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

A literary question today... just to keep you on your toes... Name the book where you can find the follow words... oh... and the author as well please... ~wink~

'If human beings don't keep exercising their lips, he thought, their mouths probably seize up. After a few months' consideration and observation he abandoned this theory in favour of a new one. If they don't keep on exercising their lips, he thought, their brains start working. After a while he abandoned this one as well as being obstructively cynical...'

Restaurant At The End of The Universe- Douglas Adams

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

I couldn't remember which book it was in, but I'm sure on TV and radio it was while they were in the all black ship. No?

I'm quite sure it's The Hitchhikers' Guide. Is it not one of the first observations Ford makes about Earthmen?

(I do mean the first book. Damn all this being articulate...)

in TV and radio itis on the black spaceship, however, in the book it appears much earlier, when they are on the vogon ship or something i think. but wherever he said it, i'm sure he said it in the first book. at least, i hope he did so i can get my first ever point.

spook

I thought it was at the end of the radio and Tv series (and hence the second book), when Arthur says "So this is it, we're all going to die" and then the narrator goes off on a tangent about Ford's first impressions about human's stating the obvious, such as 'It's A NIce Day', 'You're Very tall' and 'so this is it, we're all going to die.'"

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Oh of course. Have you read the foreword to the most recent edition? (titled 'Some unhelpful remarks from the author' which explains at least some of the mess). The whole thing is a trifle complicated!

Simulpost, sorry.

that is where it is in the TV series, but there are quite a few difefrences between the TV series and books, including where ford says about stating the obvious.

spook

ok i just downloaded the first hitchhiker book of the internet and searched for the text, and found it. it is in the first book, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and it is when they are on the vogon ship at first, and arthur says it's dark.

spook

Yes! We're right! I could have just got my copy out, i suppose, but that would have meant going all the way back to my room and stuff...

The question was "which book" - unfortunately, comparing with the radio series won't help. That passage is one of many which sums up a lot of things that we all must have had thoughts on at some time or the other.

And stating the obvious is one of my particular hates.

Damn it! Why do I always miss the easy ones?

Tomorrow we'll get a question that involves advanced calculus. I'll no doubt sit around scratching my head for ten minutes, and then simulpost with Justin, who usually gets in before me (in a manner of speaking).

B

Er, I hate to diagree with the internet, but my copy of Restaurant at the end of the universe (the commemorative pre-dog-eareed edition), which i flicked through when I nipped home for an hour, has that quote on page 129.

...which is just after they discover that they are on disaster Area's stunt ship, about a page after marvin says "Dive into the sun, hence th name sun-dive" or words to that effect.

I believe Egon may be correct, y'know.

B

is your version a book of the TV series or something Egon, and do the words match up exactly, because they do for the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy. however, i am just downloading restaurant at the end of the universe now to check. i'll tell u the result in a minute.

spook

Unless it's a trick question, in which case the answer is:

Both H2G2 and Restaurant At The End of the Universe, both by DNA.

Just to get in there first

B