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

Here's an interesting question for all of you: I assume most, if not all, of us own a realworld copy of the HitchHiker's trilogy of five, right? Ok, so what version do you all own? I work at Barnes and Noble in New York City, and it amazes me how many different printings of the same book there are floating around.

The secondary motive to the question (apart from getting some front-page recognition ) is this: my copy of the guide has gold trim, a bonded leather cover, acid-free paper and binding paper printed with the little green guys. It's awsome, but I've NEVER seen anyone with the same copy as me. Come, share in the experience!

--Triv

Aaaaaaaaaaaargh! I can't find it! I've lost my copy! AAAAAAAAAARGH!
Dunno where it is, but it's a hardback copy of the 'Trilogy in Five Parts' edition, with a foreword by DNA giving instructions on how to leave Earth, and also explaining all the conflicting storylines in the different formats of the story.

The cover has three planets on the front, interconnected by an arrow, if I remember rightly.

Anyone seen my copy anywhere?

My copy has a quite long foreword.. about how to leave the planet (though it never worked for me!) and about how he got the idea for the guide. The cover is blue with some green guys on it (they exist of head and arms and feet.. and a toungue hanging out.. quite cute really) and the title is in somekina silver-goldish-yellowish letters.
Oh, yeah.. and it also contains a short story, "young zaphod plays it safe".
I love my book!!!

My parents, on the other hand, who bought the book while it was still a triology in 3 parts, had a black cover with lots of start and plantes on, looking extremely small, and an arrow saying "you are here."

Mine sounds like your parent's version cover-wise, but it's five parts and has the foreword.

I've got the Hard-back five book trilogy omnibus. It sounds the same as Big Mad Mr T's copy, the one with the three Planet Earths on the Cover and the How to Leave the Planet section at the front

Clive

Never read it . Is it good?
Seriously, I consumed the radio programmes with relish, and mourned the passing of Peter Jones, but have never read the books. Never got round to it.
Should I bother now? Would it spoil my memories of the radio series?

Never heard the radio versions, but the books are awsome!
I wouldn't hesitate if I were you..

Get the tapes. You can try sprouts at the same time.

Am I the only person with 5 individual paperbacks published by Pan Books. My 1979 copy of The HHGTTG (signed by DNA himself, ) has a background of multi-coloured pastel strips and the words 'The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy' printed on it on large friendly red letters.
Oh and Brian, the books are definitely worth a read and will leave your memories of the radio series unsullied. They're the same but different to begin with and then branch out into directions not explored on the radio at all. DNA's imagination and writing style work just as well on paper as in script form.

Read the books. Definately. No questions.

They will not spoil the radio series and though I know it has been said that the various forms of the Hitchiker's Trilogy often contain marked difference between them. I found that when I listened to the radio plays last year (Thank You Eris!) it was better for me, having also read the books. They sort of complemented each other. It was nice to listen to Simon and Peter Jones as Arthur and The Book rather than having to dream up thier voices in here *gestures towards head*. Where the various storyline's conflict or branch off at new and unexpected tangents it is like seeing more of the Hitchiker's Universe that didn't get alook in before. In this way I reckon that reading the books will only build upon the radio plays and remind you why you liked them in the first place.

Clive

Sorted.
I'll read them.
Thanks