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1979 Interview With Douglas Adams

Posted by kdawson on from the six-by-nine dept.

An anonymous reader points out the inaugural issue of the online sci-fi mag Darker Matter, which start off with a bang by publishing an interview with the late Douglas Adams that has not seen the light of day in 28 years, except for brief excerpts published in the magazine that commissioned the interview. The first two parts are now online with the last part coming next month.

10 of 73 comments (clear)

  1. Whoosh! by ian_mackereth · · Score: 5, Funny
    I know Douglas was notorious for missing publication deadlines, but this is ridiculous!

    I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.
    Douglas Adams
    English humorist & science fiction novelist (1952 - 2001)
  2. Doctor Who's finest hour... by skoaldipper · · Score: 4, Informative

    Tom Baker was my favorite Doctor, and I see Douglas Adams wrote a few of those episodes. I wonder how much of Adam's influence was present in Tom Baker's tenure outside of those 4 episodes he wrote. I later latched on to reruns from the crudgy old white guy and that blonde haired chap.

    --
    I hope, when they die, cartoon characters have to answer for their sins.
  3. Best. Analogy. Evar. by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "The ships hung in the air in much the same way that bricks don't."

    There's a special, reserved place in heaven for anybody who can turn a phrase like that.

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
    1. Re:Best. Analogy. Evar. by 644bd346996 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      "The ships hung in the air in much the same way that bricks don't."

      There's a special, reserved place in heaven for anybody who can turn a phrase like that. Even for atheists. We can go on all night with our favorite quotes. I have my omnibus edition within arm's reach.

      I think it is great that Douglas Adams continues to appeal to younger audiences. With sci-fi, there is the risk of the real world catching up to the point that the sci-fi sounds quaint. Not so with Adams, partly because of the satire inherent in his work. Even kids who have grown up with Harry Potter can appreciate the Hitchhiker novels.

      And, for those who don't remember, the Paul Simon inspiration mentioned at the end of part 2 of the article is the album One Trick Pony. It was mentioned in the acknowledgments for "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe".
  4. Lem by Yurka · · Score: 4, Interesting

    How nice it is to see DNA give his respects to Pan Stanislaw - and his translator, Michael Kandel, though not by name. I've read Lem in Russian, a language very close to his native Polish, which makes the translator's job significantly easier, and still some places are better in English. Go get yourself a copy of the "Cyberiad".

    --
    I can assure you, the best way to get rid of dragons is to have one of your own.
  5. A Tragedy by vertigoCiel · · Score: 5, Interesting

    His death, at only 49, was one of the saddest events in recent memory for English literatue. Apart from being brilliantly funny, he also made very keen observations on society and culture. One of my favorites: "... To summarize, the people who want to lead the government, are, by virtue of wanting to lead, the least qualified to do so. To summarize the summary: people are a problem." May he be remembered fondly, with tea and biscuits.

    1. Re:A Tragedy by belg4mit · · Score: 4, Funny

      Specifically, while ignoring the chap across from you who's the gall to also be eating your biscuits.

      --
      Were that I say, pancakes?
  6. Re:6-by-9 department? by The+Darkness · · Score: 4, Informative

    I think that ought to be 6*7. No.
    (SPOILER ALERT)
    In The Restaurant ah the End of the Universe when Arthur is stranded on the planet with all the Golgafrinchans and early Earth computer man he tosses out the scrabble pieces to form the Question for the Ultimate Answer. He tosses out:

    W H A T D O Y O U G E T I F Y O U M U L T I P L Y S I X B Y N I N E

    So the 'from' department is correct.
    --
    There are two kinds of people: 1) those that need closure
  7. My senior yearbook quote was DNA by Gazzonyx · · Score: 4, Insightful
    This quote struck me as dead-on 4 years ago when I was a senior in highschool, so much so that I made it my senior quote.

    "Human beings are not an endangered species; however, this isn't for a lack of trying." - DNA

    --

    If I mod you up, it doesn't necessarily mean I agree with what you've said, sorry.

  8. Today's Date by Lawn+Jocke · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How fitting that this is posted on the date 4-2

    --
    Maybe if this sig is witty or clever enough, someone will love me...