod had to impose some ludicrous fantasy on the scene to make it work for him. […] Isn‘t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too? _____________ 2.5 stars Edit: Coincidentally, this marks the 42nd scifi book on my scifi shelf. Now, isn‘t that a coincidence.

Once again a difficult book to rate since its cultural impact far exceeds its mere literary quality (even though that’s definitely not bad either). I wonder how I would have experienced and judged my enjoyment of this book had I been able to read it when it was originally released and Deep Thought, 42, Don‘t Panic and the Towel were new and not reduced to the I understood that reference - Meme. Alas, I read it now, and the good bits are wildly known through cultural osmosis — even to those not even remotely interested in SF (or British humour). And while the good bits are still good bits, I can‘t help but feel the rest feels more like filler to me, swinging from one catchy quote to the other. I should mention that humourous tales are always very hit and miss for me — blame it on me being very stereotypically German. But, if any country‘s humour can make me chuckle, it‘s the British one. Out of the holy trinity of British humour — Adams, Pratchett and Monty Python— Monty Python will remain my favourite; however, I don‘t detest any of them — and that‘s saying a lot. Similarly to Pratchett, I feel like Adams slightly overstays his welcome, even though his novels are thankfully shorter than many of Pratchett‘s. So, while I will continue with the series for at least the second volume — as I know many people who like it even more than the first — I will take a break from it for now, lest I grow annoyed or impatient. Last but not least: RIP Spermwhale. You didn‘t deserve your fate. As Ford gazed at the spectacle of light before them excitement burnt inside him, but only the excitement of seeing a strange new planet, it was enough for him to see it as it was. It faintly irritated him that Zaphod had to impose some ludicrous fantasy on the scene to make it work for him. […] Isn‘t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too? _____________ 3.5 stars Edit: Coincidentally, this marks the 42nd scifi book on my scifi shelf. Now, isn‘t that a coincidence.

Very similar to the first book, but a bit more convoluted and over the place. Cant't really draw a conclusive comparison though, it just felt like it. I contradiction to many opinions about the book i've heard from friends it is still very good and delivers more of the same absurd adventure. Leaves, elevators and a cow.

Inprobability drive is probably the coolest idea with the most interesting outcome i've ever come across. This book starts of with .. ohhh, and progresses through diverse sets of wtf stages. Anyone who just blurts 42 one more time i cannot take serious anymore. It loses all meaning of its nuanced filled existence when stated as a joke when probably nobody knows the book or at most has maybe watched one of the movies. (Which i watched excerpts of and they dont come close to the fascinating depictions that the book provides and is partially so incredibly far of that its laughable.) I am looking forward to the second book. PS: moore's law was sadly set in existence prior to the book and would have thrown off the entore plot. Too bad.

Immensely absurd, intriguing and funny. I actually laughed out loud reading some passages and my girlfriend looked at me like I was crazy. I loved the movie since I watched it the first time like 10 years back and now with the book, i love the story even more. The writing style of Douglas Adams just adds so much to the story here, I think I'm comfortable with being that guy saying "actually, the book is better". Definitely want to read the other 3 parts of the Hitchhiker's story. This book can be enjoyed by sci-fi starters or fans alike.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a witty and delightful cosmic romp that follows the endearingly hapless Earthman Arthur Dent and his alien friend Ford Prefect. As they traverse the universe, they encounter a wild assortment of characters and adventures while armed with nothing but a trusty towel and a digital book that proudly proclaims, "Don't Panic."

Don't let the prospect of Earth's destruction keep you from enjoying the uproarious journey that is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. With Adams' unmatched wit and uniquely absurd sense of humor, it's no wonder that the universe is filled with more laughs than a Vogon poetry reading (which, by the way, you should avoid at all costs). The Guide is a book that not only answers life's big questions (like "What's the meaning of life?") but also throws in a few extra for good measure (such as "What's the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?"). The charming characters you'll meet along the way will make you want to hitchhike across the galaxy yourself, just make sure you know where your towel is! To sum up, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a must-read, five-star intergalactic adventure that will have you pondering the absurdity of existence, laughing at the cosmic bureaucracy, and contemplating the importance of a good cup of tea. Just remember, in the great cosmic joke that is life, it's best to always keep your sense of humor and DON'T PANIC.

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is such a fun and nice read. Although it took me a while to get into it, I loved the setting, the writing style and the very weird but so lovable characters. The last 50 pages really had me hooked. If you're looking for a very, very fun and also intelligent read you should really pick up this book. I am normally not that much into sci-fi but i quite enjoyed this piece of art. I think, if the beginning would have been a bit more captivating, it would have been a five star read for me. But I really recommend it, especially to all the sci-fi fans out there.

“You know," said Arthur, "it's at times like this, when I'm trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse, and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space that I really wish I'd listened to what my mother told me when I was young." "Why, what did she tell you?" "I don't know, I didn't listen.” Did this make you laugh already? Fine, because the rest of Douglas Adams' famous novel includes many more of those humorous elements. I have a very difficult personal history with Sci-Fi novels; some of them I could appreciate but not enjoy; some I could appreciate but got bored with them very quickly; but The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was the first Sci-Fi novel which ever made me simultaneously appreciate, enjoy and even love the book. Love is a strong word, but if a book is filled with sentences like “The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't” or “Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job” or “My capacity for happiness you could fit into a matchbox without taking out the matches first”, then I simply can't help but fall in love with it. “So this is it," said Arthur, "We are going to die." "Yes," said Ford, "except... no! Wait a minute!" He suddenly lunged across the chamber at something behind Arthur's line of vision. "What's this switch?" he cried. "What? Where?" cried Arthur, twisting round. "No, I was only fooling," said Ford, "we are going to die after all.” I could go on and quote the entire book now, that's how much fun it was reading this and that's how quotable the book is. But Douglas Adams didn't only attempt (and succeed) to write this groundbreaking approach to the science fiction genre, he was also able to make you think a lot about several important questions: What is the meaning of life? Why do we live? Why do we die? What is the meaning of the Universe? Adams intentionally answers these questions in rather absurd ways, mainly because it is impossible to find ultimate answers and definitions for these topics. But those are all questions everyone has already asked themselves, and Adams isn't afraid to tackle them in a way that the reader can't help but laugh about it. “For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much—the wheel, New York, wars and so on—whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man—for precisely the same reasons.” If you haven't read this book yet, perhaps because you are afraid of the Sci-Fi genre (which I was as well, until I started my adventures with Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Marvin and all the others in this book): then don't hesitate to read it. But don't be mistaken, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is (probably) not the best book you will ever find, it is (probably) not going to make you cry because of its emotional intensity, it is (probably) not going to keep you on the edge of your seat due to its ming-bogglingly suspenseful plot. Adams' book is rather an episodic account of several random adventures in the cosmic space, and for me it was mostly Adams' writing style which it was impossible to resist. He lures his readers into the story and before you even realize it, you are probably already laughing. And don't forget to bring your towel!