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The Hitchhiker鈥檚 Guide to the Galaxy #3
夭賳丿诏蹖貙 噩賴丕賳 賵 賴賲賴鈥屭嗃屫�
讴鬲丕亘 夭賳丿诏蹖貙 噩賴丕賳 賵 賴賲賴鈥屭嗃屫� 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 賲噩賲賵毓賴鈥屰� 倬賳噩 噩賱丿蹖 芦乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖 讴賴讴卮丕賳 亘乇丕蹖 丕鬲賵丕爻鬲丕倬鈥屫操嗏€屬囏回池�. 賳卮乇 趩卮賲賴 噩賱丿 丕賵賱 賵 丿賵賲 丕蹖賳 賲噩賲賵毓賴 乇丕 亘丕 賳丕賲鈥屬囏й� 乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖 讴賴讴卮丕賳 亘乇丕蹖 丕鬲賵丕爻鬲丕倬鈥屫操嗏€屬囏� 賵 乇爻鬲賵乇丕賳 丌禺乇 噩賴丕賳 賲賳鬲卮乇 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲.
夭賳丿诏蹖貙 噩賴丕賳 賵 賴賲賴鈥屭嗃屫� 賲丕賳賳丿 噩賱丿賴丕蹖 丕賵賱 賵 丿賵賲 乇賲丕賳蹖 丕爻鬲 毓賱賲蹖-鬲禺蹖賱蹖 賵 胤賳夭丌賲蹖夭. 丕蹖賳 乇賲丕賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丌乇鬲賵乇 丿賳鬲 賵 丿賵爻鬲丕賳卮 乇丕 丿乇 爻賮乇賴丕蹖 賮囟丕蹖蹖 賵 夭賲丕賳蹖 賳賯賱 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 爻毓蹖 丌賳鈥屬囏� 乇丕 丿乇 賳噩丕鬲 丿丕丿賳 噩賴丕賳 丕夭 乇亘丕鬲鈥屬囏й� 爻蹖丕乇賴鈥屰� 讴乇蹖讴鬲 賵 丕賱亘鬲賴 亘乇禺蹖 賵賯鬲鈥屬囏� 賲丕噩乇丕蹖 賮乇丕乇 丌賳鈥屬囏� 乇丕 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賲爻卅賵賱蹖鬲.
乇賲丕賳 倬賳噩鈥屫勜� 芦乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖 讴賴讴卮丕賳 亘乇丕蹖 丕鬲賵丕爻鬲丕倬鈥屫操嗏€屬囏回� 讴賴 亘乇禺蹖 賲賳鬲賯丿丕賳 丌賳 乇丕 丕夭 丿乇禺卮丕賳鈥屫臂屬� 胤賳夭賴丕 賵 夭蹖亘丕鬲乇蹖賳 丌孬丕乇 倬爻鬲鈥屬呚辟� 丕乇夭蹖丕亘蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗁嗀� 丕夭 倬乇賮乇賵卮鈥屫臂屬� 讴鬲丕亘鈥屬囏й� 丿賴賴鈥屰� 鄹郯 賵 酃郯 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 亘賵丿貙 噩賵丕蹖夭 賮乇丕賵丕賳蹖 乇丕 丕夭 丌賳 禺賵丿 讴乇丿賴 賵 鬲丕 讴賳賵賳 亘賴 丿賴鈥屬囏� 夭亘丕賳 鬲乇噩賲賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲.
夭賳丿诏蹖貙 噩賴丕賳 賵 賴賲賴鈥屭嗃屫� 賲丕賳賳丿 噩賱丿賴丕蹖 丕賵賱 賵 丿賵賲 乇賲丕賳蹖 丕爻鬲 毓賱賲蹖-鬲禺蹖賱蹖 賵 胤賳夭丌賲蹖夭. 丕蹖賳 乇賲丕賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丌乇鬲賵乇 丿賳鬲 賵 丿賵爻鬲丕賳卮 乇丕 丿乇 爻賮乇賴丕蹖 賮囟丕蹖蹖 賵 夭賲丕賳蹖 賳賯賱 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 爻毓蹖 丌賳鈥屬囏� 乇丕 丿乇 賳噩丕鬲 丿丕丿賳 噩賴丕賳 丕夭 乇亘丕鬲鈥屬囏й� 爻蹖丕乇賴鈥屰� 讴乇蹖讴鬲 賵 丕賱亘鬲賴 亘乇禺蹖 賵賯鬲鈥屬囏� 賲丕噩乇丕蹖 賮乇丕乇 丌賳鈥屬囏� 乇丕 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賲爻卅賵賱蹖鬲.
乇賲丕賳 倬賳噩鈥屫勜� 芦乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖 讴賴讴卮丕賳 亘乇丕蹖 丕鬲賵丕爻鬲丕倬鈥屫操嗏€屬囏回� 讴賴 亘乇禺蹖 賲賳鬲賯丿丕賳 丌賳 乇丕 丕夭 丿乇禺卮丕賳鈥屫臂屬� 胤賳夭賴丕 賵 夭蹖亘丕鬲乇蹖賳 丌孬丕乇 倬爻鬲鈥屬呚辟� 丕乇夭蹖丕亘蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗁嗀� 丕夭 倬乇賮乇賵卮鈥屫臂屬� 讴鬲丕亘鈥屬囏й� 丿賴賴鈥屰� 鄹郯 賵 酃郯 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 亘賵丿貙 噩賵丕蹖夭 賮乇丕賵丕賳蹖 乇丕 丕夭 丌賳 禺賵丿 讴乇丿賴 賵 鬲丕 讴賳賵賳 亘賴 丿賴鈥屬囏� 夭亘丕賳 鬲乇噩賲賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲.
222 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1982
4635 people are currently reading
68202 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Adams
83听books23.2k听followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the 欧宝娱乐 database with this name.
Douglas Noel Adams was an English author, humourist, and screenwriter, best known for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (HHGTTG). Originally a 1978 BBC radio comedy, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy developed into a "trilogy" of five books that sold more than 15 million copies in his lifetime. It was further developed into a television series, several stage plays, comics, a video game, and a 2005 feature film. Adams's contribution to UK radio is commemorated in The Radio Academy's Hall of Fame.
Adams also wrote Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (1987) and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (1988), and co-wrote The Meaning of Liff (1983), The Deeper Meaning of Liff (1990) and Last Chance to See (1990). He wrote two stories for the television series Doctor Who, co-wrote City of Death (1979), and served as script editor for its seventeenth season. He co-wrote the sketch "Patient Abuse" for the final episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. A posthumous collection of his selected works, including the first publication of his final (unfinished) novel, was published as The Salmon of Doubt in 2002.
Adams was a self-proclaimed "radical atheist", an advocate for environmentalism and conservation, and a lover of fast cars, technological innovation, and the Apple Macintosh.
Douglas Noel Adams was an English author, humourist, and screenwriter, best known for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (HHGTTG). Originally a 1978 BBC radio comedy, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy developed into a "trilogy" of five books that sold more than 15 million copies in his lifetime. It was further developed into a television series, several stage plays, comics, a video game, and a 2005 feature film. Adams's contribution to UK radio is commemorated in The Radio Academy's Hall of Fame.
Adams also wrote Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (1987) and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (1988), and co-wrote The Meaning of Liff (1983), The Deeper Meaning of Liff (1990) and Last Chance to See (1990). He wrote two stories for the television series Doctor Who, co-wrote City of Death (1979), and served as script editor for its seventeenth season. He co-wrote the sketch "Patient Abuse" for the final episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. A posthumous collection of his selected works, including the first publication of his final (unfinished) novel, was published as The Salmon of Doubt in 2002.
Adams was a self-proclaimed "radical atheist", an advocate for environmentalism and conservation, and a lover of fast cars, technological innovation, and the Apple Macintosh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,744 reviews
February 15, 2024
Yo Wowbagger!
An ancient danger threatens to resurface and destroy the universe. The townsfolk of Krikkit doesn鈥檛 like to see so many bright dots on their night sky, so they plan to correct it, by wiping out every planet in the galaxy. Dent, Ford, Trillian and Zhapod, the crazy quartet of misfortune, will simply try not to make things worse.
An interesting new installment. Arthur and Ford back on the spot light, Trillian with a brief protagonism nearing the end, and, thank God, a whole lot less Zhapod. Adams writing ever so magnificently satirical, far from that perfect #1, but much better than #2. A certainly entertaining sequel, hilarious from time to time, and with some memorable moments. Just loved the introduction of Wowbagger. Marvin was my favorite character, but the throne now belongs to Wowbagger, a highly controversial character, but with an admirable purpose.
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PERSONAL NOTE :
[1982] [224p] [Humor] [Not Recommendable] [鈥淜rikkit believe in peace, justice, morality, culture, sport, family life, and the obliteration of all other life forms鈥漖 [鈥淗is name was Wowbagger. He was a man with a purpose. Not a very good purpose, as he would have been the first to admit, but it was at least a purpose that keep him on the move. ]
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鈽呪槄鈽嗏槅鈽� 0.5. Young Zaphod Plays It Safe [1.5]
鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽� 1. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
鈽呪槄鈽嗏槅鈽� 2. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe [2.5]
鈽呪槄鈽呪槅鈽� 3. Life, the Universe and Everything
鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽� 4. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
鈽呪槅鈽嗏槅鈽� 5. Mostly Harmless
鈽呪槄鈽呪槅鈽� 1-5. The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
鈽呪槄鈽呪槅鈽� 6. And Another Thing... [2.5]
-----------------------------------------------
Hey Wowbagger!
Un antiguo peligro amenaza con resurgir y destruir el universo. A los ciudadanos de Krikkit no les gusta ver tantos puntos brillantes en su cielo a la noche, por lo cual planean corregirlo, borrando del mapa todos los planetas de la galaxia. Dent, Ford, Trillian y Zhapod, el disparatado cuarteto de la desgracia, simplemente tratar谩n de no empeorar las cosas.
Una interesante nueva entrega. Arthur y Ford vuelven a la escena principal, Trillian con un leve protagonismo casi al final, y, gracias a Dios, mucho menos Zhapod. La pluma de Adams tan magn铆ficamente sat铆rica como siempre, lejos de esa perfecci贸n del #1, pero mucho mejor que #2. Una secuela ciertamente entretenida, muy graciosa a veces, y con algunos momentos para el recuerdo. Simplemente am茅 la introducci贸n de Wowbagger. Marvin era mi personaje preferido, pero el trono ahora le pertenece a Wowbagger, un personaje altamente controversial, pero con un prop贸sito admirable.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1982] [224p] [Humor] [No Recomendable] [鈥淜rikkit cree en la paz, justicia, moralidad, cultura, deporte, la vida familiar, y la obliteraci贸n de otras formas de vida鈥漖 [鈥淪u nombre era Wowbagger. El era un hombre con un prop贸sito. No un prop贸sito muy bueno, como 茅l hubiera sido el primero en admitir, pero era al menos un prop贸sito que lo manten铆a en movimiento. ]
-----------------------------------------------
An ancient danger threatens to resurface and destroy the universe. The townsfolk of Krikkit doesn鈥檛 like to see so many bright dots on their night sky, so they plan to correct it, by wiping out every planet in the galaxy. Dent, Ford, Trillian and Zhapod, the crazy quartet of misfortune, will simply try not to make things worse.
An interesting new installment. Arthur and Ford back on the spot light, Trillian with a brief protagonism nearing the end, and, thank God, a whole lot less Zhapod. Adams writing ever so magnificently satirical, far from that perfect #1, but much better than #2. A certainly entertaining sequel, hilarious from time to time, and with some memorable moments. Just loved the introduction of Wowbagger. Marvin was my favorite character, but the throne now belongs to Wowbagger, a highly controversial character, but with an admirable purpose.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1982] [224p] [Humor] [Not Recommendable] [鈥淜rikkit believe in peace, justice, morality, culture, sport, family life, and the obliteration of all other life forms鈥漖 [鈥淗is name was Wowbagger. He was a man with a purpose. Not a very good purpose, as he would have been the first to admit, but it was at least a purpose that keep him on the move. ]
-----------------------------------------------
鈽呪槄鈽嗏槅鈽� 0.5. Young Zaphod Plays It Safe [1.5]
鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽� 1. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
鈽呪槄鈽嗏槅鈽� 2. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe [2.5]
鈽呪槄鈽呪槅鈽� 3. Life, the Universe and Everything
鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽� 4. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
鈽呪槅鈽嗏槅鈽� 5. Mostly Harmless
鈽呪槄鈽呪槅鈽� 1-5. The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
鈽呪槄鈽呪槅鈽� 6. And Another Thing... [2.5]
-----------------------------------------------
Hey Wowbagger!
Un antiguo peligro amenaza con resurgir y destruir el universo. A los ciudadanos de Krikkit no les gusta ver tantos puntos brillantes en su cielo a la noche, por lo cual planean corregirlo, borrando del mapa todos los planetas de la galaxia. Dent, Ford, Trillian y Zhapod, el disparatado cuarteto de la desgracia, simplemente tratar谩n de no empeorar las cosas.
Una interesante nueva entrega. Arthur y Ford vuelven a la escena principal, Trillian con un leve protagonismo casi al final, y, gracias a Dios, mucho menos Zhapod. La pluma de Adams tan magn铆ficamente sat铆rica como siempre, lejos de esa perfecci贸n del #1, pero mucho mejor que #2. Una secuela ciertamente entretenida, muy graciosa a veces, y con algunos momentos para el recuerdo. Simplemente am茅 la introducci贸n de Wowbagger. Marvin era mi personaje preferido, pero el trono ahora le pertenece a Wowbagger, un personaje altamente controversial, pero con un prop贸sito admirable.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1982] [224p] [Humor] [No Recomendable] [鈥淜rikkit cree en la paz, justicia, moralidad, cultura, deporte, la vida familiar, y la obliteraci贸n de otras formas de vida鈥漖 [鈥淪u nombre era Wowbagger. El era un hombre con un prop贸sito. No un prop贸sito muy bueno, como 茅l hubiera sido el primero en admitir, pero era al menos un prop贸sito que lo manten铆a en movimiento. ]
-----------------------------------------------
February 10, 2017
I've just read the most extraordinary thing. In the US version of the third novel of , Life, the Universe and Everything, the word 'Belgium' is used to replace the word "fuck" which was in the British publication.
Apparently Douglas Adams' American publishers thought that some of the language in the book was too crude for Americans and asked him to take out the words 'fuck', 'asshole' and 'shit'. Adams' replaced asshole with kneebiter, shit with swut and fuck with Belgium! Sheer genius.
American publishers are pussies.
But you can kind of understand why when every now and again in the Feedback group someone whines that books need to be rated for language (not to mention amount of sex and violence) and there are groups devoted to letting people know if words that might upset their members are used. I remember one review where the woman said she went through the book and used a black marker on every single curse word. I hope it wasn't a library book.
But still, using Belgium, that was a low blow.
Apparently Douglas Adams' American publishers thought that some of the language in the book was too crude for Americans and asked him to take out the words 'fuck', 'asshole' and 'shit'. Adams' replaced asshole with kneebiter, shit with swut and fuck with Belgium! Sheer genius.
American publishers are pussies.
But you can kind of understand why when every now and again in the Feedback group someone whines that books need to be rated for language (not to mention amount of sex and violence) and there are groups devoted to letting people know if words that might upset their members are used. I remember one review where the woman said she went through the book and used a black marker on every single curse word. I hope it wasn't a library book.
But still, using Belgium, that was a low blow.
March 5, 2023
Time travel killer robot fun
Dark fun
Some of the key elements of this third strike are the usually terrifying horrors of Sci-Fi with no reason to laugh and enjoy great entertainment, except if one is into that. But Adams has the ability to even turn extermination wars and sick mentalities into a funny and enlightening read.
Exterminate
Because it shows that hobbies like killing each living being in the universe without any good reason, or at least a created advantage, are ridiculous. And that any species that attempts wanton or accidental mass extinction, genocide, and extermination wars is in an immense state of madness. Looking at you humankind.
What time is it?
Another topic is good old time manipulation, great for plotting and producing funny situations. Just probably a bit difficult to use because it can get confusing in the wrong authors麓 hands, it麓s even difficult to just go through a day in reverse. Great material for future Sci-Fi works, be it time travel, different quickly passing time for protagonists, time bubbles, time dealers, thieves, magicians,... hard to list all novels containing elements of it.
Deeper meaning
Just like Pratchett, Adams has so much hidden under this allegedly trivial reading fun that one could write a thesis about the many implications his work is revealing. I would be very interested to know what Adams read as a kid and during his life and what inspired him to use Sci-Fi tropes in such a unique manner nobody else before did.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
Dark fun
Some of the key elements of this third strike are the usually terrifying horrors of Sci-Fi with no reason to laugh and enjoy great entertainment, except if one is into that. But Adams has the ability to even turn extermination wars and sick mentalities into a funny and enlightening read.
Exterminate
Because it shows that hobbies like killing each living being in the universe without any good reason, or at least a created advantage, are ridiculous. And that any species that attempts wanton or accidental mass extinction, genocide, and extermination wars is in an immense state of madness. Looking at you humankind.
What time is it?
Another topic is good old time manipulation, great for plotting and producing funny situations. Just probably a bit difficult to use because it can get confusing in the wrong authors麓 hands, it麓s even difficult to just go through a day in reverse. Great material for future Sci-Fi works, be it time travel, different quickly passing time for protagonists, time bubbles, time dealers, thieves, magicians,... hard to list all novels containing elements of it.
Deeper meaning
Just like Pratchett, Adams has so much hidden under this allegedly trivial reading fun that one could write a thesis about the many implications his work is revealing. I would be very interested to know what Adams read as a kid and during his life and what inspired him to use Sci-Fi tropes in such a unique manner nobody else before did.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
May 31, 2015
I'm getting very bored of this series. While I like the characters and I understand the humour, I'm not laughing. I read these novels with a smile, not a smirk.
May 23, 2022
Arthur Dent finds himself living alone on prehistoric Earth, in a cold damp cave. His friend Ford Prefect, bored has wandered off early without saying a word to Africa Arthur learns later. The duo time travelers are here not voluntarily and have tried to adjust, the whole gang's been scattered all through the Galaxy not a fun situation. Marvin the depressed but amusing robot, has conversations with a talking mattress in a strange planet, Trillian at a party that never ends and Zaphod Beeblebrox is sulking on the Heart of Gold, his spaceship ( almost, he "borrowed it")... a lonely man. Never too well does Mr.Dent live, he's no great farmer or hunter not even very brave. Scraping just enough food to survive in this alien world, yes it's good old Terra but to the Englishman it might as well be Mars and speaking to trees to keep from becoming, insane ? The only excitement in the five stranded years here, ( or four?) came after a couple of trips around the Sun sometime ago. A spaceship landed in front of Arthur's dull cave and coming down the ramp a tall gray- green alien stranger said "You're a jerk , Dent". The flabbergasted Arthur mumbled some incoherent noises which should have been words, before the alien went up the ramp again and left as quickly as he arrived. This mysterious creature is an immortal so lacking in things to do he has devised an activity maybe not the most worthwhile he himself acknowledges, and quite impossible also. To go and visit everyone in the Universe and insult them," a man can dream can't he ?" Don't hate Mr. Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged, every man wants a hobby to keep busy. At last Prefect returns from Africa and tells the caveman about his bloody adventures there, more importantly of instability in the fabric of Space-Time as a sofa magically appears and disappears before their eyes. Ford Prefect says to Dent for their salvation go after it , running wildly down the hill the two jump, fall, roll trying to capture the piece of furniture as it gyrates fades in and out always moving up and down . At last jumping on the sofa and presto their back home immediately inside Slartibartfast. Ironically, the old retired planet builder's spaceship (but first landing on a cricket match, in London) only to discover the Planet Krikkit, wants to destroy the whole Universe, again...ouch .They must prevent them somehow but how ? It seems the unfortunate inhabitants of this sad world at the edge of the galaxy, have the worst night sky anywhere. Blackness, no stars or other planets even moons they lack ...nothing to see, a complete gloomy tedious darkness. A gigantic space cloud precludes any view not a fun place for stargazing, which really ticks them off you can imagine . A previous... conflict a little disagreement, you may say if you're in a grumpy mood...
war, just ten billion years before had devastated the galaxy, thousands of warships millions of killer white robots sent by Krikkit before it was stopped, not a very glorious conflict. The sequel could succeed in their deadly mission, such is the universe.... The five "friends" need to get together again, very soon indeed...They require each other's company.
war, just ten billion years before had devastated the galaxy, thousands of warships millions of killer white robots sent by Krikkit before it was stopped, not a very glorious conflict. The sequel could succeed in their deadly mission, such is the universe.... The five "friends" need to get together again, very soon indeed...They require each other's company.
April 12, 2009
A series losing steam, and it's a real shame given the potential of the first two books--both fun, quick reads. This title is less focused on the sci-fi and philosophical underpinnings of the first two books. Instead, Adams here maintains sequences that hinge on bizarre chains of events and silly, ponderous exchanges between characters who have less and less of an idea as to what exactly is happening around them. These felt a long 200+ pages indeed.
The bon mots and clever passages are fewer and further between than the previous two installments. In fact, much of this book is rather uninspired and infuriating; the Krikkit robots, the Bistromathematics, the reincarnations of the hapless multiple-murder victim Agrajag... none of the set pieces gave me more than a brief chuckle. Much of what aims to pass for characteristic Adams whimsy feels perfunctory, and the string of coincidences that form the crux of the plot are truly slapdash.
The highlights for me here are Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged's perpetual misanthropy and what amounts to the only real meat of the book--the story of the reason why the ultimate question and answer of the universe are (putatively) mutually exclusive. Thus leading to "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish". But nothing here matches the humor of, for instance, the truly inspired chapter containing the Hitchhiker's Guide's entry on The Universe in "Restaurant at the End of the Universe".
When Adams is working with less inspired ideas, his inability to write characters as anything but vehicles for punchlines and guttural confusions is trying. Vonnegut, while a weak painter of convincing personalities, instills a sense of humanity and pathos in the proceedings that eludes Adams. Some sense of feeling and sympathy, perhaps, plays foil to the general absurdity of exposition and content in Vonnegut. This is why he's a better read if you're comparing the two as I feel prone to do, and one of several reasons I'm not too concerned with making it through last installments in this series.
All of that being said, I have to say that the ending is pretty simpatico with me. Maybe Adams should have left it all at that.
The bon mots and clever passages are fewer and further between than the previous two installments. In fact, much of this book is rather uninspired and infuriating; the Krikkit robots, the Bistromathematics, the reincarnations of the hapless multiple-murder victim Agrajag... none of the set pieces gave me more than a brief chuckle. Much of what aims to pass for characteristic Adams whimsy feels perfunctory, and the string of coincidences that form the crux of the plot are truly slapdash.
The highlights for me here are Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged's perpetual misanthropy and what amounts to the only real meat of the book--the story of the reason why the ultimate question and answer of the universe are (putatively) mutually exclusive. Thus leading to "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish". But nothing here matches the humor of, for instance, the truly inspired chapter containing the Hitchhiker's Guide's entry on The Universe in "Restaurant at the End of the Universe".
When Adams is working with less inspired ideas, his inability to write characters as anything but vehicles for punchlines and guttural confusions is trying. Vonnegut, while a weak painter of convincing personalities, instills a sense of humanity and pathos in the proceedings that eludes Adams. Some sense of feeling and sympathy, perhaps, plays foil to the general absurdity of exposition and content in Vonnegut. This is why he's a better read if you're comparing the two as I feel prone to do, and one of several reasons I'm not too concerned with making it through last installments in this series.
All of that being said, I have to say that the ending is pretty simpatico with me. Maybe Adams should have left it all at that.
May 27, 2021
Finally, the answer to why the bowl of petunias thought, "Oh no, not again."
February 28, 2020
Brilliantly brilliant discussing brilliant things lol the kind of book that you can鈥檛 read wrong. While the characters haven鈥檛 changed too much it鈥檚 more about throwing them in the wildest scenarios and watching how their differing personalities interact, the questions they鈥檙e asking are getting better.
What makes this series stand out is the strength of the narrator. The narrator is incredibly prominent and steals the show most of the time. What makes this book so enjoyable are not the actions taken by the characters but the perception of their actions by the narrator.
The random thoughts always tie back into the narrative and the adventures continue to grow more and wilder. Poor Arthur lol
Oh also flight!!!!!!!!!! Sorry for the lack of punctuation I just had a lot of thoughts and no structure.
What makes this series stand out is the strength of the narrator. The narrator is incredibly prominent and steals the show most of the time. What makes this book so enjoyable are not the actions taken by the characters but the perception of their actions by the narrator.
The random thoughts always tie back into the narrative and the adventures continue to grow more and wilder. Poor Arthur lol
Oh also flight!!!!!!!!!! Sorry for the lack of punctuation I just had a lot of thoughts and no structure.
July 12, 2016
Another world, another day, another dawn.
The early morning鈥檚 thinnest sliver of light appeared silently. Several billion trillion tons of superhot exploding hydrogen nuclei rose slowly above the horizon and managed to look small, cold and slightly damp.
There is a moment in every dawn when light floats, there is the possibility of magic. Creation holds its breath.
... and then a voice from above utters the words:
鈥淵ou鈥檙e a jerk, Dent!鈥�
Arthur Dent has every reason to be both puzzled and angry at the blue skinned alien called Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged who came over the aeons only to insult him. In the previous two volume the hitchhiking Earthman served as a sort of lightning rod, attracting all sort of (explosive) troubles on his head.
He was stranded on prehistoric earth as the result of a complex sequence of events that had involved his being alternately blown up and insulted in more bizarre regions of the Galaxy than he had ever dreamed existed, and though life has now turned very, very, very quiet, he was still feeling jumpy.
He hadn鈥檛 been blown up now for five years.
Arthur Dent should actually rejoice at the respite he gets and at being back on his previously annihilated planet, but prehistoric times had very little to offer in the entertaining department. His melancholic mood is lyrically captured by an author who is more famous for his comedy chops:
In the end, it was the Sunday afternoons he couldn鈥檛 cope with, and that terrible listlessness that starts to set in at about 2:55, when you know you鈥檝e taken all the baths you can usefully take that day, that however hard you stare at any given paragraph in the newspaper you will never actually read it, or use the revolutionary new pruning technique it describes, and that you stare at the clock the hands will move relentlessly on to four o鈥檆lock, and you will enter the long dark teatime of the soul.
Escape comes in the unusual form of a galloping Chesterfield sofa, but readers familiar with the style of Douglas Adams already know to be prepared for the unexpected and to always have a towel handy before they embark on a new adventure. Arthur Dent and his companion in exile Ford Perfect should also be more careful what they wish for, because times are about to get interesting and the boredom of prehistoric times will be sorely missed : an old friend, a planet designer specialising in shaping fjords, has need of their assistance for nothing less than the saving of the Universe.
鈥淒eep in the fundamental heart of mind and Universe,鈥� said Slartibartfast, 鈥渢here is a reason.鈥�
Ford glanced sharply around. He clearly thought this was taking an optimistic view of things. [...] 鈥淲here are we going?鈥�
鈥淲e are going to confront an ancient nightmare of the Universe.鈥�
鈥淎nd where are you going to drop us off?鈥�
鈥淚 will need your help.[...] A curse has arisen from the mists of time. A curse which will engulf the Galaxy in fire and destruction, and possibly bring the Universe to a premature doom. I mean it,鈥� he added.
鈥淪ounds like a bad time,鈥� said Ford; 鈥渨ith luck I鈥檒l be drunk enough not to notice. [...] My doctor says that I have a malformed public duty gland and a natural defficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes.鈥�
Move over, Mr. Flash Gordon! Arthur Dent is taking over the role of saviour of the Universe and the quest starts right here on Earth (after alittle time travel on the Bistromathic spaceship) when alien war robots from the planet Krikkit are stealing a piece of junk from the middle of a sports field. For many readers, a piece of burned wood from Melbourne, Australia in the year 1882 would mean nothing, to others it is a holy relic of national pride. For Slartibartfast and his unwilling heroes, it is an artefact of ancient power and evil.
The game you know as cricket is just one of those curious freaks of racial memory that can keep images alive in the mind aeons after their true significance has been lost in the mists of time. Of all the races of the Galaxy, only the English could possibly revive the memory of the most horrific wars ever to sunder the Universe and transform it into what I am afraid is generally regarded as an incomprehensibly dull and pointless game.
... and so the journey into danger and adventure begins anew, with only a towel and a small tourist guide in my pockets, ready to witness the neverending wonders of the Universe.
Wheeee!!! Sign me in for the trip, Mr. Adams! Each episode is better than the previous one for me, and I am in awe at the inventivity of the setting, the satirical sharpness of the sketches, the all embracing and gentle acceptance of our human condition in a cold and hostile Universe. So fasten your seatbelts folks, relax and have an enormously long lunch break!
Riding in a ship powered by advanced mathematics theories ( The Bistromathic Drive is a wonderful new method of crossing vast interstellar distances without all that dangerous mucking about with Improbability Factors. [...] The most extraordinary thing about it was that it looked only partly like a spaceship with guidance fins, rocket engines and escape hatches and so on, and a great deal like a small, upended Italian bistro. ), a ship made invisible by a force field called 鈥淪omebody Else鈥檚 Problem鈥� , Arthur and his friends will guide my eyes towards the absurdity of war, making fun I suspect of some of my favorite epic fantasies series in the vein of J R R Tolkien:
The Silastic Armorfiends of Striterax were engaged in one of their regular wars with the Strenuous Garfighters of Stug, and were not enjoying it as much as usual because it involved and awful lot of trekking through the Radiation Swamps of Cwulzenda and across the Fire Mountains of Frazfraga, neither of which terrains they felt at home in.
So when the Strangulous Stillettans of Jajazikstak joined in the fray and forced them to fight another front in the Gamma Caves of Carfrax and the Ice storms on Varlengooten, they decided that enough was enough, and they ordered Hactar to design for them an Ultimate Weapon.
鈥淲hat do you mean,鈥� asked Hactar, 鈥渂y Ultimate?鈥�
To which the Silastic Armorfiends of Striterax said, 鈥淩ead a bloody dictionary,鈥� and plunged back into the fray.
Later on I get a chance to take part in the Ultimate Party to end all parties, a millenia long bash on a floating hotel that attracts the Galactic jet-set while making the host planet a wasteland through unbridled consumption and pollution. Sounds familiar? The Romans are reputed to say 鈥淎ftee us, the Flood!鈥� and thinks apparently are unchanged in the future. Pro-Tip if you happen to get an invite: don鈥檛 use the word Belgium :
鈥淏elgium,鈥� exclaimed Arthur.
A drunken seven-toed sloth staggered past, gawked at the word and threw itself backward at a blurry-eyed pterodactyl, roaring with displeasure.
In between saving the Universe from its latest Ultimate Weapon of Total Annihilation, we might spent a moment on the issue of truth, as in shutting down the voices of reason and moderation:
When it became clear what was happening, and as it became clear that Prak could not be stopped, that here was truth in its absolute and final form, the court was cleared.
Not only cleared, it was sealed up, with Prak still in it. Steel walls were erected around it, and, just to be on the safe side, barbed wire, electric fences, crocodile swamps and three major armies were installed, so that no one would ever have to hear Prak speak.
What exactly did this man Prak know that was so dangerous to the establishement? Was he another Snowden shouting to the world that the emperor has no clothes on? We might never know more than the fact that it has something to do with frogs, because when Prak lays eyes on Arthur Dent mayhem issues:
He howled and screamed with laughter. He fell over backward onto the bench. He hollered and yelled in hysterics. He cried with laughter, kicked his legs in the air, he beat his chest. Gradually he subsided, panting. He looked at them. He looked at Arthur. He fell back again howling with laughter. Eventually he fell asleep.
In the end, laughter may be the best weapon we have at our disposal against the tyranny of people and the tyranny of time. Without a sense of humour life, the universe and everything are pointless and utterly depressing. The final scene is for me essential and relevant, but I think I鈥檇 better put it in a spoiler bracket:
An earlier passage is even more evocative for me of the unexpected depths of feeling underlining the hilarity and the sillyness of the expedition:
It seemed to him that the atoms of his brain and the atoms of the cosmos were streaming through each other. It seemed to him that he was blown on the wind of the Universe, and that the wind was him. It seemed to him that he was one of the thoughts of the Universe and that the Universe was a thought of his.
I hope I will find time for the next episode of the Hitchhker鈥檚 Guide soon. In the meantime I will let Marvin The Paranoid Android serenade you to sleep:
Now the world has gone to bed,
Darkness won鈥檛 engulf my head,
I can see in infrared,
How I hate the night.
Now I lay me down to sleep,
Try to count electric sheep.
Sweet dreams wishes you can keep,
How I hate the night.
July 25, 2020
丨丕賱丕 讴賴 丿丕乇蹖賲 乇丕噩毓 亘賴 爻賵丕賱 賳賴丕蹖蹖 賮讴乇 賲蹖讴賳蹖賲貙 趩乇丕 丕蹖賳 丕丨鬲賲丕賱 乇賵 丿乇 賳馗乇 賳诏蹖乇蹖賲 讴賴 丕氐賱丕 爻賵丕賱 賳賴丕蹖蹖 賵噩賵丿 賵丕賯毓蹖 賳丿丕乇賴責 賴賲賴鈥屬呝堎� 爻乇讴丕乇蹖賲 賲賵賳丕賲蹖.
夭賳丿诏蹖 卮亘蹖賴 趩蹖賴責 噩賵丕亘蹖 讴賴 亘賴卮 賲蹖丿蹖 賮賯胤 噩賴丕賳 亘蹖賳蹖 鬲賵 乇賵 賳卮賵賳 賳賲蹖丿賴 貙亘賱讴賴 氐乇蹖丨丕 乇賵蹖 亘賯蹖賴 孬丕賳蹖賴 賴丕 賵 氐丿賲 孬丕賳蹖賴鈥屬囏й� 夭賳丿诏蹖鬲 賴賲 鬲丕孬蹖乇 賲蹖匕丕乇賴 賵 丕賵賳賵 賲蹖爻丕夭賴. 鬲賵 賲蹖诏蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲孬賱 蹖賴 倬丕乇讴 鬲賮乇蹖丨蹖賴 賵 賲蹖禺賵丕蹖 賴賲 丕夭 鬲賵賳賱 賵丨卮鬲卮 賱匕鬲 亘亘乇蹖 賵 賴賲 倬丕乇讴 丌亘蹖鈥屫�. 丕賵賳 賲蹖诏賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲孬賱 鬲亘毓蹖丿 卮丿賳 亘賴 亘丕睾 毓丿賳賴 賵 丕賳爻丕賳 賲诏賳賵賲 丕賵倬爻貙 讴賴 亘丕蹖丿 丿賱 禺丕賱賯 乇賵 亘丿爻鬲 亘蹖丕乇賴 鬲丕 丿賵亘丕乇賴 亘賴 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 丌爻賲丕賳蹖卮 亘乇诏乇丿賴.
丕夭 賳馗乇 賲賳賲 夭賳丿诏蹖 蹖賴 丿乇丕賲丕蹖 丕賳爻丕賳蹖 丕夭 乇賳噩 丕亘丿蹖 賵 亘丿亘禺鬲蹖貙 毓卮賯貙 賴賵爻貙 噩賳賵賳 賵 爻乇讴卮蹖賴 讴賴 鬲賵爻胤 蹖讴 賳賲丕蹖卮賳丕賲賴 賳賵蹖爻 诏蹖噩 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 賵 乇賵蹖 蹖讴 氐丨賳賴 毓馗蹖賲 倬乇 丕夭 賴乇噩 賵 賲乇噩 丿丕乇賴 丕噩乇丕 賲蹖卮賴.
亘丕夭蹖诏乇丕 丕賵賳賯丿乇 亘蹖鈥屫з囐呟屫� 丕賳 讴賴 賮乇丕賲賵卮 賵 乇賴丕 卮丿賳. 讴丕賲賱丕 乇賴丕 卮丿賴 貙丕夭 蹖丕丿 乇賮鬲賴. 賴蹖趩讴爻 丕蹖賳 丿乇丕賲丕 乇賵 鬲賲丕卮丕 賳賲蹖讴賳賴貙 丕蹖賳 賳賲丕蹖卮 亘乇丕蹖 賴蹖趩 賲賵噩賵丿蹖 鬲賵蹖 讴丕卅賳丕鬲 匕乇賴 丕蹖 丕賴賲蹖鬲 蹖丕 噩匕丕亘蹖鬲 賳丿丕乇賴. 卮锟斤拷蹖丿 賴賲 丕賵賳賴丕 亘丕乇賴丕 賵 亘丕乇賴丕 亘丕 爻賮蹖賳賴 賴丕卮賵賳 丕夭 讴賳丕乇 丕蹖賳 倬賱丕鬲 乇丿 卮丿賳 賵 賳蹖賲 賳诏丕賴蹖 丕賲 亘賴卮 丕賳丿丕禺鬲賳 貙丕賲丕 亘丕 禺賵丿卮賵賳 诏賮鬲賳 丕蹖賳 賲賵噩賵丿丕鬲 夭卮鬲 丿賵倬丕 賵 蹖讴 爻乇 禺蹖賱蹖 丕丨賲賯 亘賳馗乇 賲蹖丕賳貙 亘毓蹖丿賴 丕賵賳賯丿乇 亘賴乇賴 賴賵卮蹖 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賳 讴賴 亘鬲賵賳賳 爻乇賲賵賳賵 诏乇賲 讴賳賳貙 倬爻 诏丕夭 亘丿賴 夭賵丿鬲乇 亘賴 倬丕乇鬲蹖 亘乇爻蹖賲.
賳賲丕蹖卮賳丕賲賴 賳賵蹖爻 賴賲 鬲賵蹖 賴賲賵賳 倬丕乇鬲蹖 丕賳賯丿乇 賳賵卮蹖丿賴 讴賴 蹖诏賵卮賴 賱丕蹖毓賯賱 丕賮鬲丕丿賴.賴乇讴蹖 乇丿 賲蹖卮賴 蹖賴 鬲蹖倬丕 亘賴卮 賲蹖夭賳賴.
丕蹖賳 丕蹖丿賴鈥屫й� 讴賴 诏賮鬲賲 賲賳賵 亘賴 睾丕蹖鬲 禺卮賲诏蹖賳 賵 毓氐亘蹖 賲蹖讴賳賴貙 噩賵乇蹖 讴賴 賲噩亘賵乇賲 爻乇賲賵 鬲賵蹖 亘丕賱卮鬲 賮乇賵 讴賳賲 賮乇蹖丕丿 亘夭賳賲 賵 賲卮鬲 亘讴賵亘賲 鬲丕 賲睾夭賲 賲孬賱 賳丕乇賳噩讴 賲賳賮噩乇 賳卮賴. 賲賳 賲蹖禺賵丕賲 睾賲 賲賳貙 乇賳噩 賲賳貙 禺卮賲 賲賳 鬲賵蹖 鬲賲丕賲 噩賴丕賳 賲賳毓讴爻 亘卮賴. 丕賵賳賯丿乇 亘夭乇诏 賴爻鬲 讴賴 亘禺賵丕賲 鬲賲丕賲 賲賵噩賵丿丕鬲 讴丕卅賳丕鬲 亘乇丕卮 賲賵蹖賴 讴賳賳. 賲賳 賲蹖禺賵丕賲 賲乇诏 丕賵賳賴丕 亘乇丕蹖 丿賯蹖賯賴鈥屫й� 賴賲 讴賴 卮丿賴 賲賴賲鬲乇蹖賳 賲爻賱賴 噩賴丕賳 亘丕卮賴. 丕賲丕 賵丕賯毓蹖鬲 丕蹖賳賴 讴賴 丕蹖賳 乇賳噩 賴乇趩賯丿乇 賴賲 丨賯蹖賯蹖 亘丕卮賴 蹖丕 丨丿丕賯賱 賲賳 賮讴乇 讴賳賲 丨賯蹖賯蹖賴貙 鬲賵蹖 噩賴丕賳 賴蹖趩讴爻蹖 丕賳毓讴丕爻 賳丿丕乇賴. 丕蹖賳 禺蹖賱蹖 禺蹖賱蹖 鬲乇爻賳丕讴賴. 賲賳 亘乇丕蹖 賳賲丕蹖卮賳丕賲賴 賳賵蹖爻 丕賴賲蹖鬲蹖 賳丿丕乇賲 . 鬲賵 賴賲 賳丿丕乇蹖. 賲丕 賴賲賵賳賯丿乇 賲賴賲蹖賲 讴賴 噩賱亘讴 讴賮 乇賵丿禺賵賳賴. 丨鬲蹖 賲胤賲毓賳 賳蹖爻鬲賲 噩賱亘讴 賲賴賲鬲乇賴 蹖丕 賳賴.
丌乇夭賵 賲蹖讴賳賲 賴賲賴 鬲賵賳 鬲賵蹖 丕蹖賳 賵丨卮鬲 亘丕 賲賳 卮乇蹖讴 亘丕卮蹖丿 賵 毓匕丕亘 亘讴卮蹖丿.
_______________
禺賵卮亘禺鬲鈥屫臂屬� 賲賵噩賵丿丕鬲 讴蹖賴丕賳 丕夭 賳馗乇 賲賳 爻丕讴賳丕賳 爻蹖丕乇賴 讴乇蹖讴蹖鬲鈥屫з�. 丕賵賳 賲乇丿賲 丿乇丕夭 乇賳诏 倬乇蹖丿賴鈥屰� 乇賲丕賳鬲蹖讴 讴賴 毓賱蹖鈥屫必嘿� 賯蹖丕賮賴鈥屬囏й� 丕賮爻乇丿賴 賵 賳诏丕賴賴丕蹖 乇賵 亘賴 倬丕蹖蹖賳貙 丌賵丕夭賴丕蹖 卮丕丿 賲蹖禺賵賳賳 賵 亘賴 賴蹖趩蹖 賮讴乇 賳賲蹖讴賳賳 蹖丕 賳賲蹖讴乇丿賳.
爻蹖丕乇賴 讴乇蹖讴蹖鬲 鬲丕 丕亘丿 鬲賵 蹖賴 丨亘丕亘 賲丨亘賵爻賴 讴賴 夭賲丕賳 賵 夭賳丿诏蹖 丿乇 丕賵賳 亘蹖鈥屬嗁囏й屫� 丌賴爻鬲賴 賲蹖鈥屭柏辟�. 賴賲賴 丕卮毓賴鈥屬囏й� 賳賵乇賽 丿賵乇 賵 亘乇 丕蹖賳 丨亘丕亘 賲賳丨乇賮 賲蹖鈥屫促� 鬲丕 丨亘丕亘 賵 爻蹖丕乇賴 丿丕禺賱 丕賵賳 丕夭 趩卮賲鈥屬囏� 倬賳賴丕賳 亘賲賵賳賳 賵 賴蹖趩讴蹖 賳鬲賵賳賴 賵丕乇丿 丕賵賳鈥屬囏� 亘卮賴. 丕賲讴丕賳 賮乇丕乇 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丨亘丕亘 賵噩賵丿 賳丿丕乇賴貙 賲诏乇 丕蹖賳鈥屭┵� 讴爻蹖 丕夭 亘蹖乇賵賳 賯賮賱 丕賵賳 乇賵 亘丕夭 讴賳賴.
賵賯鬲蹖 讴賴 亘賯蹖賴 噩賴丕賳 賵 讴丕卅賳丕鬲 亘賴 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賴丕蹖蹖賽 禺賵丿 賲蹖鈥屫必迟� 賵 鬲賲丕賲賽 毓丕賱賲 賳賮爻鈥屬囏й� 丌禺乇 禺賵丿卮 乇賵 賲蹖鈥屭┴促� (丕賱亘鬲賴 丕蹖賳 丕蹖丿賴 賲乇亘賵胤 亘賴 夭賲丕賳蹖 亘賵丿 讴賴 賲乇丿賲 賴賳賵夭 賳賲蹖鈥屫堎嗀池嗀� 讴賴 倬丕蹖丕賳 噩賴丕賳 賮賯胤 蹖賴 亘蹖夭賳爻 乇爻鬲賵乇丕賳鈥屫ж臂屬�) 賵 夭賳丿诏蹖 賵 賲丕丿賴 亘乇丕蹖 賴賲蹖卮賴 丕夭 亘蹖賳 賲蹖鈥屫辟囏� 爻蹖丕乇賴 讴乇蹖讴蹖鬲 賵 禺賵乇卮蹖丿 丕賵賳 丕夭 丨亘丕亘 夭賲丕賳蹖 亘蹖乇賵賳 賲蹖鈥屫з� 賵 禺賵卮丨丕賱 丕夭 賵噩賵丿 賳丿丕卮鬲賳 賴蹖趩鈥屭嗃屫� 丿蹖诏賴鈥屫й� 睾蹖乇 丕夭 讴乇蹖讴蹖鬲 亘賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲胤賱賵亘鈥屫促堎� 丕丿丕賲賴 賲蹖鈥屫�.
讴賱蹖丿 賯賮賱 丕蹖賳 丨亘丕亘 乇賵蹖 蹖賴 爻蹖丕乇讴 讴丕乇 诏匕丕卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 讴賴 丿乇 賲丿丕乇蹖 亘夭乇诏鈥� 丿賵乇 丨亘丕亘 賲蹖鈥屭嗀必�. 讴賱蹖丿 爻賲亘賱 讴賴讴卮丕賳賴: 丿乇賵丕夭賴 賵蹖讴蹖鬲.
丕诏賴 賲蹖 禺賵丕蹖蹖丿 亘丿賵賳蹖丿 丕蹖賳 賲賵賳诏賵賱丕 趩噩賵乇蹖 丕夭 丨亘丕亘卮賵賳 亘蹖乇賵賳 賲蹖丕賳 賵 賯乇丕乇賴 趩賴 亘賱丕卅蹖 爻乇 讴賱 讴蹖賴丕賳 亘蹖丕乇賳貙 亘賴鬲乇賴 禺賵丿鬲賵賳 讴鬲丕亘賵 亘禺賵賳蹖丿 .
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賳賴 亘賴 亘丿蹖 噩賱丿 蹖讴 亘賵丿 賵 賳賴 亘賴 禺賵亘蹖 噩賱丿 丿賵. 丕賲丕 賳丕丕賲蹖丿賲 賳讴乇丿...
夭賳丿诏蹖 卮亘蹖賴 趩蹖賴責 噩賵丕亘蹖 讴賴 亘賴卮 賲蹖丿蹖 賮賯胤 噩賴丕賳 亘蹖賳蹖 鬲賵 乇賵 賳卮賵賳 賳賲蹖丿賴 貙亘賱讴賴 氐乇蹖丨丕 乇賵蹖 亘賯蹖賴 孬丕賳蹖賴 賴丕 賵 氐丿賲 孬丕賳蹖賴鈥屬囏й� 夭賳丿诏蹖鬲 賴賲 鬲丕孬蹖乇 賲蹖匕丕乇賴 賵 丕賵賳賵 賲蹖爻丕夭賴. 鬲賵 賲蹖诏蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲孬賱 蹖賴 倬丕乇讴 鬲賮乇蹖丨蹖賴 賵 賲蹖禺賵丕蹖 賴賲 丕夭 鬲賵賳賱 賵丨卮鬲卮 賱匕鬲 亘亘乇蹖 賵 賴賲 倬丕乇讴 丌亘蹖鈥屫�. 丕賵賳 賲蹖诏賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲孬賱 鬲亘毓蹖丿 卮丿賳 亘賴 亘丕睾 毓丿賳賴 賵 丕賳爻丕賳 賲诏賳賵賲 丕賵倬爻貙 讴賴 亘丕蹖丿 丿賱 禺丕賱賯 乇賵 亘丿爻鬲 亘蹖丕乇賴 鬲丕 丿賵亘丕乇賴 亘賴 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 丌爻賲丕賳蹖卮 亘乇诏乇丿賴.
丕夭 賳馗乇 賲賳賲 夭賳丿诏蹖 蹖賴 丿乇丕賲丕蹖 丕賳爻丕賳蹖 丕夭 乇賳噩 丕亘丿蹖 賵 亘丿亘禺鬲蹖貙 毓卮賯貙 賴賵爻貙 噩賳賵賳 賵 爻乇讴卮蹖賴 讴賴 鬲賵爻胤 蹖讴 賳賲丕蹖卮賳丕賲賴 賳賵蹖爻 诏蹖噩 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 賵 乇賵蹖 蹖讴 氐丨賳賴 毓馗蹖賲 倬乇 丕夭 賴乇噩 賵 賲乇噩 丿丕乇賴 丕噩乇丕 賲蹖卮賴.
亘丕夭蹖诏乇丕 丕賵賳賯丿乇 亘蹖鈥屫з囐呟屫� 丕賳 讴賴 賮乇丕賲賵卮 賵 乇賴丕 卮丿賳. 讴丕賲賱丕 乇賴丕 卮丿賴 貙丕夭 蹖丕丿 乇賮鬲賴. 賴蹖趩讴爻 丕蹖賳 丿乇丕賲丕 乇賵 鬲賲丕卮丕 賳賲蹖讴賳賴貙 丕蹖賳 賳賲丕蹖卮 亘乇丕蹖 賴蹖趩 賲賵噩賵丿蹖 鬲賵蹖 讴丕卅賳丕鬲 匕乇賴 丕蹖 丕賴賲蹖鬲 蹖丕 噩匕丕亘蹖鬲 賳丿丕乇賴. 卮锟斤拷蹖丿 賴賲 丕賵賳賴丕 亘丕乇賴丕 賵 亘丕乇賴丕 亘丕 爻賮蹖賳賴 賴丕卮賵賳 丕夭 讴賳丕乇 丕蹖賳 倬賱丕鬲 乇丿 卮丿賳 賵 賳蹖賲 賳诏丕賴蹖 丕賲 亘賴卮 丕賳丿丕禺鬲賳 貙丕賲丕 亘丕 禺賵丿卮賵賳 诏賮鬲賳 丕蹖賳 賲賵噩賵丿丕鬲 夭卮鬲 丿賵倬丕 賵 蹖讴 爻乇 禺蹖賱蹖 丕丨賲賯 亘賳馗乇 賲蹖丕賳貙 亘毓蹖丿賴 丕賵賳賯丿乇 亘賴乇賴 賴賵卮蹖 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賳 讴賴 亘鬲賵賳賳 爻乇賲賵賳賵 诏乇賲 讴賳賳貙 倬爻 诏丕夭 亘丿賴 夭賵丿鬲乇 亘賴 倬丕乇鬲蹖 亘乇爻蹖賲.
賳賲丕蹖卮賳丕賲賴 賳賵蹖爻 賴賲 鬲賵蹖 賴賲賵賳 倬丕乇鬲蹖 丕賳賯丿乇 賳賵卮蹖丿賴 讴賴 蹖诏賵卮賴 賱丕蹖毓賯賱 丕賮鬲丕丿賴.賴乇讴蹖 乇丿 賲蹖卮賴 蹖賴 鬲蹖倬丕 亘賴卮 賲蹖夭賳賴.
丕蹖賳 丕蹖丿賴鈥屫й� 讴賴 诏賮鬲賲 賲賳賵 亘賴 睾丕蹖鬲 禺卮賲诏蹖賳 賵 毓氐亘蹖 賲蹖讴賳賴貙 噩賵乇蹖 讴賴 賲噩亘賵乇賲 爻乇賲賵 鬲賵蹖 亘丕賱卮鬲 賮乇賵 讴賳賲 賮乇蹖丕丿 亘夭賳賲 賵 賲卮鬲 亘讴賵亘賲 鬲丕 賲睾夭賲 賲孬賱 賳丕乇賳噩讴 賲賳賮噩乇 賳卮賴. 賲賳 賲蹖禺賵丕賲 睾賲 賲賳貙 乇賳噩 賲賳貙 禺卮賲 賲賳 鬲賵蹖 鬲賲丕賲 噩賴丕賳 賲賳毓讴爻 亘卮賴. 丕賵賳賯丿乇 亘夭乇诏 賴爻鬲 讴賴 亘禺賵丕賲 鬲賲丕賲 賲賵噩賵丿丕鬲 讴丕卅賳丕鬲 亘乇丕卮 賲賵蹖賴 讴賳賳. 賲賳 賲蹖禺賵丕賲 賲乇诏 丕賵賳賴丕 亘乇丕蹖 丿賯蹖賯賴鈥屫й� 賴賲 讴賴 卮丿賴 賲賴賲鬲乇蹖賳 賲爻賱賴 噩賴丕賳 亘丕卮賴. 丕賲丕 賵丕賯毓蹖鬲 丕蹖賳賴 讴賴 丕蹖賳 乇賳噩 賴乇趩賯丿乇 賴賲 丨賯蹖賯蹖 亘丕卮賴 蹖丕 丨丿丕賯賱 賲賳 賮讴乇 讴賳賲 丨賯蹖賯蹖賴貙 鬲賵蹖 噩賴丕賳 賴蹖趩讴爻蹖 丕賳毓讴丕爻 賳丿丕乇賴. 丕蹖賳 禺蹖賱蹖 禺蹖賱蹖 鬲乇爻賳丕讴賴. 賲賳 亘乇丕蹖 賳賲丕蹖卮賳丕賲賴 賳賵蹖爻 丕賴賲蹖鬲蹖 賳丿丕乇賲 . 鬲賵 賴賲 賳丿丕乇蹖. 賲丕 賴賲賵賳賯丿乇 賲賴賲蹖賲 讴賴 噩賱亘讴 讴賮 乇賵丿禺賵賳賴. 丨鬲蹖 賲胤賲毓賳 賳蹖爻鬲賲 噩賱亘讴 賲賴賲鬲乇賴 蹖丕 賳賴.
丌乇夭賵 賲蹖讴賳賲 賴賲賴 鬲賵賳 鬲賵蹖 丕蹖賳 賵丨卮鬲 亘丕 賲賳 卮乇蹖讴 亘丕卮蹖丿 賵 毓匕丕亘 亘讴卮蹖丿.
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禺賵卮亘禺鬲鈥屫臂屬� 賲賵噩賵丿丕鬲 讴蹖賴丕賳 丕夭 賳馗乇 賲賳 爻丕讴賳丕賳 爻蹖丕乇賴 讴乇蹖讴蹖鬲鈥屫з�. 丕賵賳 賲乇丿賲 丿乇丕夭 乇賳诏 倬乇蹖丿賴鈥屰� 乇賲丕賳鬲蹖讴 讴賴 毓賱蹖鈥屫必嘿� 賯蹖丕賮賴鈥屬囏й� 丕賮爻乇丿賴 賵 賳诏丕賴賴丕蹖 乇賵 亘賴 倬丕蹖蹖賳貙 丌賵丕夭賴丕蹖 卮丕丿 賲蹖禺賵賳賳 賵 亘賴 賴蹖趩蹖 賮讴乇 賳賲蹖讴賳賳 蹖丕 賳賲蹖讴乇丿賳.
爻蹖丕乇賴 讴乇蹖讴蹖鬲 鬲丕 丕亘丿 鬲賵 蹖賴 丨亘丕亘 賲丨亘賵爻賴 讴賴 夭賲丕賳 賵 夭賳丿诏蹖 丿乇 丕賵賳 亘蹖鈥屬嗁囏й屫� 丌賴爻鬲賴 賲蹖鈥屭柏辟�. 賴賲賴 丕卮毓賴鈥屬囏й� 賳賵乇賽 丿賵乇 賵 亘乇 丕蹖賳 丨亘丕亘 賲賳丨乇賮 賲蹖鈥屫促� 鬲丕 丨亘丕亘 賵 爻蹖丕乇賴 丿丕禺賱 丕賵賳 丕夭 趩卮賲鈥屬囏� 倬賳賴丕賳 亘賲賵賳賳 賵 賴蹖趩讴蹖 賳鬲賵賳賴 賵丕乇丿 丕賵賳鈥屬囏� 亘卮賴. 丕賲讴丕賳 賮乇丕乇 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丨亘丕亘 賵噩賵丿 賳丿丕乇賴貙 賲诏乇 丕蹖賳鈥屭┵� 讴爻蹖 丕夭 亘蹖乇賵賳 賯賮賱 丕賵賳 乇賵 亘丕夭 讴賳賴.
賵賯鬲蹖 讴賴 亘賯蹖賴 噩賴丕賳 賵 讴丕卅賳丕鬲 亘賴 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賴丕蹖蹖賽 禺賵丿 賲蹖鈥屫必迟� 賵 鬲賲丕賲賽 毓丕賱賲 賳賮爻鈥屬囏й� 丌禺乇 禺賵丿卮 乇賵 賲蹖鈥屭┴促� (丕賱亘鬲賴 丕蹖賳 丕蹖丿賴 賲乇亘賵胤 亘賴 夭賲丕賳蹖 亘賵丿 讴賴 賲乇丿賲 賴賳賵夭 賳賲蹖鈥屫堎嗀池嗀� 讴賴 倬丕蹖丕賳 噩賴丕賳 賮賯胤 蹖賴 亘蹖夭賳爻 乇爻鬲賵乇丕賳鈥屫ж臂屬�) 賵 夭賳丿诏蹖 賵 賲丕丿賴 亘乇丕蹖 賴賲蹖卮賴 丕夭 亘蹖賳 賲蹖鈥屫辟囏� 爻蹖丕乇賴 讴乇蹖讴蹖鬲 賵 禺賵乇卮蹖丿 丕賵賳 丕夭 丨亘丕亘 夭賲丕賳蹖 亘蹖乇賵賳 賲蹖鈥屫з� 賵 禺賵卮丨丕賱 丕夭 賵噩賵丿 賳丿丕卮鬲賳 賴蹖趩鈥屭嗃屫� 丿蹖诏賴鈥屫й� 睾蹖乇 丕夭 讴乇蹖讴蹖鬲 亘賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲胤賱賵亘鈥屫促堎� 丕丿丕賲賴 賲蹖鈥屫�.
讴賱蹖丿 賯賮賱 丕蹖賳 丨亘丕亘 乇賵蹖 蹖賴 爻蹖丕乇讴 讴丕乇 诏匕丕卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 讴賴 丿乇 賲丿丕乇蹖 亘夭乇诏鈥� 丿賵乇 丨亘丕亘 賲蹖鈥屭嗀必�. 讴賱蹖丿 爻賲亘賱 讴賴讴卮丕賳賴: 丿乇賵丕夭賴 賵蹖讴蹖鬲.
丕诏賴 賲蹖 禺賵丕蹖蹖丿 亘丿賵賳蹖丿 丕蹖賳 賲賵賳诏賵賱丕 趩噩賵乇蹖 丕夭 丨亘丕亘卮賵賳 亘蹖乇賵賳 賲蹖丕賳 賵 賯乇丕乇賴 趩賴 亘賱丕卅蹖 爻乇 讴賱 讴蹖賴丕賳 亘蹖丕乇賳貙 亘賴鬲乇賴 禺賵丿鬲賵賳 讴鬲丕亘賵 亘禺賵賳蹖丿 .
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賳賴 亘賴 亘丿蹖 噩賱丿 蹖讴 亘賵丿 賵 賳賴 亘賴 禺賵亘蹖 噩賱丿 丿賵. 丕賲丕 賳丕丕賲蹖丿賲 賳讴乇丿...
February 13, 2021
賵丕賵亘丕诏乇 卮乇賵毓 讴乇丿 亘賴 賲鬲賳賮乇 卮丿賳 丕夭 噩賴丕賳 丿乇 讴賱貙 賵 賲禺氐賵氐丕賸 賲鬲賳賮乇 卮丿賳 丕夭 賴賲踿 賲乇丿賲賽 爻丕讴賳 噩賴丕賳
丿乇 賴賲蹖賳 丨丕賱 賵 賴賵丕 亘賵丿 讴賴 賴丿賮卮 乇賵 倬蹖丿丕 讴乇丿. 賴丿賮蹖 讴賴 賲蹖鈥屫堎嗀池� 丕賵賳 乇賵 爻乇倬丕 賳诏賴 丿丕乇賴貨 鬲丕 丕亘丿 爻乇倬丕 賳诏賴 丿丕乇賴. 賴丿賮卮 丕蹖賳 亘賵丿: 賵丕賵亘丕诏乇 鬲氐賲蹖賲 诏乇賮鬲賴 亘賵丿 讴賴 亘賴 噩賴丕賳 鬲賵賴蹖賳 讴賳賴. 蹖毓賳蹖 亘賴鬲乇賴 亘诏蹖賲 亘賴 賴賲踿 賲乇丿賲賽 噩賴丕賳 鬲賵賴蹖賳 讴賳賴. 亘賴 鬲讴鈥屫� 爻丕讴賳丕賳 賴賲踿 讴賴讴卮丕賳鈥屬囏�. 卮禺氐丕賸 賵 丨囟賵乇丕賸. 蹖讴蹖 倬爻 丕夭 丿蹖诏乇蹖
賲賳賲 丕诏賴 蹖賴 賲丕卮蹖賳 夭賲丕賳 賵 讴賱賽 夭賲丕賳賽 丿賳蹖丕 賵 毓賲乇 噩丕賵丿丕賳賴 丿丕卮鬲賲貙 亘乇賲蹖鈥屭簇� 亘賴 42 爻丕賱 倬蹖卮 賵 丿賲 丿乇 賲丕卮蹖賳賽 夭賲丕賳賲 賵丕蹖賲蹖爻鬲丕丿賲 賵 亘賴 賴乇讴蹖 讴賴 賲蹖鈥屫屫� 賲蹖鈥屭佖�: 禺蹖賱蹖 禺乇蹖
May 17, 2020
In a lot of ways, this book is a lot better than Restaurant at the End of the Universe simply because it has a lot more regular plot action and better-defined enemies despite all the Timey-Wimey stuff that comes necessarily with being a hitchhiker.
Things I've learned:
Arthur Dent is a mass murderer. Or a slightly scattered universal-sequential murderer. Or maybe he's just tactless.
Cricket, or rather, the planet Krikkit is full of a bunch of a-holes.
And I've also learned that I REALLY, REALLY don't want to know the truth.
Which is, when you think about it, completely absurd since I'm going to keep reading the series, and it is filled with NOTHING BUT THE UNVARNISHED TRUTH.
On a side note, I do want to mention that I teared up a little bit when I learned how to fly. Again. And I mean not the teary-eyed kind that comes from cooking some onions with olive oil, but tears of sheer amazement that I've always been flying wrong.
And to think that walking was just a bastard version of the same thing: put one foot forward, fall, and fail to hit the ground. Huh. Amazing.
Things I've learned:
Arthur Dent is a mass murderer. Or a slightly scattered universal-sequential murderer. Or maybe he's just tactless.
Cricket, or rather, the planet Krikkit is full of a bunch of a-holes.
And I've also learned that I REALLY, REALLY don't want to know the truth.
Which is, when you think about it, completely absurd since I'm going to keep reading the series, and it is filled with NOTHING BUT THE UNVARNISHED TRUTH.
On a side note, I do want to mention that I teared up a little bit when I learned how to fly. Again. And I mean not the teary-eyed kind that comes from cooking some onions with olive oil, but tears of sheer amazement that I've always been flying wrong.
And to think that walking was just a bastard version of the same thing: put one foot forward, fall, and fail to hit the ground. Huh. Amazing.
August 10, 2016
42? Really? I don't think so!
April 4, 2012
People may have noticed that I've recently become very interested in theories of physics which involve multiple universes. I've spent a fair amount of time over the last few weeks reading about them and discussing the ideas.
Since it's buried in one of my other reviews, let me present my conclusions explicitly. To my surprise, I discover that there is a great deal of evidence to support the claim that we are only one of many universes, and, moreover, that we know what these other universes are. The theory isn't particularly flaky or speculative. Or, to be more exact, there is an abundance of flaky and speculative theories, but there is also one which is rooted in mainstream science and already comes close to explaining Life, the Universe and Everything. The idea is simple. There is a way of looking at quantum mechanics - the so-called Many Worlds Interpretation - which, roughly, means that everything which might have happened actually did happen in some alternate universe. These alternate universes are as just real as ours.
Now, one's first reaction to this ought to be that it's nonsense, or at best no more than playing with words. It's easy to say that what might have been is real, but does that actually mean anything? Well, it turns out there is a strong argument which supports the claim that many universes exist. When you look at the different physical constants - things like the strength of gravity, the strength of the electromagnetic force, the relative masses of the proton and the electron, and so on - a weird pattern emerges. There is no known reason why any of these constants should have the values they possess. They appear to be arbitrary numbers. But, if these numbers were even slightly different, life would be completely impossible. The most straightforward way to explain this fact is to suppose that there are many universes, with many different settings for the constants; we happen to live in one of the very few universes where the numbers came out right for life to happen. This argument is presented in detail in Martin Rees's .
Next, let's look at the Many Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics (MWI). Everyone who reads SF novels has heard of this, but I had always dismissed it as a fringe theory with little credibility. I was surprised to learn from Brian Greene's that the MWI has steadily been gaining ground over the last 30 years, and is now considered completely respectable. As Greene explains, everyone agrees on the mathematical theory behind quantum mechanics, the Schr枚dinger equation. People know how to do the calculations, and these calculations work spectacularly well. The disagreement is about what the equations actually mean. Greene, and other people you can easily find on the Web, say that the MWI is in fact the simplest and most natural way to give intuitive significance to the mathematics of quantum physics; the traditional "Copenhagen interpretation" due to Niels Bohr and his colleagues is close to mysticism when you try to pin it down, since it makes the human observer an integral part of physics. Quantum physicists are sufficiently uneasy about the choices that the most popular approach is not to ascribe any meaning to the mathematics, but just perform the calculations without asking what they refer to. This is evidently an unusual way to do science.
To summarize, the most natural way to interpret our mainstream scientific theory is to say that there are many alternate universes. The physical evidence also suggests that there are many alternate universes. If the notion weren't so startling, one would just conclude that, since theory and experiment coincide, there must be many alternate universes.
There are plenty of loose ends to tie up, and you can question the logic in several places. (Robert has done a good job of presenting the case for the defense in the comment thread to my Greene review). I still can't quite bring myself to believe it emotionally, but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes. The other explanations are even more far-fetched; as Sherlock Holmes says, once you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true. Check it out for yourself and see if you agree.
___________________________________
Looking around for material on the Many Worlds Interpretation, I found where the following interesting passage appears:
It seems to me that the argument about lucky settings in the physical constants making life possible is related to Tegmark's thought experiment with the quantum gun. We have all been the beneficiaries of, in effect, a long string of clicks, as opposed to bullets. The question is whether this is good evidence of the existence of other quantum worlds. I can see that opinions are divided!
___________________________________
So I was chatting with a CERN physicist today (imagine other people peacefully knitting in the background), and I took the opportunity to ask him why the picture I describe above isn't the standard one.
"Well, it is more or less the standard one!" he said. "At least among cosmologists."
"In that case..." I began, but he cut me short.
"However, it's not the standard picture among theoretical particle physicists," he continued. "And for experimental particle physicists, it's a yet another picture."
"But... if they all know they have different pictures of what's happening, why don't they discuss it until they've agreed which is right?" I asked helplessly.
That CERN shrug again. It's starting to look familiar.
Since it's buried in one of my other reviews, let me present my conclusions explicitly. To my surprise, I discover that there is a great deal of evidence to support the claim that we are only one of many universes, and, moreover, that we know what these other universes are. The theory isn't particularly flaky or speculative. Or, to be more exact, there is an abundance of flaky and speculative theories, but there is also one which is rooted in mainstream science and already comes close to explaining Life, the Universe and Everything. The idea is simple. There is a way of looking at quantum mechanics - the so-called Many Worlds Interpretation - which, roughly, means that everything which might have happened actually did happen in some alternate universe. These alternate universes are as just real as ours.
Now, one's first reaction to this ought to be that it's nonsense, or at best no more than playing with words. It's easy to say that what might have been is real, but does that actually mean anything? Well, it turns out there is a strong argument which supports the claim that many universes exist. When you look at the different physical constants - things like the strength of gravity, the strength of the electromagnetic force, the relative masses of the proton and the electron, and so on - a weird pattern emerges. There is no known reason why any of these constants should have the values they possess. They appear to be arbitrary numbers. But, if these numbers were even slightly different, life would be completely impossible. The most straightforward way to explain this fact is to suppose that there are many universes, with many different settings for the constants; we happen to live in one of the very few universes where the numbers came out right for life to happen. This argument is presented in detail in Martin Rees's .
Next, let's look at the Many Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics (MWI). Everyone who reads SF novels has heard of this, but I had always dismissed it as a fringe theory with little credibility. I was surprised to learn from Brian Greene's that the MWI has steadily been gaining ground over the last 30 years, and is now considered completely respectable. As Greene explains, everyone agrees on the mathematical theory behind quantum mechanics, the Schr枚dinger equation. People know how to do the calculations, and these calculations work spectacularly well. The disagreement is about what the equations actually mean. Greene, and other people you can easily find on the Web, say that the MWI is in fact the simplest and most natural way to give intuitive significance to the mathematics of quantum physics; the traditional "Copenhagen interpretation" due to Niels Bohr and his colleagues is close to mysticism when you try to pin it down, since it makes the human observer an integral part of physics. Quantum physicists are sufficiently uneasy about the choices that the most popular approach is not to ascribe any meaning to the mathematics, but just perform the calculations without asking what they refer to. This is evidently an unusual way to do science.
To summarize, the most natural way to interpret our mainstream scientific theory is to say that there are many alternate universes. The physical evidence also suggests that there are many alternate universes. If the notion weren't so startling, one would just conclude that, since theory and experiment coincide, there must be many alternate universes.
There are plenty of loose ends to tie up, and you can question the logic in several places. (Robert has done a good job of presenting the case for the defense in the comment thread to my Greene review). I still can't quite bring myself to believe it emotionally, but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes. The other explanations are even more far-fetched; as Sherlock Holmes says, once you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true. Check it out for yourself and see if you agree.
___________________________________
Looking around for material on the Many Worlds Interpretation, I found where the following interesting passage appears:
Is there ... any experiment that could distinguish between ... the MWI and the Copenhagen interpretation using currently available technology? The author can only think of one: a form of quantum suicide in a spirit similar to so-called quantum roulette. It requires quite a dedicated experimentalist, since it is amounts to an iterated and faster version of Schr枚dinger's cat experiment with you as the cat.But is Tegmark really correct in saying that the experimenter would not convince anyone else of the correctness of the MWI? Imagine that you are the assistant in the universe where the experimenter succeeds in cheating death 100 times in a row, after having explained what she is about to do. I, at least, would find this convincing. I wouldn't be able to repeat the experiment (only the person risking their life can do that), but it would still seem way too strange to ascribe to pure chance.
The apparatus is a "quantum gun" which each time its trigger is pulled measures the z-spin of a particle. It is connected to a machine gun that fires a single bullet if the result is "down" and merely makes an audible click if the result is "up". The details of the trigger mechanism are irrelevant (an experiment with photons and a half-silvered mirror would probably be cheaper to implement) as long as the timescale between the quantum bit generation and the actual firing is much shorter than that characteristic of human perception, say 0.01 seconds. The experimenter first places a sand bag in front of the gun and tells her assistant to pull the trigger ten times. [Everyone] agrees that the "shut-up-and-calculate" prescription applies here, and predict that she will hear a seemingly random sequence of shots and duds such as "bang-click-bang-bang-bang-click-clickbang-click-click." She now instructs her assistant to pull the trigger ten more times and places her head in front of the gun barrel. This time the shut-up-and-calculate recipe is inapplicable, since probabilities have no meaning for an observer in the dead state, and the contenders will differ in their predictions. In interpretations where there is an explicit non-unitary collapse, she will be either dead or alive after the first trigger event, so she should expect to perceive perhaps a click or two (if she is moderately lucky), then "game over", nothing at all.
In the MWI, on the other hand, the state after the first trigger event is [...] Since there is exactly one observer having perceptions both before and after the trigger event, and since it occurred too fast to notice, the MWI prediction is that [the experimenter] will hear "click" with 100% certainty. When her assistant has completed his unenviable assignment, she will have heard ten clicks, and concluded that collapse interpretations of quantum mechanics are ruled out at a confidence level of 99.9%. If she wants to rule them out at "ten sigma", she need merely increase n by continuing the experiment a while longer. Occasionally, to verify that the apparatus is working, she can move her head away from the gun and suddenly hear it going off intermittently.
Note, however, that almost all terms in the final superposition will have her assistant perceiving that he has killed his boss. Many physicists would undoubtedly rejoice if an omniscient genie appeared at their death bed, and as a reward for life-long curiosity granted them the answer to a physics question of their choice. But would they be as happy if the genie forbade them from telling anybody else? Perhaps the greatest irony of quantum mechanics is that if the MWI is correct, then the situation is quite analogous if, once you feel ready to die, you repeatedly attempt quantum suicide: you will experimentally convince yourself that the MWI is correct, but you can never convince anyone else!
It seems to me that the argument about lucky settings in the physical constants making life possible is related to Tegmark's thought experiment with the quantum gun. We have all been the beneficiaries of, in effect, a long string of clicks, as opposed to bullets. The question is whether this is good evidence of the existence of other quantum worlds. I can see that opinions are divided!
___________________________________
So I was chatting with a CERN physicist today (imagine other people peacefully knitting in the background), and I took the opportunity to ask him why the picture I describe above isn't the standard one.
"Well, it is more or less the standard one!" he said. "At least among cosmologists."
"In that case..." I began, but he cut me short.
"However, it's not the standard picture among theoretical particle physicists," he continued. "And for experimental particle physicists, it's a yet another picture."
"But... if they all know they have different pictures of what's happening, why don't they discuss it until they've agreed which is right?" I asked helplessly.
That CERN shrug again. It's starting to look familiar.
January 19, 2019
ZOWEE!!
Grab a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster, a towel and a couple of Babel Fish and let鈥檚 spend some time with Douglas Adams鈥� fantastic would building!
It鈥檚 more fun than Vogon poetry contest.
Since Adams first lifted his thumb for a ride in 1979鈥檚 , fans have been keeping up with Zaphod, Trillian, Ford and Arthur and we cannot forget Marvin.
This time around we find Ford and Arthur getting some exile time in prehistoric Earth until Slartibartifast shows up for the rescue.
We run into some killer robots from the planet Krikkit and it鈥檚 up to our heroes to save the day.
Adams鈥� humor and imagination continue to impress. I especially liked the SEP field (somebody else鈥檚 problem).
Good fun, for fans.
Grab a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster, a towel and a couple of Babel Fish and let鈥檚 spend some time with Douglas Adams鈥� fantastic would building!
It鈥檚 more fun than Vogon poetry contest.
Since Adams first lifted his thumb for a ride in 1979鈥檚 , fans have been keeping up with Zaphod, Trillian, Ford and Arthur and we cannot forget Marvin.
This time around we find Ford and Arthur getting some exile time in prehistoric Earth until Slartibartifast shows up for the rescue.
We run into some killer robots from the planet Krikkit and it鈥檚 up to our heroes to save the day.
Adams鈥� humor and imagination continue to impress. I especially liked the SEP field (somebody else鈥檚 problem).
Good fun, for fans.
July 10, 2017
I'm feeling some series fatigue after binge-reading this and the second book over the weekend. I don't know if this was indeed a weaker/more confusing volume or was it just the fact that too much of a good thing can sometimes be bad. Either way, I had some difficulty finishing it and I think I won't be reading the 4th and 5th book anytime soon. It gets 3 stars (2,5 actually) because despite it being really confusing and at time frustrating, it still had a lot of fun and hilarious moments.
May 17, 2020
Arthur and Ford are still on prehistoric Earth in the beginning, but thanks to timey-wimey stuff they are getting out of their predicament in no time (which equals approximately 5 years). Meanwhile, Trillian has found a new boyfriend and he is ... divine. The problem is that when Arthur gets back to Earth shortly before its demise (see book 1), there is an alien race from planet Cricket Krikkit who has suddenly become aware of the universe - and doesn't like it. So now our friends, with the help of my favourite fjord-engineer, have to literally save the universe, no matter how depressed Zaphod has become and how improbable it all is.
Weird aliens, white killer robots in addition to our favourite depressed one, a therapy couch, flying, another fantastic spaceship (this time powered by irrational behavior), time travel, a party-that-has-yet-to-end and the shocking realization that Arthur might seem like a bumbling fool but actually is a "mass-me-murderer" (complete with petunias and a squashed fly)! Say WHAT?!
This 3rd installment was once again a blast! Not quite up to the standards of the first book, but deliciously funny, deep in thought, god-critical, sharp, with lots of zingers and puns and therefore easily better than the 2nd volume (which nevertheless wasn't bad).
You want to know the truth? The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?! In its absolute and final form?! YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH (Jack Nicholson was right after all and I wonder now if that earnestest of movies had a mad easter egg)!
One of my favourite parts must have been the principle of flying. If you don't know, the trick is to throw yourself at the ground - and missing. While discussing this particular gem of the book with my buddy-reader, it struck us both how DNA was a master at telling you ridiculous things that shouldn't make sense but do. Every time. And if you really think about it, of course they do! That is the thing about life (as well as the universe and everything)!
Naturally, the quest isn't quite over yet because Arthur has been given some instructions. Will he follow them or stick to bord speak?
Weird aliens, white killer robots in addition to our favourite depressed one, a therapy couch, flying, another fantastic spaceship (this time powered by irrational behavior), time travel, a party-that-has-yet-to-end and the shocking realization that Arthur might seem like a bumbling fool but actually is a "mass-me-murderer" (complete with petunias and a squashed fly)! Say WHAT?!
This 3rd installment was once again a blast! Not quite up to the standards of the first book, but deliciously funny, deep in thought, god-critical, sharp, with lots of zingers and puns and therefore easily better than the 2nd volume (which nevertheless wasn't bad).
You want to know the truth? The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?! In its absolute and final form?! YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH (Jack Nicholson was right after all and I wonder now if that earnestest of movies had a mad easter egg)!
One of my favourite parts must have been the principle of flying. If you don't know, the trick is to throw yourself at the ground - and missing. While discussing this particular gem of the book with my buddy-reader, it struck us both how DNA was a master at telling you ridiculous things that shouldn't make sense but do. Every time. And if you really think about it, of course they do! That is the thing about life (as well as the universe and everything)!
Naturally, the quest isn't quite over yet because Arthur has been given some instructions. Will he follow them or stick to bord speak?
January 31, 2021
Life, the Universe and Everything. Yes, the third book from the Hitchhiker鈥檚 Guide to the Galaxy trilogy of five. It鈥檚 still great, though not as good as the previous two. But it鈥檚 still funny, it鈥檚 still weird, full of random moments popping out of nowhere and, bear with me, this is the most important thing of all, it鈥檚 still incredibly silly.
Alright, now that the book review is out of the way, let鈥檚 talk about the big elephant in the room. Yes, you know what I鈥檓 talking about. Even though I鈥檓 also quite certain that you haven鈥檛 read much (or anything) or heard much (or anything) about it until this moment. I even doubt that you鈥檝e ever watched it before. It turned out to be the highlight of the book. And it鈥檚 somehow related to some kind of ashes. I know, it doesn鈥檛 really make any sense. Maybe you don鈥檛 really care for it. But it鈥檚 about to fill a major empty spot in your life. Of course, I鈥檓 talking about the greatest sport there is, ever was or ever will be. Not, it鈥檚 not football (or soccer, for you Americans). It鈥檚 also not basketball. American football? No one cares about that outside the US.
Yes, you got it right. It鈥檚 cricket.
If you鈥檝e never heard of cricket, then google it. If you鈥檝e never watched cricket, then go watch it on YouTube. I鈥檓 even half shocked, half surprised that the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything isn鈥檛 cricket. Or that the question isn鈥檛 about cricket. Well, to be honest, I鈥檝e never played it or watched even five minutes of it. But it鈥檚 good. Or so they say. I don鈥檛 know. I hear it鈥檚 as boring as watching a fly flying around. I don鈥檛 really care for it. Or do I?
All I know is that it seems to be everywhere ever since I read this book.
Alright, now that the book review is out of the way, let鈥檚 talk about the big elephant in the room. Yes, you know what I鈥檓 talking about. Even though I鈥檓 also quite certain that you haven鈥檛 read much (or anything) or heard much (or anything) about it until this moment. I even doubt that you鈥檝e ever watched it before. It turned out to be the highlight of the book. And it鈥檚 somehow related to some kind of ashes. I know, it doesn鈥檛 really make any sense. Maybe you don鈥檛 really care for it. But it鈥檚 about to fill a major empty spot in your life. Of course, I鈥檓 talking about the greatest sport there is, ever was or ever will be. Not, it鈥檚 not football (or soccer, for you Americans). It鈥檚 also not basketball. American football? No one cares about that outside the US.
Yes, you got it right. It鈥檚 cricket.
If you鈥檝e never heard of cricket, then google it. If you鈥檝e never watched cricket, then go watch it on YouTube. I鈥檓 even half shocked, half surprised that the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything isn鈥檛 cricket. Or that the question isn鈥檛 about cricket. Well, to be honest, I鈥檝e never played it or watched even five minutes of it. But it鈥檚 good. Or so they say. I don鈥檛 know. I hear it鈥檚 as boring as watching a fly flying around. I don鈥檛 really care for it. Or do I?
All I know is that it seems to be everywhere ever since I read this book.
February 8, 2017
Hitchhiker's, volume 3.
Mostly about Krikkit - and the Bistromathic Drive, which is better than mere Infinite Improbability.
The immortal Wowbanger the Infinitely Prolonged gave himself the task of insulting everyone in the universe - individually (but nearly did Arthur twice).
It has the usual wonderful Adamsness:
The "knack" of learning to fly is to "throw yourself at the ground and miss".
"Aggressively uninterested".
"One thing has suddenly ceased to lead to another".
Slartibartfast, who has one of the best names in literature, "wrote a monograph to set the record wrong about one or two matters he saw as important".
"Time travel is a menace. History is being polluted. The past is now truly like a foreign country. They do things exactly the same there".
"They obstinately persisted in their absence".
To attack a transdimensional planet you need to work out how to "fire missiles at 90 degrees to reality".
"sat in darkened rooms in illegal states of mind".
"One of the least benightedly unintelligent organic lifeforms it has been my profound lack of pleasure not be able to avoid meeting" (Boris took that idea with "I couldn't possibly fail to disagree with you less").
Brief summary and favourite quotes from the other four of the five books, as follows:
Hitchhiker's Guide (vol 1):
Restaurant at the End of Universe (vol 2):
So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish (vol 4):
Mostly Harmless (vol 5):
And Another Thing...(vol 6), by Eoin Colfer : /review/show...
Mostly about Krikkit - and the Bistromathic Drive, which is better than mere Infinite Improbability.
The immortal Wowbanger the Infinitely Prolonged gave himself the task of insulting everyone in the universe - individually (but nearly did Arthur twice).
It has the usual wonderful Adamsness:
The "knack" of learning to fly is to "throw yourself at the ground and miss".
"Aggressively uninterested".
"One thing has suddenly ceased to lead to another".
Slartibartfast, who has one of the best names in literature, "wrote a monograph to set the record wrong about one or two matters he saw as important".
"Time travel is a menace. History is being polluted. The past is now truly like a foreign country. They do things exactly the same there".
"They obstinately persisted in their absence".
To attack a transdimensional planet you need to work out how to "fire missiles at 90 degrees to reality".
"sat in darkened rooms in illegal states of mind".
"One of the least benightedly unintelligent organic lifeforms it has been my profound lack of pleasure not be able to avoid meeting" (Boris took that idea with "I couldn't possibly fail to disagree with you less").
Brief summary and favourite quotes from the other four of the five books, as follows:
Hitchhiker's Guide (vol 1):
Restaurant at the End of Universe (vol 2):
So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish (vol 4):
Mostly Harmless (vol 5):
And Another Thing...(vol 6), by Eoin Colfer : /review/show...
July 9, 2014
this is the last book in the series that I really enjoyed and I almost wish Douglas Adams would have called it quits here. The book gives us the chance to laugh at ourselves in going back to prehistoric earth and Adams alternate view of how we ended up the creatures we are, that was extremely clever.
But Krikkit was the best part, this story was amazing and I can't help but wonder if Adams religous views are at work here. A group of people that just can't accept the idea that there might be another group of people besides them in the universe, and the only way they can deal with it is to kill anyone who is not them.
But the time paradox starts to become a real problem at this point and utterly undoes the series from here out, and the fact that the cast of characters spends most of their time split apart and that is not as much fun. Also, the characters flaws have become exagerrated by this time and the things that made them interesting characters but people you wouldn't want to know, has now made all of them a little annoying.
But Krikkit was the best part, this story was amazing and I can't help but wonder if Adams religous views are at work here. A group of people that just can't accept the idea that there might be another group of people besides them in the universe, and the only way they can deal with it is to kill anyone who is not them.
But the time paradox starts to become a real problem at this point and utterly undoes the series from here out, and the fact that the cast of characters spends most of their time split apart and that is not as much fun. Also, the characters flaws have become exagerrated by this time and the things that made them interesting characters but people you wouldn't want to know, has now made all of them a little annoying.
December 14, 2021
芦爻讴賳丿乇蹖 禺賵乇丿 賵 乇賮鬲 讴賴 亘禺賵乇賴 夭賲蹖賳 丕賲丕 趩賵賳 鬲賵 丕蹖賳 賱丨馗賴 匕賴賳卮 亘賴 賴夭丕乇 趩蹖夭 丿蹖诏賴 賲卮睾賵賱 亘賵丿貙 讴丕賲賱丕 賮乇丕賲賵卮 讴乇丿 讴賴 亘禺賵乇賴 夭賲蹖賳 賵 亘賴 賴賲蹖賳 丿賱蹖賱 亘賴 夭賲蹖賳 賳禺賵乇丿.禄
丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 讴鬲丕亘 乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖 讴賴讴卮丕賳 亘乇丕蹖 丕鬲賵丕爻鬲丕倬 夭賳 賴丕爻鬲. 賴乇 噩賱丿蹖 讴賴 賲蹖诏匕乇賴 讴鬲丕亘 賯卮賳诏 鬲乇 貙 倬乇讴卮卮 鬲乇 賵 賳丕亘 鬲乇 賲蹖卮賴 .
鬲乇噩賲賴鈥屰� 丌乇卮 爻乇讴賵賴蹖 乇賵 亘丕 夭亘丕賳 丕氐賱蹖 賲賯丕蹖爻賴 讴乇丿賲. 賵丕賯毓丕 丌乇卮 爻乇讴賵賴蹖 噩賵乇蹖 诏賱 讴丕卮鬲賴 讴賴 丕氐賱丕 倬卮蹖賲賵賳 賳蹖爻鬲賲 讴賴 讴鬲丕亘 乇賵 鬲乇噩賲賴 禺賵賳丿賲.鈥�
爻賴 噩賱丿 丕賵賱 乇賵 倬卮鬲 爻乇賴賲 禺賵賳丿賲 賵 亘乇丕蹖 卮乇賵毓 讴乇丿賳 噩賱丿 趩賴丕乇賲 賵 倬賳噩賲 亘卮丿鬲 匕賴賳賲 禺爻鬲賴 爻鬲 賵 賳蹖丕夭 亘賴 蹖讴 丕爻鬲乇丕丨鬲 丿賵 賴賮鬲诏蹖 亘乇丕蹖 丕丿丕賲賴 丿丕丿賳 丿丕乇賲 .
丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 讴鬲丕亘 乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖 讴賴讴卮丕賳 亘乇丕蹖 丕鬲賵丕爻鬲丕倬 夭賳 賴丕爻鬲. 賴乇 噩賱丿蹖 讴賴 賲蹖诏匕乇賴 讴鬲丕亘 賯卮賳诏 鬲乇 貙 倬乇讴卮卮 鬲乇 賵 賳丕亘 鬲乇 賲蹖卮賴 .
鬲乇噩賲賴鈥屰� 丌乇卮 爻乇讴賵賴蹖 乇賵 亘丕 夭亘丕賳 丕氐賱蹖 賲賯丕蹖爻賴 讴乇丿賲. 賵丕賯毓丕 丌乇卮 爻乇讴賵賴蹖 噩賵乇蹖 诏賱 讴丕卮鬲賴 讴賴 丕氐賱丕 倬卮蹖賲賵賳 賳蹖爻鬲賲 讴賴 讴鬲丕亘 乇賵 鬲乇噩賲賴 禺賵賳丿賲.鈥�
爻賴 噩賱丿 丕賵賱 乇賵 倬卮鬲 爻乇賴賲 禺賵賳丿賲 賵 亘乇丕蹖 卮乇賵毓 讴乇丿賳 噩賱丿 趩賴丕乇賲 賵 倬賳噩賲 亘卮丿鬲 匕賴賳賲 禺爻鬲賴 爻鬲 賵 賳蹖丕夭 亘賴 蹖讴 丕爻鬲乇丕丨鬲 丿賵 賴賮鬲诏蹖 亘乇丕蹖 丕丿丕賲賴 丿丕丿賳 丿丕乇賲 .
November 6, 2019
"Evren tedirgin edici b眉y眉kl眉kte bir yerdir ve pek 莽ok ki艧i sakin bir hayat u臒runa bu ger莽e臒i g枚rmezden gelmeye meyillidir."
陌lk kitaplar kadar iyi de臒il. Seriye devam eder miyim bilmiyorum...
馃挮
陌lk kitaplar kadar iyi de臒il. Seriye devam eder miyim bilmiyorum...
馃挮
September 11, 2024
( 倬丕蹖丕賳 亘丕夭禺賵丕賳蹖 丿賵賲 )...
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賴賲賵賳 卮蹖賵丕蹖蹖 賲鬲賳貙 賴賲賵賳 胤賳夭 賲丨卮乇貙 賴賲賵賳 賲賵囟賵毓 毓丕賱蹖貙 賴賲賵賳 賲賮賴賵賲 毓賲蹖賯 賵 賴賲賵賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 毓賱賲蹖 讴丕賲賱蹖 讴賴 丿乇 噩賱丿賴丕蹖 丕賵賱 賵 丿賵賲 賵噩賵丿 丿丕卮鬲貙 亘丕 睾賱馗鬲蹖 亘蹖卮鬲乇 鬲賵蹖 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 賴賲 賵噩賵丿 丿丕卮鬲.
賵丕賯毓丕 賲蹖诏賲貙 丿丕诏賱丕爻 丌丿丕賲夭 蹖讴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴鈥屰� 賲丨卮乇 賵 丿蹖賵丕賳賴鈥屫池� 馃槀馃槏馃槏
賳賵卮鬲賴鈥屬囏ж� 毓丕賱蹖賳!!!!.... 亘丕 丕蹖賳讴賴 噩賱丿賴丕 丨噩賲 夭蹖丕丿蹖 賳丿丕乇賳 丕賲丕 賲賮賴賵賲 禺胤 亘賴 禺胤 噩賲賱丕鬲卮 亘賴 丕賳丿丕夭賴鈥屰� 賴夭丕乇丕賳 氐賮丨賴鈥屫池�... 賵丕賯毓丕 賳亘賵睾卮 亘蹖鈥屬嗀港屫辟囸煈�
趩蹖夭蹖 讴賴 丕蹖賳 噩賱丿 乇賵 賳爻亘鬲 亘賴 丿賵 噩賱丿 賯亘賱蹖 賲鬲賲丕蹖夭 賲蹖讴賳賴貙 卮乇賵毓 賵 倬丕蹖丕賳卮賴!!!
亘丕 丕蹖賳讴賴 卮乇賵毓 賵 倬丕蹖丕賳 丿賵 噩賱丿 賯亘賱蹖 賵丕賯毓丕 禺賵亘 亘賵丿賳丿 丕賲丕 丌睾丕夭 賵 倬丕蹖丕賳 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 丿蹖賵丕賳賴 讴賳賳丿賴 亘賵丿... 賳賲蹖禺賵丕賲 丕爻倬賵蹖賱 讴賳賲 倬爻 賮賯胤 丿乇 丕蹖賳 丨丿 賲蹖诏賲 讴賴 丕賵賱 賵 丌禺乇 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 賲孬賱 丿賵 爻乇 蹖讴 賳禺 亘賵丿 讴賴 亘賴 賴賲 丿賵禺鬲賴 卮丿賳丿馃憣
丿乇 賲賵乇丿 噩賱丿 趩賴丕乇賲 賴賲 丿乇 氐賮丨賴鈥屰� 賲乇亘賵胤 亘賴 禺賵丿卮 禺賵丕賴賲 賳賵卮鬲馃槉
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賴賲賵賳 卮蹖賵丕蹖蹖 賲鬲賳貙 賴賲賵賳 胤賳夭 賲丨卮乇貙 賴賲賵賳 賲賵囟賵毓 毓丕賱蹖貙 賴賲賵賳 賲賮賴賵賲 毓賲蹖賯 賵 賴賲賵賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 毓賱賲蹖 讴丕賲賱蹖 讴賴 丿乇 噩賱丿賴丕蹖 丕賵賱 賵 丿賵賲 賵噩賵丿 丿丕卮鬲貙 亘丕 睾賱馗鬲蹖 亘蹖卮鬲乇 鬲賵蹖 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 賴賲 賵噩賵丿 丿丕卮鬲.
賵丕賯毓丕 賲蹖诏賲貙 丿丕诏賱丕爻 丌丿丕賲夭 蹖讴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴鈥屰� 賲丨卮乇 賵 丿蹖賵丕賳賴鈥屫池� 馃槀馃槏馃槏
賳賵卮鬲賴鈥屬囏ж� 毓丕賱蹖賳!!!!.... 亘丕 丕蹖賳讴賴 噩賱丿賴丕 丨噩賲 夭蹖丕丿蹖 賳丿丕乇賳 丕賲丕 賲賮賴賵賲 禺胤 亘賴 禺胤 噩賲賱丕鬲卮 亘賴 丕賳丿丕夭賴鈥屰� 賴夭丕乇丕賳 氐賮丨賴鈥屫池�... 賵丕賯毓丕 賳亘賵睾卮 亘蹖鈥屬嗀港屫辟囸煈�
趩蹖夭蹖 讴賴 丕蹖賳 噩賱丿 乇賵 賳爻亘鬲 亘賴 丿賵 噩賱丿 賯亘賱蹖 賲鬲賲丕蹖夭 賲蹖讴賳賴貙 卮乇賵毓 賵 倬丕蹖丕賳卮賴!!!
亘丕 丕蹖賳讴賴 卮乇賵毓 賵 倬丕蹖丕賳 丿賵 噩賱丿 賯亘賱蹖 賵丕賯毓丕 禺賵亘 亘賵丿賳丿 丕賲丕 丌睾丕夭 賵 倬丕蹖丕賳 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 丿蹖賵丕賳賴 讴賳賳丿賴 亘賵丿... 賳賲蹖禺賵丕賲 丕爻倬賵蹖賱 讴賳賲 倬爻 賮賯胤 丿乇 丕蹖賳 丨丿 賲蹖诏賲 讴賴 丕賵賱 賵 丌禺乇 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 賲孬賱 丿賵 爻乇 蹖讴 賳禺 亘賵丿 讴賴 亘賴 賴賲 丿賵禺鬲賴 卮丿賳丿馃憣
丿乇 賲賵乇丿 噩賱丿 趩賴丕乇賲 賴賲 丿乇 氐賮丨賴鈥屰� 賲乇亘賵胤 亘賴 禺賵丿卮 禺賵丕賴賲 賳賵卮鬲馃槉
August 31, 2021
Oh man, das war leider nichts.
Wo die ersten B盲nde noch eine lustige Geschichte f眉r Nerds waren, war "Das Leben, das Universum und der ganze Rest" leider nur noch eine Aneinanderreihung bizzarrer Situationen aus dem Leben der Protagonisten - die sich einen Gro脽teil des Buches gar nicht begegnen. Ich fand es wirklich ziemlich anstrengend und hatte wenig Spa脽 dabei. Das verr眉ckteste ist, dass ich nicht mal genau sagen kann, worum es eigentlich geht? Irgendwas mit Cricket, aber so einen richtigen Handlungsfortschritt gab es leider nicht.
Erst im letzten Drittel kam wieder das sch枚ne "Per-Anhalter-durch-die-Galaxis-Gef眉hl" auf. Trotzdem konnte es das nicht mehr retten, Band 3 kann f眉r mich in keinster Weise mit den Vorg盲ngerb盲nden mithalten.
________________
Ich suche ja oft die Schuld bei mir, deshalb kann es auch einfach daran liegen, dass ich die Vorb盲nde vor rund 3 Jahren gelesen habe, dass das H枚rbuchformat einfach der Geschichte nicht gerecht wird oder dass ich momentan einfach Stress habe und mich nicht auf die Story konzentrieren konnte. Im Endeffekt ist es aber wurscht, es hat mir einfach keinen Spa脽 gemacht und ich hoffe wirklich, dass Band 4 sich wieder eher in Richtung Band 1/2 bewegt.
Wo die ersten B盲nde noch eine lustige Geschichte f眉r Nerds waren, war "Das Leben, das Universum und der ganze Rest" leider nur noch eine Aneinanderreihung bizzarrer Situationen aus dem Leben der Protagonisten - die sich einen Gro脽teil des Buches gar nicht begegnen. Ich fand es wirklich ziemlich anstrengend und hatte wenig Spa脽 dabei. Das verr眉ckteste ist, dass ich nicht mal genau sagen kann, worum es eigentlich geht? Irgendwas mit Cricket, aber so einen richtigen Handlungsfortschritt gab es leider nicht.
Erst im letzten Drittel kam wieder das sch枚ne "Per-Anhalter-durch-die-Galaxis-Gef眉hl" auf. Trotzdem konnte es das nicht mehr retten, Band 3 kann f眉r mich in keinster Weise mit den Vorg盲ngerb盲nden mithalten.
________________
Ich suche ja oft die Schuld bei mir, deshalb kann es auch einfach daran liegen, dass ich die Vorb盲nde vor rund 3 Jahren gelesen habe, dass das H枚rbuchformat einfach der Geschichte nicht gerecht wird oder dass ich momentan einfach Stress habe und mich nicht auf die Story konzentrieren konnte. Im Endeffekt ist es aber wurscht, es hat mir einfach keinen Spa脽 gemacht und ich hoffe wirklich, dass Band 4 sich wieder eher in Richtung Band 1/2 bewegt.
August 25, 2021
I don't feel that bad for rubbishing and One Starring each book in this series as I read it, because ultimately it's how I feel about it - indeed as I read each book I am continually amazed at the popularity of this series; it's just such piss poor comedy and trite storytelling, and to top it all off it's all kind of infantile. 1 out of 12, yep... 1 out of 12!
September 25, 2014
As fun and silly as the previous instalments. The best part was that random guy going around insulting everyone.
February 24, 2024
Wow! Such a long time since I read this. While I probably didn't appreciate it as much this time as my teenage mind did, there were still some giggle & snort moments. "Eddies in the space-time continuum" "And this is his sofa, is it?" If anyone needed a good insulting, it's the completely befuddled Arthur. What? Destruction of the universe averted for the time being.
May 28, 2009
The universe is a joke.
Even before I was shown the meaning of life in a dream at 17 (then promptly forgot it because I thought I smelled pancakes), I knew this to be true--and yet, I have always felt a need to search for the truth, that nebulous, ill-treated creature. Adams has always been, to me, to be a welcome companion in that journey.
Between the search for meaning and the recognition that it's all a joke in poor taste lies Douglas Adams, and, luckily for us, he doesn't seem to mind if you lie there with him. He's a tall guy, but he'll make room.
For all his crazed unpredictability, Adams is a powerful rationalist. His humor comes from his attempts to really think through all the things we take for granted. It turns out it takes little more than a moment's questioning to burst our preconceptions at the seams, yet rarely does this stop us from treating the most ludicrous things as if they were perfectly reasonable.
It is no surprise that famed atheist Richard Dawkins found a friend and ally in Adams. What is surprising is that people often fail to see the rather consistent and reasonable philosophy laid out by Adams' quips and absurdities. His approach is much more personable (and less embittered) than Dawkins', which is why I think of Adams as a better face for rational materialism (which is a polite was of saying 'atheism').
Reading his books, it's not hard to see that Dawkins is tired of arguing with uninformed idiots who can't even recognize when a point has actually been made. Adams' humanism, however, stretched much further than the contention between those who believe, and those who don't.
We see it from his protagonists, who are not elitist intellectuals--they're not even especially bright--but damn it, they're trying. By showing a universe that makes no sense and having his characters constantly question it, Adams is subtly hinting that this is the natural human state, and the fact that we laugh and sympathize shows that it must be true.
It's all a joke, it's all ridiculous. The absurdists might find this depressing, but they're just a bunch of narcissists, anyhow. Demnading the world make sense and give you purpose is rather self centered when it already contains toasted paninis, attractive people in bathing suits, and Euler's Identity. I say let's sit down at the bar with the rabbi, the priest, and the frog and try to get a song going. Or at least recognize that it's okay to laugh at ourselves now and again. It's not the end of the world.
It's just is a joke, but some of us are in on it.
Even before I was shown the meaning of life in a dream at 17 (then promptly forgot it because I thought I smelled pancakes), I knew this to be true--and yet, I have always felt a need to search for the truth, that nebulous, ill-treated creature. Adams has always been, to me, to be a welcome companion in that journey.
Between the search for meaning and the recognition that it's all a joke in poor taste lies Douglas Adams, and, luckily for us, he doesn't seem to mind if you lie there with him. He's a tall guy, but he'll make room.
For all his crazed unpredictability, Adams is a powerful rationalist. His humor comes from his attempts to really think through all the things we take for granted. It turns out it takes little more than a moment's questioning to burst our preconceptions at the seams, yet rarely does this stop us from treating the most ludicrous things as if they were perfectly reasonable.
It is no surprise that famed atheist Richard Dawkins found a friend and ally in Adams. What is surprising is that people often fail to see the rather consistent and reasonable philosophy laid out by Adams' quips and absurdities. His approach is much more personable (and less embittered) than Dawkins', which is why I think of Adams as a better face for rational materialism (which is a polite was of saying 'atheism').
Reading his books, it's not hard to see that Dawkins is tired of arguing with uninformed idiots who can't even recognize when a point has actually been made. Adams' humanism, however, stretched much further than the contention between those who believe, and those who don't.
We see it from his protagonists, who are not elitist intellectuals--they're not even especially bright--but damn it, they're trying. By showing a universe that makes no sense and having his characters constantly question it, Adams is subtly hinting that this is the natural human state, and the fact that we laugh and sympathize shows that it must be true.
It's all a joke, it's all ridiculous. The absurdists might find this depressing, but they're just a bunch of narcissists, anyhow. Demnading the world make sense and give you purpose is rather self centered when it already contains toasted paninis, attractive people in bathing suits, and Euler's Identity. I say let's sit down at the bar with the rabbi, the priest, and the frog and try to get a song going. Or at least recognize that it's okay to laugh at ourselves now and again. It's not the end of the world.
It's just is a joke, but some of us are in on it.
October 31, 2012
As a continuation of Douglas Adams' famous The Hitchiker's Guide Series this was, as indicated by the foreword, one of the most plotted in the series. But as also indicated by the foreword, you don't read The Hitchiker's Guide Series for the plots. So, you ask me, what do you read it for? You read it for the sense of wonder about the crazy place the universe is. You read it for the comedy of Douglas Adams, for his creative and zany use of made up people, places, words...for his use of language. He is a wizard, transforming words into wit to power a laugh within the inner sanctum of your mind as a reader. When you think you've got him figured out, that's when you realise that actually you haven't.
I read elsewhere when attempting to discover what I could about the literary idea of 'deus-ex-machina' that while it is generally frowned upon as poor storytelling that Adams was able to use it brilliantly for humour. Reading this third instalment of his series I saw again that yes, he was able to do exactly that! And at the same time his use of deus-ex-machina also contributes ultimately to the plot (which we as readers of Adams do not care for). In many ways, perhaps unintentionally, Adams therefore shows that he can also use the literary device of 'Chekhov's gun'. Characters and plot ideas introduced earlier in the piece never really go away. Some may be simple ideas thrown in their for an occasional laugh, but if you see Adams mention a fact or a character specifically, especially in a way that's out of the story's usual context then that character or fact will appear later. Such as the idea in this story of flying (and the re-incarnated character - which I thought was brilliant!).
I won't bother with a plot summary. I doubt anyone can sum up the plot in any way that makes much sense. I will say that if you've read the previous books and enjoyed them then this is a similar continuation. If you haven't read any of the previous books don't jump in now. I recommend going back to where there's Vogon poetry and the destruction of the world with .
July 28, 2021
鈥淭he point is, you see," said Ford, "that there is no point in driving yourself mad trying to stop yourself going mad. You might just as well give in and save your sanity for later.鈥�
I am not really sure what happened here but I came from loving the first two entries but this one just did not work the same way for me. It's still filled with wacky adventures and clever dialogue but while reading it I realized my enjoyment of it was a lot lower that I was expecting.
I think the formula Adams was following started showing cracks for me because the entire story seems to be built only to deliver funny lines while being completely nonsensical in every other conceivable way and at one point I just felt like I needed a bigger sense of direction and mission. Perhaps I was just at a different place when I was going through this novel.
I am not really sure what happened here but I came from loving the first two entries but this one just did not work the same way for me. It's still filled with wacky adventures and clever dialogue but while reading it I realized my enjoyment of it was a lot lower that I was expecting.
I think the formula Adams was following started showing cracks for me because the entire story seems to be built only to deliver funny lines while being completely nonsensical in every other conceivable way and at one point I just felt like I needed a bigger sense of direction and mission. Perhaps I was just at a different place when I was going through this novel.
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