On May 11, 2001, beloved author Douglas Adams died suddenly from a heart attack. Two weeks later, his fans around the world marked his passing by carrying towels, a key symbol from Adams's most famous book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. With that, an annual tradition was born. In honour of Towel Day, now celebrated every year on May 25th, we have compiled some of our best Hitchhiker's items.
Of course, we have to begin with the book that started it all. It's an ordinary Thursday lunchtime for Arthur Dent until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly afterwards to make way for a new hyperspace bypass and his best friend has just announced that he's an alien. At this moment, they're hurtling through space with nothing but their towels and an innocuous-looking book inscribed with the big, friendly words: DON'T PANIC.
The radio production of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy first aired on BBC Radio 4 in 1978. It was later broadcast on NPR in the United States and CBC Radio in Canada. Our circulating copies of the radio show's scripts were published in 2003 in honour of the 25th anniversary. They included an updated introduction by Geoffrey Perkins, the former head of comedy at the BBC. You can also access reference copies of the original 1985 publication of the scripts at the Merril Collection and the Toronto Reference Library.
The BBC didn't stop at just a radio production of Hitchhiker's. In early 1981, BBC Two broadcast a television adaptation of the Guide starring Simon Jones and David Dixon. This special edition includes behind the scenes footage, bloopers, deleted scenes and interviews with Adams and the cast.
When Adams died suddenly, he left behind an unfinished novel, The Salmon of Doubt. That partial novel, along with writings from the 3000 files found on his hard drive, provide one last hilarious and poignant message from the author.
Dedicated fans will know that Adam's Hitchhiker series is a trilogy of five books. Yes, a trilogy normally has three books but that's just how Adams' rolls. And now there's a sixth in the trilogy. Author of the best-selling Artemis Fowl series, Eoin Colfer picks up where Adams left off--and he left things on a pretty big cliffhanger!
Before he was Bilbo Baggins or John Watson, beloved British actor Martin Freeman was Arthur Dent. Though it drew mixed responses from fans, this big screen adaptation introduced Adams's creation to a wider audience. And, of course, Marvin the Paranoid Android is voiced by the late great Alan Rickman!
This version of Adam's masterpiece was published in 1994 and contains beautiful, full colour illustrations. This is a reference only item and can be viewed at the Merril Collection.
This official companion book was originally published by Neil Gaiman in 1986, and has been updated several times since. The most recent edition, published in 2009, includes insight into the movie adaptation, Eoin Colfer's sixth book and much more.
In 2021, the Merril Collection bought a first edition of Life, the Universe, and Everything. It came with this promotional "Everything" can!"
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has left it's mark well beyond just the world of science fiction writing. The series does provide the answer to the meaning of life after all!
I think I can speak for sci fi nerds everywhere when I say to Douglas Adams, "So long and thanks for all the fish."
