SALON

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 11:01 PM UTC

10 year time capsule: Douglas Adams says goodbye

... and thanks for all the fish

By

Topics: 10 year time capsule, Atheism, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Writers and Writing, YouTube, Books,

10 year time capsule: Douglas Adams says goodbyedouglas adams inspired "Hitch hikers guide to the galaxy" H2G2(Credit: Michael Hughes)

 42. This was the “Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything,” according to British science fiction writer Douglas Adams’ serial, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Of course, those familiar with Adams’ oeuvre know the problem with this answer, which is that no one can figure out what the question is. But what did it matter, when one was busy dealing with races of super-intelligent beings disguised as mice, lunk-headed Vogons, and all manner of outer-space bureaucrats?

Adams’ writing beyond the Hitchhiker’s series included episodes of “Dr. Who,” “Monty Python” sketches, and “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency,” all of which add up to make him something of a Gandalf figure to comedy nerds. It didn’t hurt that Adams was a man of science, with an analogy of a giant sentient puddle to explain why he didn’t think God existed.

In May of 2001, Douglas died while working on a screenplay adaptation of “Hitchhiker’s Guide.” While Adams was a giant atheist, the almost religious devotion of his disciples keeps his works as relevant today as they were when he was alive. At the 10-year anniversary of his death, we remember one of his final appearances, speaking to students at the University of California at Santa Barbara about the wondrous absurdities of all life.

Drew Grant

Drew Grant is a staff writer for Salon. Follow her on Twitter at @videodrew. More Drew Grant.

Next Article

You Might Also Like

More Related Stories

Featured Slide Shows

Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

close X
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11
  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

  • Recent Slide Shows

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11

Related Videos

More Related Stories

Comments

 9 Comments

Comment Preview

Your name will appear as username ( settings | log out )

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href=""> <b> <em> <strong> <i> <blockquote>

follow salon

Most Read

Video of the Day

Watch More Here »

Popular on Reddit

links from salon.com

From Around the Web

Presented by Scribol
listener_new_rect The Listener: "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves": Growing up primate

Recommendations