Hi all,
Book of the Month:
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams
Wow, another solid trip out among the stars. "Gateway" was a character-driven, deep dive into the soul of humans in space. Members during this month's meeting wanted more details on Heechee technology, they wanted more perspectives beyond the detestable main character, and they totally dug the ending. It's a tough journey but worth the ride and I would recommend Fredrick Pohl's Nebula, Hugo, Locus, and Campbell Award-winning novel if you have time. That said, let's have some fun!
In celebration of its 42nd anniversary (the only number that really matters), we'll be reading the Adams classic "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". This is one of the pieces of popular culture that made me into the sci-fi-loving, snarky, space-gazing adult that I am today. It's a fine piece of writing and is always a real pleasure to reread.
It's a romp through the galaxy on an oh-so-important quest and brings to bear humanity's faults, space's unfathomable marvels, and the reader's thirst for knowledge. Adams writes to us in a conversational tone and brings us in on this bonkers story and has a surprising amount of nuance. If you've not read "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" before, strap in, you're in for a ride.
I thought a 'Guardian' article from 2015 put it quite well when discussing the soul of the novel: "Although this book is famous as a cutting satire on philosophy and religion...it actually contains some quite insightful reflections on the human condition."
https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/jul/09/the-hitchhikers-guide-to-the-galaxy-by-douglas-adams-review
So destress and have some fun with us this month and come hang out on December 20th. Some Book Club members plan to read more than just the first book, GREAT! Go for it! We will just be discussing the first in the series (and maybe a little bit of non-spoiler other stuff) at the meeting.
To join a Book Club meeting, all you will need is YOURSELF. If you haven’t had a chance to finish the book, we still would love for you to join us in the discussion. Just be sure and bring your towel!
