Too many underdeveloped ideas.The concept of cramming as many ideas as possible into the smallest book space imaginable worked wonders for *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*, but in the case of *Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency*, it's just too much, or rather, not enough.It could have been an epic milestone like the ingenious *Hitchhiker's* series, but it's simply too short and densely packed. It's a miracle that such a thing is even possible.Infodump makes one anxious towards the end...

I discovered Douglas Adams by coincidence. I found his book Last Chance to See, co-written by Mark Cawardine, about animals near extinction and Douglas' and Mark's trip around the world to see some of them, in a box of remaindered books. His humour stood out even in the German translation, and when I told a friend about it, she told me all about an odd-sounding story about a guy hitchhiking across the galaxy and something about the number 42. ;)Since I've always been a bit of an oddball, I went ...

“He instituted this Chair of Chronology to see if there was any particular reason why one thing happened after another and if there was any way of stopping it. Since the answers to the three questions were, I knew immediately, yes, no, and maybe, I realised I could then take the rest of my career off.”Books by Oscar Wilde, Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams have (at least) one thing in common. I can easily pick funny, witty, interesting quotes from every page. The above quote represents Adams’...

I last read *Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency* when I was really young and was fresh off a fantastic *Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy* binge, wanting MORE, as, I assume, most people do when they get on a Douglas Adams kick. Like that other series, every page is filled with wonderfully witty, fascinating, and wise (crack) quotes that will delight and amaze and generally blow most writing away by the sheer audacity. This is a book review where I can't help but gush about Douglas Adams's g...

Is it too bold to say that Douglas Adams is a bit of a mixed bag? Yes, probably. But here's a genuinely *fun* book, overflowing with the absurd and comical aspects of certain sciences that try to explain the world. I know my high school math teacher was obsessed with him. It feels like there's already a built-in audience for this kind of book: more literary than Piers Anthony, but not really focused on character development or heavy drama. There's a lot of confusion, which is part of its quirky ...

Absolutely hysterical. If you loved The Hitchhiker's Guide but wished it had fewer spaceships, give Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency a shot. Shaking your head in confusion, thinking, "Fewer spaceships? Are you trying to ruin everything?" Still, try Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. Never read Douglas Adams before? Then definitely try Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. If you generally enjoy good books, then this is for you. Think of this as one of the best book reviews you'll...

In Xanadu did Kubla KahnA science fiction book decreeWith plot purloined from Doctor WhoA cross between a witches' brewAnd a nice cup of tea.So several chapters serially were wroteUntil the text was finished, good and wholeA sovereign remedy or antidoteAgainst the long dark teatime of the soulAnd there were geeks who answered alien prayersWhile moving house accompanied by their boxes And there were sofas stuck upon the stairsIn curious angles causing paradoxes.But oh! the changes made to history...

I still don't really understand how the ending of *Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency* worked, and trying to describe the plot would be like trying to build a submarine out of cheese. Instead, I'll just share some quotes from this book that I especially loved, because Douglas Adams is the only author in the history of the world who is capable of creating them. "'A *horse*?' he said again. 'Yes, it is,' said the Professor. 'Wait - ' he motioned to Richard, who was about to go out again and...

Douglas Adams' underrated masterpiece, *Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency*, takes us on a wild ride, starting with a search for a missing cat and escalating to unlocking the secrets of time travel and saving humanity from utter destruction. I didn't think anyone could top *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy* in the comic novel department until I stumbled upon this gem. Since then, I've revisited *Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency* countless times, and it never gets old. I'm still d...

I am a firm believer that a bit of British humor is good for the soul...And I am quite American, in case you did not know... \n \n “Don’t you understand that we need to be childish in order to understand? Only a child sees things with perfect clarity, because it hasn’t developed all those filters which prevent us from seeing things that we don’t expect to see?”\n \n Douglas Adams has a highly quotable, laugh-out-loud writing style which I adore. I seem to remember a blurb describing this bo...