Douglas Adams was born on March 11, 1952, in Cambridge, England. Always feeling a calling as a writer, he completed a literature course at the university there. Though best known as a science fiction writer, he worked most of his life as a journalist, mostly on the BBC radio station. During his life, he also wrote scripts, the most popular of which he created for the iconic Monty Python sketch and the series Doctor Who. So it can be said that he was involved in one of the largest British television productions.
However, he gained the greatest publicity thanks to his novel The Hitchhiker ‘s Guide to the Galaxy . His intelligent humor captivated readers from all over the world, becoming one of the most important science fiction books in history. It was based on a radio play of the same title, also written by Adams. The issue began in 1978, a year before the first part was printed. This series immediately gained a large group of fans, mainly due to the brilliance of the author. In later years, the BBC also aired the first episode of the series based on the iconic work of Adams.
However, it was not the only novel by the author to be positively received by readers. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, The Long Dark Tea of Souls , and Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency were also well received . He also co-wrote the book Last Chance to See , which tells about endangered species of animals. After his death, an extensive collection of short stories was also published. It contains works that the writer did not have time to publish himself. This collection is entitled The Salmon of Doubt .
Adams was fascinated by technology, the universe and science. He was one of the first to regularly use e-mail, seeing it as a huge potential. He was also one of the founders of the H2G2 portal. This site contained a great deal of knowledge about the cosmos and the world around us. He died of a heart attack in 2001 while working on a film based on his most popular novel. Many initiatives were taken to commemorate the author and his work. After his death, in St. John’s College, a literary award was established in his name. Two Asteroids were also named in his honor. 18610 Arthurdent is one of the smaller ones, but its name comes from the name of the main character of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Arthur Dent. The asteroid 2001 DA42 was also named in his honor. 2001 refers to the year of the author’s death, DA are his initials, while the number 42 is an important element in Adams’ novel. British writer Richard Dawkins commemorated Douglas Adams by dedicating his book to him as a staunch atheist,God delusional . The author’s fans have come up with their own way of commemorating the date of his death. On May 25, 2 weeks after Adams’s death, they celebrate the so-called Towel day.
