Hitchhiker's Guide Published: Universe Gets Satire
Douglas Adams had been lying in a field in Innsbruck, Austria, drunk, staring at the stars, and holding a copy of The Hitch Hiker's Guide to Europe when the idea struck him. The radio series aired on BBC Radio 4 in 1978. The novel, published on October 12, 1979, expanded the story of Arthur Dent, the last surviving Englishman, who escapes Earth's demolition to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Adams turned science fiction inside out: the answer to life, the universe, and everything is 42; the most useful item in the galaxy is a towel; the president's job is 'not to wield power but to draw attention away from it.' The book sold 14 million copies, spawned four sequels, a television series, a film, and a text adventure game. Adams died of a heart attack at 49, mid-sentence in his sixth novel.
October 12, 1979
47 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on October 12
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Nichiren Shōshū split from other Buddhist schools on October 12, 1279, when Nikko left Mount Minobu after a dispute over doctrine. He founded Taiseki-ji temple …
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