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Don't Panic

Douglas Adams and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

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Don't Panic

By: Neil Gaiman
Narrated by: Simon Jones, Neil Gaiman
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About this listen

Now in audiobook for the first time ever! Read by Simon Jones, the original “Arthur Dent,” and written by number one New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman, Don’t Panic is the definitive chronicle of all things Hitchhiker!

First published in 1986 and updated several times since, Don’t Panic is in an in-depth exploration of Douglas Adams’s cultural phenomenon The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - from its beginnings as a UK radio series, to its expansion into a wildly popular book trilogy, and onto incarnations in various media including stage, records, film, computer games, and even, um, tea towels.

Don’t Panic was the first book by internationally best-selling author Neil Gaiman, written early in his writing career when he worked as a freelance journalist in his native England. Voiced by renowned actor Simon Jones - “Arthur Dent” himself - and with a new introduction written and read by Neil Gaiman, Don’t Panic: Douglas Adams & The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy audio edition is the ultimate version of this beloved work.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Neil Gaiman (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers Art & Literature Authors Literary History & Criticism Comedy Funny

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All stars
Most relevant  
I was a Douglas Adams fan- or, specifically, a fan of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (HHGTTG)- for decades before I became a Neil Gaiman fan. Now I love them both, because who doesn't love Neil Gaiman? With that said, this book very much screams "early work" at the beginning, but is still both interesting and good.

More problematic are the sections written after the untimely death of Douglas Adams. It seems at times that Gaiman is trying to write in Douglas Adams' voice, trying to make the same jokes that Douglas Adams would have made. I'm not sure if this is deliberate, and Neil Gaiman may in fact be more qualified to try to do this than nearly anyone on the planet, but it still doesn't quite work for me. The later parts of the book also delve heavily into the author's opinion, while presenting them as fact. I also felt like some sections, especially towards the end of the book, were a bit like listening to movie credits read aloud.

One question that kept occurring to me throughout the book was why so much time is spent talking about Dirk Gently when the book is ostensibly about the HHGTTG.

With that said, this book was greatly enjoyable, and I learned a lot that I had not previously known about both HHGTTG and Douglas Adams.

Mostly Harmless

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An interesting, poignant and loving portrayal of a man and the inner madness he was able to share with his understanding nation and less understanding universe. I am eternally grateful for the inate britishness that led me here.

Intensely and warmly amusing and informative

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As a lifelong fan of Douglas Adams, I loved this book. very well written and narrated.

loved this book very much

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Listening to Arthut Dent reading Neil Gaiman writing about Douglas Adams has to be the ultimate comfort listen. I read the original version in 1993, and it's good to revisit, having read other biographies of DNA in the meantime.

Wonderfully meta

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lots and lots of info about the making of hitchikers etc but frankly probably much better as a book than an audio book. poor Simon Jones didn't really have much to do. there are parts, especially the appendices which would be better read. Good info but as an audio book one very much for dedicated fans I think

Facts for fun but far from from fun

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Utter rubbish. It’s a good job this is a free trial otherwise I’d be demanding my money back.

Not the story I was expecting

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