Book Review: 42: The Wildly Improbable Ideas of Douglas Adams by Douglas Adams. Ed. by Kevin Jon Davies

This review was first published by Booklist on September 22, 2023.

Douglas Adams was one of the most original thinkers and writers of the last half century. Editor Davies was granted permission to access Adams’ archive of personal papers, and here he presents various letters, notes, scripts, and project ideas, with occasional glimpses into Adams’ interior life, written in the man’s own hand. This isn’t a biography but an overview of the collection, presenting high quality scans of dozens of documents. Much of this material is transcribed for easier reading and informational captions provide context. Also included are letters to Adams written by some of those who knew him best while he was alive. The book’s greatest value is the insight it provides on the ways Adams’ ideas developed over time, from their initial genesis to eventual use on the page, the themes and concepts that ran through so much of his work. Davies’ highlights will make readers yearn to dive deeper and see more of the treasures lying within this archival collection. This is for committed fans of Adams but it likely won’t appeal to casual readers.