The Guide says there is an art to flying“, said Ford,”or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.

The third book in the Hitchhikers series by Douglas Adams is as funny, charming and random as the previous ones. It sees our stranded and depressed heroes come together to save the Universe from the colossal threat of a species known as Krikket (get it..) who want to destroy the Universe because… it exists… which is unacceptable. Yes, it’s as ridiculous and brilliant as it sounds. These books always leave me smiling and I love them for it.

Only in a Hitchhiker’s book can you get away with jokes on ideas such as genocide, mass extinction and destruction wars. Adams again with his lucid satire rationally and practically thinks about ideas that seem absurd on the surface.

What would an immortal being do?

ahh, of course, he would go around, with the resolute goal, of insulting everyone in the universe.

You don’t read the Hitchhiker’s books for the plot. You read it because it shows how crazy the Universe could be. Adams takes the possibility of Anything can happen to the next level. His humor and satire combine into a tasty cocktail that you just cannot resist. His creative use of made-up words and people and his handling of the language, always looking for the next laugh just around the corner is a thing of beauty.

You can always read the book trivially, like I did, to get out of your headspace and enjoy the book. You could also dissect the book, into a hundred pieces, each revealing a deep idea, hidden just under the surface.

It’s a brilliant series of books and I look forward to reading the last book!