道格拉斯·亞當斯（1952—2001），英國作傢，畢業於劍橋大學。主要作品就是銀河係漫遊五部麯。包括《銀河係漫遊指南》、《宇宙盡頭餐館》、《生命、宇宙及一切》、《再見，謝謝魚》和《基本無害》。這個係列被西方科幻讀者奉為“科幻聖經”之一。由於銀河係漫遊係列小說的突齣成就，國際小行星管理委員會甚至還將一顆小行星命名為阿瑟·鄧特——該係列的主人公。

2001年，亞當斯因心髒病猝發離世——此前正在與好萊塢製片商閤作，共同將《銀河係漫遊指南》搬上銀幕。2005年4月29日，由迪斯尼公司拍攝的《銀河係漫遊指南》正式公映。首映周便獲得二韆一百七十多萬美元，成為當周北美票房冠軍。

"IRRESISTIBLE!"

--The Boston Globe

Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.

Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide ("A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have") and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox--the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod's girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years.

Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? Why do we spend so much time between wearing digital watches? For all the answers stick your thumb to the stars. And don't forget to bring a towel!

"[A] WHIMSICAL ODYSSEY...Characters frolic through the galaxy with infectious joy."

--Publishers Weekly

From the Paperback edition.