BSFA Award
3 appearances
-
Edition 10 (1978) Winner
-
Edition 11 (1979) Winner
-
Edition 12 (1980) Winner
Douglas Adams
ダグラス・アダムズ
Douglas Adams
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1952-03-11 （Cambridge, England）
- Died
- 2001-05-11 （Santa Barbara, California, United States） age 49
- Nationality
- British
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Cambridge (birth and early life) → London (professional life) → Santa Barbara (later years)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Screenwriter, Comedy writer, Essayist
- Active Years
- 1974-2001
- Affiliations
- BBC, Pan Books (publisher)
- Influenced By
- Lewis Carroll, Monty Python, Kurt Vonnegut
- Influenced
- Eoin Colfer (author of And Another Thing...), Neil Gaiman (writer), Numerous science fiction and comedy writers
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St John's College, University of Cambridge | Faculty of English | English Literature | BA (Hons) | 1971–1974 | United Kingdom |
| Brentwood School | — | — | — | 1960s | United Kingdom |
St John's College, University of Cambridge
Faculty of English
/ English Literature
Degree:
BA (Hons)
Period:
1971–1974
Year of Graduation:
1974
Country:
United Kingdom
Began writing radio scripts while at university; this work later formed the basis for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Brentwood School
Period:
1960s
Year of Graduation:
1970
Country:
United Kingdom
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | BBC The Big Read (poll) | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | — | BBC | 第4位 |
| 2005 | BAFTA Interactive Award (Best Online Entertainment) | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (online adaptation) | — | BAFTA | 受賞 |
BBC The Big Read (poll)
2003
Work:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Organization:
BBC
Result:
第4位
BAFTA Interactive Award (Best Online Entertainment)
2005
Work:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (online adaptation)
Organization:
BAFTA
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
1979 Science fiction comedy 224 pagesBegins when Earth is demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Arthur Dent is rescued by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the electronic travel guide The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and travels the galaxy with Zaphod, Trillian and Marvin the Paranoid Android. The story uses humor and satire to explore cosmic absurdity, bureaucracy and existential questions.
Absurdity of the cosmosSatire of bureaucracyTechnology and humanityFriendship and journey
Adaptations
- [Radio program] The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series) (1978)
- [Television series] The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (TV series) / Alan J. W. Bell (1981)
- [Film] The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (film) / Garth Jennings (2005)
- [Video game] The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Infocom video game) / Steve Meretzky (1984)
- [Stage play] Stage adaptation (1979, Ken Campbell) / Ken Campbell (1979)
Translations
- Japanese: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
- German: Per Anhalter durch die Galaxis
- French: Le Guide du voyageur galactique
- Spanish: Guía del autoestopista galáctico
Bibliography
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979)
- The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (1980)
- Life, the Universe and Everything (1982)
- So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (1984)
- Mostly Harmless (1992)
- And Another Thing... (2009, by Eoin Colfer)
- The Salmon of Doubt (posthumous collection, 2002)
Adaptations
- 1978–1980 radio series (BBC Radio 4)
- 1981 television series (BBC)
- 1984 Infocom adventure game
- 2005 film adaptation (dir. Garth Jennings)
Translations of Works
- Japanese edition: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (various publishers)
- German edition: Per Anhalter durch die Galaxis
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Witty humorConversational narrationSatirical and ironic tone
- Recurring Motifs
- Towels (Towel Day)The number '42'Satire of bureaucracy and institutionsThe depressed robot (Marvin)
Health
-
Heart attack (sudden cardiac death)2001Died of a sudden heart attack on 11 May 2001, ending his ongoing projects
Legacy
Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy have had a major impact on anglophone popular culture. The work blends humor and philosophy,
In Popular Culture
- Towel Day: an annual fan event on May 25 when people carry towels in tribute
- The number 42 is widely referenced in popular culture as 'the Answer to the Ultimate Question'
- Asteroids and species named after characters (e.g. Arthurdent, Douglasadams), showing influence across science and arts
- Adaptations and spin-offs across radio, television, film, games and stage
Quotes
-
Don't Panic.
Source: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (novel) (1979) -
The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything is 42.
Source: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (novel) (1979) -
I love deadlines. I like the whooshing noise they make as they go by.
Source: Douglas Adams (essay / posthumous collection) (2002)
Trivia
- The work had been translated into more than 30 languages by 2005
- The first novel edition (1979) quickly became a commercial success
- Towel Day, a fan-created memorial event, began after Adams' death in 2001
- The 1984 Infocom text-adventure game is considered a classic of interactive fiction