h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If you are prone to commit suicide, or are an overly pessimistic person, maybe you should best avoid this book. Definitely not for people with weak hearts.

But for the rest, Oh My God, what a book it is!

Basically, it's set in pre-war germany (mid 1920s or so) , and the protagonist, Joseph K. (who, by the way, could also be seen as the antagonist - he's in constant internal conflict with himself ), is arrested one morning by the government, without any reasons.

So then he basically spends the rest of the novel trying to find out why in heaven's name he's been arrested .

He roams around a set of labyrynthine (hope i spelt that right! ) corridors in the law offices. They're actually run-down, stuffy brick buildings. Meanwhile, lots of women fall for him and offer to help him with his case.

An interesting note here - except for Joseph himself, the whole world seems to know about the case, and generally offer help, services and whatnot.

Throughout the nove, Joseph is under the delusion (real? imagined?) that the Assistant Manager at the bank where he works is out to usurp him and grab his job, and there are several indications of that. He is also NOT happy with the way his case is proceeding, and sacks his lawyer.

Eventually, he meets a priest who narrates to him a parable about a man who tries to obtain access to the law, but is prevented from doing so by the doorkeeper. So, the man keeps waiting there for the rest of his life and eventually, as he is dying, the doorkeeper shuts the door, saying that nobody else wanted access to the law because the door was intended specifically for the man.

Eventually, at the end of the novel, Joseph is grabbed from his apartment and marched through the city and then executed. More accurately, he is expected to take the knife and kill himself, and is only executed when it is clear that he's not gonna oblige.

Okay, thats about it. Pretty confusing, i know, but i'd say this book is a must-read for anyone even remotely interested in books. (apart from those with weak hearts etc. etc. )

Try thinking of the whole book as one big metaphor referring to life and society.

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The Kawk

I don't think you should have given the ending away.

Not a book for the claustrophobic. Probably best avoided
by persons of a nervous disposition or prone to migraine.

Over rated by the literature police.
Not in the same league as Orwell's masterpiece 1984.