Reading Between The Lines: Much more than an author

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: BBC
The special effects are shoddy, but the TV adaptation of H2G2 is amusing enough to distract you from that fact.

The world lost a pioneer of British comedy the day Douglas Adams died. Well-remembered, of course, for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy “trilogy of five,” Adams' quirky sense of humour endures through a small but definite fandom, with the reminder not to panic and to always carry a towel.

Being an author, however, was just one of Adams' talents.

Most people don't realize it, but The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy began as a BBC Radio series. In fact, the books are more or less expanded adaptations. The immense popularity of the radio program resulted in the adaptation to print and the difficult to film yet successfully completed television miniseries based on the first series. It's still rather amusing despite being ridiculously dated, and is definitely less underwhelming than the 2005 movie.

While in no need of introduction to some, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy pioneered in post-modernist comic sci-fi. Miles ahead of films like Spaceballs in spoofing sci-fi tropes in a self-aware manner, H2G2 relegated the story of Arthur Dent, one of the last humans to ever exist after Earth is destroyed by intergalactic bureaucrats. Really, though, the story within the books, while good, serve mainly as a backdrop for Adams' rather humorous musings on the nature of humanity, space, time and other such time-wasters. It really is the most British British thing to exist, masked within a bubble of detached sarcasm. It's real life with spaceships, really.

Even before H2G2 Adams carried a degree of success. His first foray into the world of media began as every nerd's wet dream: being a sketch writer for Monty Python's Flying Circus. An uphill struggle from here, however, was all he got until the airing of his radio play.

Of course, there's a ton more to Adams than just H2G2. Also a dream job for gawky nerds everywhere, Adams proved his mettle as a science-fiction author as a screenwriter for Doctor Who, a job that he held for a good number of episodes. Speaking of which, check out the old Doctor Who episodes. The idea of watching the show “for the story” while ignoring the rickety, cheap production values REALLY gets put to the test when you witness slug monsters made of bubble wrap.

Less sweeping under the rug and more quick-shooting, Adams was also a technological pioneer, an early adopter of computer stuff like email as early as the 1970s, a staunch atheist (but not one that was a humourless sod that resorted to picketing), musician and environmental activist. And he was pretty damn good in juggling all that.

This IS an author spotlight, but Adams, despite being remembered for his books, was so much more than that. Not that there's anything wrong with sticking to the H2G2 series. They're quite delightful and demand your attention despite the rather despairing turn of events within them. If that turns you off a bit, checking out The Salmon of Doubt, a collection of his unfinished work and rambles, is the best way to get inside the head of this strange yet amusing man. Hey, at least you aren't watching the movie.

Reading Between The Lines explores books that you may have missed out on that are worth your while. If you have a book to suggest, email Eshaan at e_gupta@fanshaweonline.ca.