A Literary Aside

I wasn't going to cover this, originally, but antbus was the second person to bring it to my attention, and it ties in neatly with the general content of this blog, I'll go ahead and briefly mention the "continuation" of the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

The short version is this, as reported by the BBC and Reuter's: Irish author Eoin Colfer, best known for his Artemis Fowl series of books for children, has been selected by Jane Belson, the widow of Douglas Adams, to write a sixth and - presumably - final book for the Hitch-Hiker's trilogy.

I have mixed feelings on this subject. Here are some of those feelings, in no particular order:

1. Douglas Adams is the reason that I started reading science seriously again, seven years ago. After his untimely death in May, 2001, I devoured the tribute volume, The Salmon of Doubt. One of the sections that I read with particular interest was an interview in which he said that part of what led him to his ultimate atheism was reading the books of Richard Dawkins, especially The Blind Watchmaker and The Selfish Gene. I was also very moved by Professor Dawkins' eulogy for Douglas Adams, which to me is one of the most deeply-felt remembrances that I have ever encountered. Shortly thereafter, I found a copy of the Blind Watchmaker and started reading, and the rest, relatively speaking, is history.


2. I don't know much about Eoin Colfer, apart from the facts that (a) he is Irish, (b) he has written the Artemis Fowl series of books, and that (c) he claims to be a passionate fan of Hitch-Hiker's. I haven't read any of the Artemis Fowl books (yet), but I understand that they are quite popular. I can only hope that popularity translates into skill with the Hitch-Hiker's universe.


3. I hope that this isn't just an effort at cynical opportunism. The Hitch-Hiker's books were a cornerstone of my youthful reading, listening (the radio series), and viewing (the ambitious but flawed BBC television series). I can understand wanting to ensure that DNA's daughter and widow are secure, though, and honestly, I imagine that that is what Mr Adams would have wanted. If gullible types like me are bound and determined to drop twenty quid on a new Hitch-Hiker's book, then we should have to do just that. It should be like a penance. Or a tribute.


4. So, was Stephen Fry too busy to do this? I would have thought him a logical choice, but he's probably well over-committed as is.


5. I'm going to have to read it... just because it's a part of the series. Please, please, let it be good.

It's said that you can't go home again. You also can't go back to your youth. But I sincerely hope that the magic of this one thing can be captured once again.