Hitching a Lift

Sometimes I wonder why I put off books for so long. I heard about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy several years ago; it piqued my interest when Monica told me about it. I saw parts of the BBC series and watched the Disney - ahem, Touchstone - film. But I never picked up the book, even though several times I picked up the book at the local book store but put them back when I found something else. 

At long last, I found a copy of The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide, which includes the five novels and the short story, "Young Zaphod Plays It Safe." This incident was purely by chance. If recollection is correct, I was searching for another sci fi book - possibly part of a series - when I came across a used copy of the leather bound edition for only $3.99. I picked it up, hugged it tightly against me (this is probably literally) and targeted for the check out before my better senses go the best of me. 

And what did I do when I get home? I placed it on my shelf and forgot about it a little more than a year. After cracking open the book, I read quietly, wondering if I would - could - stick to it. A hundred and forty-three pages later, I finished the first book of the set. I went in with the decision of reading one book at a time, allowing myself to breathe before going on to the next.

So after all these years of wanting to read it, what do I think of the novel? I think it was brilliant - why the hell did I wait so long to pick it up? Life would've have been more enjoyable had I read this back in high school rather than Catcher in the Rye - which, I enjoyed. But c'mon, you have to admit that book can be damaging to a teenager. 

A highly enjoyable exploration of the universe and all those who dwell in it. I will have to keep myself from continuing on with The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. But that'll give me more motivation to read through whatever book is next in my queue.