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

I think my mother found it worrying that at the age of about 13, I could (and frequently did) quote huge tracts of HHG. I think she thought I was being a bit of a smart-arse, particularly when my motto became 'Don't you try to outweird me'.

I suspect that most people posting here will know that the truth is even freakier. Through the magnificent weirdness of DNA's vision, our perceptions of the real world were changed by what we read. Now that may not be such a big claim to make about a religious text, or something that purports to be a self help manual. But what we're talking about here is ''just' sci-fi or fantasy isn't it? I don't like that sort of genre-alising - I think that what DNA created - possibly accidentally, who knows - on radio, tv, in print, and here, was a survival guide for dealing with people (and not just other people, but ourselves as well).

He also nearly managed to convince me that there was a rational explaination for the existence of the game of cricket.

I will never quite understand how he has managed to be so perceptive about life, the universe, and everything, without resorting to cold cynicism. There is great intelligence, but also great warmth. What's the word I'm looking for???....'human', I think, in the best sense.

20 years after I first read about the Sub-Etha-Net, and a constantly updated, and wildly inaccurate guide to Life the Universe and Everything, I found myself logging on to h2g2 in a cafe in Sydney, Australia, in order to suss out potential drinking holes in the locality. As I searched through possibly useful entries, a thought wombled across my mind " Mr Adams, do you have ANY idea what you've started?"

A little voice is saying "Kate, you're turning into a blubbering fool. Stop it."

So I will

Thank you DNA.

K Anderson
Newcastle
England

I think my mother found it worrying that at the age of about 13, I could (and frequently did) quote huge tracts of HHG. I think she thought I was being a bit of a smart-arse, particularly when my motto became 'Don't you try to outweird me'.

I suspect that most people posting here will know that the truth is even freakier. Through the magnificent weirdness of DNA's vision, our perceptions of the real world were changed by what we read. Now that may not be such a big claim to make about a religious text, or something that purports to be a self help manual. But what we're talking about here is ''just' sci-fi or fantasy isn't it? I don't like that sort of genre-alising - I think that what DNA created - possibly accidentally, who knows - on radio, tv, in print, and here, was a survival guide for dealing with people (and not just other people, but ourselves as well).

He also nearly managed to convince me that there was a rational explaination for the existence of the game of cricket.

I will never quite understand how he has managed to be so perceptive about life, the universe, and everything, without resorting to cold cynicism. There is great intelligence, but also great warmth. What's the word I'm looking for???....'human', I think, in the best sense.

20 years after I first read about the Sub-Etha-Net, and a constantly updated, and wildly inaccurate guide to Life the Universe and Everything, I found myself logging on to h2g2 in a cafe in Sydney, Australia, in order to suss out potential drinking holes in the locality. As I searched through possibly useful entries, a thought wombled across my mind " Mr Adams, do you have ANY idea what you've started?"

A little voice is saying "Kate, you're turning into a blubbering fool. Stop it."

So I will

Thank you DNA.

K Anderson
Newcastle
England

I think my mother found it worrying that at the age of about 13, I could (and frequently did) quote huge tracts of HHG. I think she thought I was being a bit of a smart-arse, particularly when my motto became 'Don't you try to outweird me'.

I suspect that most people posting here will know that the truth is even freakier. Through the magnificent weirdness of DNA's vision, our perceptions of the real world were changed by what we read. Now that may not be such a big claim to make about a religious text, or something that purports to be a self help manual. But what we're talking about here is ''just' sci-fi or fantasy isn't it? I don't like that sort of genre-alising - I think that what DNA created - possibly accidentally, who knows - on radio, tv, in print, and here, was a survival guide for dealing with people (and not just other people, but ourselves as well).

He also nearly managed to convince me that there was a rational explaination for the existence of the game of cricket.

I will never quite understand how he has managed to be so perceptive about life, the universe, and everything, without resorting to cold cynicism. There is great intelligence, but also great warmth. What's the word I'm looking for???....'human', I think, in the best sense.

20 years after I first read about the Sub-Etha-Net, and a constantly updated, and wildly inaccurate guide to Life the Universe and Everything, I found myself logging on to h2g2 in a cafe in Sydney, Australia, in order to suss out potential drinking holes in the locality. As I searched through possibly useful entries, a thought wombled across my mind " Mr Adams, do you have ANY idea what you've started?"

A little voice is saying "Kate, you're turning into a blubbering fool. Stop it."

So I will

Thank you DNA.

K Anderson
Newcastle
England

Fortunately for me, the whole family is H2G2 mad. I was introduced to it by my father saying "Read this!" I did. It was, is and always will be at the top of my comfort reading list.
Thank you Douglas, for the books (not just H2G2 ones), the radio, the TV. For Zaphod Beeblebrox and Arthur Dent. For Trillion and especially for Marvin!
But I think most of all, and at this moment especially...thank you SO much for this large, varied and interesting group of freinds. People I don't know and yet am sure of liking every time I read their words on my screen, or meet them IRL for the first time.....

So long Douglas, and save a table for us all..

Suzanne B
London
England

Here I am, brain the size of a planet and I still can't deal with the news, never met the man in the flesh, but he made a huge difference to the way I've looked at the world since my early teens. Can't see the number 42 anywhere without smiling.

Huge condolances to DNA's family and big big love, God bless you,

Nina, xxx.

Perhaps the greatest gift that one can give is the gift of laughter and joy. Douglas most certainly gave that to us, causing us to look at life, sometimes so chaotic, and smile in spite of ourselves. If nothing else, he has taught us to laugh in the face of the rat race we sometimes live.

deepest condolences to family and friends...what else can one say, but, sorry.

R.Doyle
Baltimore,MD,USA

I'm saddened and, still, slightly shocked by Douglas Adams' death. While I never knew him, and he never knew me, he still made my life lighter. I have great sympathy for his family and friends, whose grief I can not begin to imagine.

Tamsin Mehew, Southport, England

So long Douglas, and thanks for all the... fun!
Dave Kew, London, England.

Douglas, thanks for laughter, insanity, comfort, and especially the bit about the whale and the bowl of petunias. And Colin.

Save me a barstool at Milliways.

To Jane, Polly, and everyone else who had the good fortune to be a direct part of DNA's life: There's a whole world out there crying with you.

Robin Rohrback, Orlando, FL USA

Goodbye Douglass,

You shall be missed by all
thank you for everything

I bought my girlfriend a leather-bound edition of the Trilogy. She told me that it was one of the best gifts she has ever gotten. Unfortunately, everyone else thought it was just another book. Just goes to show what an impact he made on those who read his works... and what everyone else is missing out on. The book was even in the discount rack... such a shame...

I'm wishing comfort and peace for his family and many friends.

My sincerest thanks to Mr. Adams for his creative humor, and the SST game and chat forum.

I met some wonderful people from all parts of the world there, and made some forever friendships.

His untimely death...."is confusing, I know."

Thank you, Douglas, for writing some incredibly entertaining books... My best friend got me interested and I promptly went out and bought the gigantic book with all 5. They led me here, and I've found my second home... thank you so much. And for those two words that normally wouldn't matter to anyone... "don't panic"... I was walking down the hall at my high school today and a sudden wave of senior year stress-related anxiety swept over me. Immediately the words that popped into my head were "Don't Panic"... and suddenly everything was okay. Thank you DNA... Hope to see you later as an ....

~Amy ACE, Lancaster Pa, US of A, Terra, Sol System, Universe As We Know It

There is so little one can say when hit by a tragedy such as this.

I'm devastated to hear that one of the funniest and insightful men who ever lived has passed on and is not with us anymore.

And I am profoundly grateful to have lived in a time when his books were available...

So long, Doug, and see you on the other side...

To your family and friends, may God bless you all and give you strength to pull through the dark days ahead. Our loss is Heaven's gain...

It's been nearly a week and still have no idea what the right words are.

No writer has influenced me as deeply as Douglas - from the moment I read Hitch-hikers my sense of humour had found refuge, my outlook on life and how to deal with it somehow decided. Only George Lucas has had any comparable effect on the way I think.

Those of you who know me in RL won't be surprised to know that I once knew the opening passage of the book and the ingredients for the PGGB verbatim, or that I doubt I would now be writing for a living were it not for the inspiration he gave me.

I can't begin to offer meaningful words for his family - their loss makes the sorrow I feel seem so trivial. I can't help but feel slightly selfish - my desperate wish that his pen would honour us all again will never be filled.

Still, it has often seemed to me that the great (if not the good) die young. Wherever he is, perhaps he'll pick up that left handed guitar and have a good jam with Hendrix, Mercury and Lennon.

I can't really add anything to what so many others have said more eloquently. But I just wanted to say thank you so much Douglas and my deepest condolences to those who really know you (as opposed to those of us who just felt as if we knew you).

Don't know what to say. If I thought it would work I'd say "Don't go." and "Come back." Sorry. Don't know what to say that would make it better. Too sad for words.

It's nice to know that our words & tributes have brought some small comfort to Douglas' family.
Thank you to everyone who posted their thoughts here.
It's been a pleasure {though painful} to read them all.

So this is it

To Jane & Polly
I wish I was good with words and I wish I could think of something to say to you that would make sence and bring comfort to you both, but I don't know what to say that will do that.
I've tried to remember what brought comfort to me when my father died 20 yrs ago, when i was just a young girl.
People said well meaning words of comfort, but their words were like little plasters on deep wounds, that I thought would never heal.
The hurt does fade. And those little plasters of comfort, that seemed so pointless at the time, did help the healing.
A little plaster of comfort: Keep him alive in your heart, by cheerishing the good times you shared with him.
All my love
Jayne