I started reading HHGTTG and put it down, just couldn't get into it. Years later I picked it up again and laughed my ass off!!
Don't Panic is now one of my favorite sayings.. Love that it is on the dashboard of Starman's Tesla... I did feel awfully sorry of the whale though and wonder why he included that..

BBC 4 radio programme (notice the "e" on the ned) was available in cassette format on e-bay when we were all young and e-bay was still fun. I also got the Dick Gently novels that way. I am pretty sure you can send away for the BBC recordings. Anyway, I am a great fan of DNA's writing.

I was going in circles with the Doubleday SF Book Club. It seemed like every other book I tried to order was no longer available and I lacked one title fulfilling my membership requirement. They had a deal where you could buy gift credits which the recipient could redeem for one book from a list. I asked if I could buy a credit and be done with it.

They said no and then sent me a bill for a credit and a week later I received a certificate with a little catalog of books I had to choose from along with the information that I had a week to choose a book or forfeit the credit. Most of the titles were classics I already owned. Then I turned to the "New Releases" section and saw a blurb for a novel described as "Pythonesque."

Frankly, most things described that way usually aren't, which points to the fact that people who write blurbs either really don't understand Monty Python or they think that anything British and funny is "Pythonesque." Whatever. DSFBC was starting to feel like that bad boyfriend who would not go away. I ordered the book and forgot about it.

Two weeks later, I discovered one of my favorite writers. He was not so much an heir apparent to the Pythons as Vonnegut's silly younger brother. HHG was like Philo 101 on nitrous. I loved it and bought every installment as soon as it came out. They were joined on my shelves by the Dirk Gently Series, Titanic, and Last Chance To See. (I never could get into "The Meaning of Liff." Sorry.)

I usually reread his books every three to four years.

I first saw it on PBS in the early 80s and I always loved the story. When I read it, it was over. I have worn out every book he ever wrote!

Liked it from the get go, had the radio series on an album (old people only will understand this) was then able to take my OCD out for a walk and get all the Hitch Hiker books as soon as I could, then he got to play with Pink Floyd which just dotted the 'I's' and crossed the 'T's' of what a crushingly superb bloke he was.

I was in my late 20s, and as usually for me, came across the 3rd book, "Life the Universe and Everything" first, so read that, then the others. Since then I have read everything he ever wrote. Was hoping to catch him on one of his planned north Qld visits, sadly he never made it.

I was 15 or 16. I played THHGTTG Infocom text adventure game first then read the books after.

I suppose, it was "love at first play".

"Last Chance to See" was probably my first introduction to atheism.

Had to read Dirk Gently books immediately after THHGTTG, of course.

Ist heard it in its original form, BBC radio 4 serial. Then I bought the books when came out. Including the Dirk Gently books

Absolute classic! Loved it & laughed from the first!