Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a series of five books written by Douglas Adams. The series follows the adventures of Arthur Dent after he is saved from Earth’s destruction by his friend Ford Prefect, who is revealed to be an alien. They travel together through space, encountering many awkward situations and meeting strange characters along the way.
The first book was published in 1979, with sequels following in 1980, 1982, 1984 and 1992 (the last two being written without Adams’ involvement). The series is known for its unique sense of humor and absurdist style.
The first book follows Arthur Dent as he attempts to find a replacement for his home planet of Earth before it is destroyed by a Vogon constructor fleet working on a hyperspace bypass. His friend Ford Prefect reveals himself as an alien from Betelgeuse IX, who has been assigned to monitor Earth for years and has now decided that it is time for humans to learn about their true origins. He has hitchhiked aboard this Vogon ship so he can escape from his world before it explodes; at first Arthur doesn’t believe him but soon discovers that Ford was telling the truth when they are arrested by Vogons and thrown out of an airlock into space.
The novels have sold more than 15 million copies worldwide and were adapted into a feature film in 2005.
