The work of Douglas Adams - comic genius, futurologist and erstwhile hitchhiker - is the subject of this episode of Backlisted, in particular The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: The Original Radio Scripts, first published by Pan Books in 1985. H2G2, as it is known to fans, was a cultural phenomenon in the true sense of that degraded term: first a hit radio show, then a bestselling novel, then a double LP, then a stage adaptation, then a second radio series, then another novel, then a video game, then a TV series, then another LP, then a third novel… you get the idea. We have chosen the scripts of the original radio series as our entry point into the Hitchhiker multiverse because each of us brings our own unique, informed perspective to the saga: longtime Adams fan Joel Morris has written a new book entitled Be Funny or Die: How Comedy Works and Why It Matters; author Gail Renard was a friend and colleague of Douglas’s and an eyewitness to the irresistible and highly improbable success of Hitchhiker; as a publisher, John has worked on several books by or about the great man; and Andy cheerfully admits to having borrowed many of his best ideas from The Guide. Please consider this, then, our loving tribute to a true giant of literature, comedy, technology and being an actual giant, Douglas having been one of the only people in history tall enough to break his nose with his own knee.

Books mentioned
Douglas Adams - The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: The Original Radio Scripts
Joel Morris - Be Funny or Die: How Comedy Works and Why It Matters
Gail Renard - Give Me A Chance
Kevin Jon Davies (ed.) - 42: The Wildly Improbable Ideas of Douglas Adams

Other links
Gail Renard website - http://www.gailrenard.com/
Joel Morris - https://x.com/gralefrit
The Comfort Blanket podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/5qfcU1fgkeOLMadWjQA5Ix
The Rule of Three podcast - https://www.ruleofthreepod.com/