Inside The Cover
Book Reviews
Review by Beth Bartlett
The
Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time
By Douglas Adams, Christopher Cerf (editor)
Harmony Books
May, 2002
288 pages
Genre: Comic sci-fi
Amazon.com price: $16.80
Reading The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time is
as close as Douglas Adams fans will ever get to buying him drinks at a pub and
listening to his stories. Adams, for those people who have been living with
their head under a towel, wrote the incredibly popular Hitchhiker's Guide to
the Universe series and made a huge impact on comic science fiction and
fantasy.
This book takes us on one last spin through a delightfully twisted view of the
universe as only Douglas Adams could imagine it. Adams' articles, essays and
stories are gathered together to present a balanced picture of the incredibly
talented yet quirky writer. Adams' unique style is evident throughout his work,
from articles for computer magazines to "The Private Life of Genghis
Khan," a hilarious short story about what Khan was really trying to get out
of life. Editor Christopher Cerf also keeps it light with revealing anecdotes,
and even includes the finished chapters of Adams' last work-in-progress, Salmon
of Doubt, a long-awaited book in the Dirk Gently series. Other essays touch
on his rather anguished childhood as Adams pokes fun at himself, or stretch the
reader's mind as he expertly talks about science and evolution.
For fans who are writers, this book offers Adams' unique advice in regard the
business of the craft. Several bits about writing can be found in his essays and
in answer to such questions as 'how do you get your ideas?' ("If fiction is
your line, then the only real answer is to drink way too much coffee and buy
yourself a desk that doesn't collapse when you beat your head against it,"
he replied.)
Aside from mechanics, Salmon of Doubt provides an extraordinary look into
Adams' mind and heart, revealing the truth behind every writer: he loved to
dream, and was very good at making other people dream, too. He became passionate
about wildlife conservation, and once trekked to Mount Kilmanjaro in a rhino
suit to promote awareness and avoid a deadline, combining his insecurities and
intrigues in one fell swoop.
Adams was rumored to be not weeks or months, but years past deadlines. ("I
love deadlines; I love the whooshing sound they make as they pass overhead,"
he once said.) At least one editor moved into his house in order to collect a
completed manuscript. Adams was a perfectionist, and often rewrote or started
complete manuscripts anew; the version of the Dirk Gently manuscript included in
this volume was culled from several different computer files, according to Cerf.
Adams was an expert at weaving fine strands of coincidence into his plots, and
having it all make sense (or nonsense) at the end.
This final Dirk Gently mystery includes a half-visible cat and the impact of a
rhino named Desmond, but the reader can only guess the story's outcome. The
sudden stop after chapter 11 reminds the reader that Adams' life was cut too
short, and even though this book is packed with intriguing views and
experiences, his words were too few.
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Elizabeth Bartlett writes for magazines, newspapers and websites. Her
clips include American Profile, Vibrant Life, Meetings South, Writers Weekly and
Inscriptions. Instead of slamming her head against a desk, she finds inspiration
hidden in the secret depths of chocolate. Visit www.plaidearthworm.com
to read her online column, Eureka Tales.
