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

Dare I say this, but I think I actually prefer the Dirk Gently novels to the Hitchiker ones. Especially Long Dark Teatime.

This has nothing to do with my being a (former. Recovering) double bass player of course.

I've certainly been practising Dirk's method of navigation for years. It's surprising how often it works, actually, although I tend to get to where I really wanted to be.

Anyway. I enjoyed reading this.

And did anyone else always have a sneaking suspicion that Dirk was a bit of a self portrait?

I remember my dad once navigated like that when we were stuck in heavy rush hour traffic in Hamburg, with no clue where to go. He just followed a car he hoped would go to Pinneberg, and it worked.

I've never read the Long Dark Teatime of the Soul and I didn't really get into Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (possibly due to the fact I read that in German), but it was The Salmon of Doubt which brought me here.

Great entry, Danny.

yeah, thanks for this entry, it's great. I've always really liked the Dirk Gently books, possibly more than hitchhiker, I don't know why, they're just great, so quick and witty. I prefer the first book to Long Dark Teatime.. though. I've read it so often that my paperback copy is practically falling apart, so I decided to go and buy the omnibus in hardback so I can read it as much as I like!

Always thought the gag about the electric monk and the horse was priceless. Anyone think The Dr. Who series 2 ep with Versailles and the horse in the spaceship had been inspired by Dirk Gently?

I never thought of that, but I've noticed lots of little nods to Douglas in the recent Doctor Who episodes, so it wouldn't surprise me.

I once found a bumper sticker which referenced Dirk's navigational tactics.

It said "Don't follow me, I don't know where I'm going either!"

I think I still have that lying around at home somewhere as I never really got round to actually putting it on my car.

Actually I just heard an irish guy doing stand up saying that he and some other irish people navigate traffic the same way.

I have to say that my one abiding memory of the Salmon of doubt was someone at school chucking it out the window onto an inaccessible roof perhaps that's why I've always held it in such high regard when I can't remember a thing from it, loved the first two Dirk books though and for anyone who's interested I think I've actually done the reverse of the first Dirk gently book where my script for a fan made doctor who audio adventure features the themes of the long dark tea time of the soul:
A title character who isn't actually the focus of the plot, dimensional travel, freak time holes, okay jokes and the interconnectedness of all things, oh and a companion who's slowly turning into a psychotic guinea pig.

Has anybody heard any rumors about a Dirk Gently film? After reading the entry about it being based on an old Adam's Dr Who script, it could be a good thing.

No, I hadn't heard any rumours, but that would be good.

The Dirk Gently novels are great, I'd say better than Hitchhiker...
A movie would be great- IF it were done right.

Does anybody else here read SFX magazine, if yes (probably) you would see in this months edition that the BBC is to do a series of Dirk Gently. It does seem after reading the article that it will be based very loosely on the book, and the guy playing Dirk doesn't look at all like a suspicious eastern european type.