What do you think?
Rate this book
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
The Frood: The Authorised and Very Official History of Douglas Adams & The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
As a wise ape once observed, space is big - vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly so. However, if you look too closely at space, it becomes nothing but lumps of rock and sundry gases. Sometimes it's necessary to take a step back, and let a few billion years go by, before any of the true wonder and scope of the cosmos becomes apparent.
Similarly, the late 20th century author, humorist and thinker Douglas Adams was big - vastly, hugely and thoroughly mind-bogglingly so, both in physical terms, and as a writer who has touched millions of readers, firing up millions of cerebellums all over planet Earth, for over 35 years - and for nearly half of that time, he hasn't even been alive.
It would be ridiculous to pretend that Douglas Adams's life and work has gone unexamined since his dismayingly early death at 49 but throughout the decade since the last book to tackle the subject, the universes Adams created have continued to develop, to beguile and expand minds, and will undoubtedly do so for generations to come.
An all-new approach to the most celebrated creation of Douglas Adams is therefore most welcome, and The Frood tells the story of Adams's explosive but agonizingly constructed fictional universe, from his initial inspirations to the posthumous sequel(s) and adaptations, bringing together a thousand tales of life as part of the British Comedy movements of the late 70s and 80s along the way. With the benefit of hindsight and much time passed, friends and colleagues have been interviewed for a fresh take on the man and his works.
Similarly, the late 20th century author, humorist and thinker Douglas Adams was big - vastly, hugely and thoroughly mind-bogglingly so, both in physical terms, and as a writer who has touched millions of readers, firing up millions of cerebellums all over planet Earth, for over 35 years - and for nearly half of that time, he hasn't even been alive.
It would be ridiculous to pretend that Douglas Adams's life and work has gone unexamined since his dismayingly early death at 49 but throughout the decade since the last book to tackle the subject, the universes Adams created have continued to develop, to beguile and expand minds, and will undoubtedly do so for generations to come.
An all-new approach to the most celebrated creation of Douglas Adams is therefore most welcome, and The Frood tells the story of Adams's explosive but agonizingly constructed fictional universe, from his initial inspirations to the posthumous sequel(s) and adaptations, bringing together a thousand tales of life as part of the British Comedy movements of the late 70s and 80s along the way. With the benefit of hindsight and much time passed, friends and colleagues have been interviewed for a fresh take on the man and his works.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
57 people are currently reading
770 people want to read
About the author
Jem Roberts
17 books13 followers• Stephen Fry: "Jem manages to write about popular cultural institutions with knowledge and affection, while avoiding the dismal traps of nerdy fanboyism on the one hand or grandiose cultural pseudo-intellectualism on the other. His research is flawless and the results are readable, illuminating and delightful."
• Tim Brooke-Taylor: "An incredibly good job – and he got it right. It’s difficult for me to judge it totally objectively because it’s all about me, me, me and a few others. But I found it very readable indeed..."
• Brian Blessed: "Tell them, 'Brian loves and trusts me.' What you're doing is so worthwhile, KEEP AT IT!"
• Barry Cryer: "You're very charming, it's a pleasure to go on about it."
• The Times Literary Supplement: "J.F. Roberts's lively, warm-hearted True History of The Black Adder is a celebration of "this incredible feat of comedy production."
• The Telegraph: (The True History...) "Essential for any comprehensive comedy library..."
• Tim Brooke-Taylor: "An incredibly good job – and he got it right. It’s difficult for me to judge it totally objectively because it’s all about me, me, me and a few others. But I found it very readable indeed..."
• Brian Blessed: "Tell them, 'Brian loves and trusts me.' What you're doing is so worthwhile, KEEP AT IT!"
• Barry Cryer: "You're very charming, it's a pleasure to go on about it."
• The Times Literary Supplement: "J.F. Roberts's lively, warm-hearted True History of The Black Adder is a celebration of "this incredible feat of comedy production."
• The Telegraph: (The True History...) "Essential for any comprehensive comedy library..."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
June 14, 2016
Uma leitura dupal pra quem quiser conhecer mais sobre a vida do mingo e sobre a história da criação do Mochileiro, desde as primeiras e mais leves influências até as obras com a marca lançadas após sua morte.
É uma bela homenagem a Adams sem puxa-saquismo. O autor mostra os vários defeitos e deslizes que o mingo já cometeu -- era uma pessoa difícil de se trabalhar porque queria tudo do seu jeito e não dava instruções claras em quê, exatamente, consistia o seu jeito (ele teve grande parcela de culpa no fracasso da primeira peça de teatro do Mochileiro); ambicioso a ponto de ser egoísta, tomava decisões apenas por dinheiro e até abandonou os amigos, jogando John Lloyd pra escanteio na escrita do Guia (e fazendo isso por uma carta, sendo que Lloyd trabalhava em um escritório ao lado); quando se concentrava (ou forçavam-no), passava por períodos de intensa concentração, mas frequentemente procrastinava em excesso, ignorando contratos, afundando campanhas de marketing e enfurecendo os envolvidos; e por aí vai.
Esse lado humano de Adams foi um dos pontos altos pra mim. Acompanhamos o suplício que foi escrever Mochileiro e que, apesar de sua genialidade, houve muito esforço, suor e lágrimas, literalmente, para completar a saga. Os problemas de sua vida pessoal e seu estado de espírito mudavam drasticamente a escrita do mingo, e isso pode ser visto nos dois últimos volumes do Guia. Apesar da ficção científica com comédia ter sido considerada ultrapassada e sem mercado, Adams seguiu acreditando até finalmente explodir nas livrarias.
Foi uma delícia ver não só os primeiros textos de Adams para o Guia, mas tudo que o inspirou e como ele usava essas inspirações. De quebra, a história de outras criações e criaturas se convergem com a de Adams: John Cleese e os Python, Blackadder e A Bit of Fry & Laurie (duas das minhas séries favoritas), Wodehouse, etc.
Recomendo para quem tem qualquer tipo de interesse no autor e sua principal obra, além de todas as coisas Adams. E também para aqueles que sabem onde guardam a toalha.
É uma bela homenagem a Adams sem puxa-saquismo. O autor mostra os vários defeitos e deslizes que o mingo já cometeu -- era uma pessoa difícil de se trabalhar porque queria tudo do seu jeito e não dava instruções claras em quê, exatamente, consistia o seu jeito (ele teve grande parcela de culpa no fracasso da primeira peça de teatro do Mochileiro); ambicioso a ponto de ser egoísta, tomava decisões apenas por dinheiro e até abandonou os amigos, jogando John Lloyd pra escanteio na escrita do Guia (e fazendo isso por uma carta, sendo que Lloyd trabalhava em um escritório ao lado); quando se concentrava (ou forçavam-no), passava por períodos de intensa concentração, mas frequentemente procrastinava em excesso, ignorando contratos, afundando campanhas de marketing e enfurecendo os envolvidos; e por aí vai.
Esse lado humano de Adams foi um dos pontos altos pra mim. Acompanhamos o suplício que foi escrever Mochileiro e que, apesar de sua genialidade, houve muito esforço, suor e lágrimas, literalmente, para completar a saga. Os problemas de sua vida pessoal e seu estado de espírito mudavam drasticamente a escrita do mingo, e isso pode ser visto nos dois últimos volumes do Guia. Apesar da ficção científica com comédia ter sido considerada ultrapassada e sem mercado, Adams seguiu acreditando até finalmente explodir nas livrarias.
Foi uma delícia ver não só os primeiros textos de Adams para o Guia, mas tudo que o inspirou e como ele usava essas inspirações. De quebra, a história de outras criações e criaturas se convergem com a de Adams: John Cleese e os Python, Blackadder e A Bit of Fry & Laurie (duas das minhas séries favoritas), Wodehouse, etc.
Recomendo para quem tem qualquer tipo de interesse no autor e sua principal obra, além de todas as coisas Adams. E também para aqueles que sabem onde guardam a toalha.
December 31, 2016
I've just finished this, and it caused me some serious pain.
It's not that it's a bad book, as such. It's based on a whole bunch of previously undocumented material that Adams' daughter has just donated to Cambridge university, plus the author's quite obviously encyclopaedic knowledge of the man and his works, and all that came before it.
But that's the problem. Most people will at some time have had the experience of being cornered by An Enthusiast. Doesn't matter what of - a particular science fiction or comedy show, a particular marque of motorcycle or car, steam trains, whatever. I recall one Enthusiast of King Crimson, Robert Fripp, and associated matters in a pub in Woking in the '80s who bored me for two hours straight on the track listings of various albums, including, and I swear I'm not making this up, the new technologies in vinyl pressing that allowed particular albums and tracks to be reproduced at full length. Lengths he had memorised, and quoted at me.
When you are cornered by An Enthusiast, there is only one thing to do - drink, and drink heavily. Nothing you do short of GBH will change the course of the monologue, so you might as well settle in and ensure someone is passing you drinks as fast as you can drink them. A couple of hours later, The Enthusiast will pause for breath, and if you are still capable of walking you might be able to get away, if you're quick.
Anyway, this book is like that, but longer. Much, much longer. Worse, it combines that with a slightly peculiar writing style where every sentence contains so many sub-clauses, diversions, and irrelevancies (mostly included, it seems, just to prove how much the author knows) that I found I often got to the bottom of a page and realised I had absolutely no idea what I had just read. This is a book that definitely needs the services of a good editor.
This, to paraphrase Monty Python (and get used to that, because it happens so very, very many times...) is not a book for reading, it is a book for laying down and avoiding.
I'm feeling really bad now, because there has obviously been a huge amount of obsessive, quality research gone into this, and the author really does know the subject. But even the most diligent Adams fan is going to end up skipping over most of it, and just looking for the "new" bits of writing from Adams, mostly unused excerpts from HHGTTG. And there are a good few of these, so I suppose it's worth the price just for them. But be prepared to work so very, very hard for that meagre reward.
It's not that it's a bad book, as such. It's based on a whole bunch of previously undocumented material that Adams' daughter has just donated to Cambridge university, plus the author's quite obviously encyclopaedic knowledge of the man and his works, and all that came before it.
But that's the problem. Most people will at some time have had the experience of being cornered by An Enthusiast. Doesn't matter what of - a particular science fiction or comedy show, a particular marque of motorcycle or car, steam trains, whatever. I recall one Enthusiast of King Crimson, Robert Fripp, and associated matters in a pub in Woking in the '80s who bored me for two hours straight on the track listings of various albums, including, and I swear I'm not making this up, the new technologies in vinyl pressing that allowed particular albums and tracks to be reproduced at full length. Lengths he had memorised, and quoted at me.
When you are cornered by An Enthusiast, there is only one thing to do - drink, and drink heavily. Nothing you do short of GBH will change the course of the monologue, so you might as well settle in and ensure someone is passing you drinks as fast as you can drink them. A couple of hours later, The Enthusiast will pause for breath, and if you are still capable of walking you might be able to get away, if you're quick.
Anyway, this book is like that, but longer. Much, much longer. Worse, it combines that with a slightly peculiar writing style where every sentence contains so many sub-clauses, diversions, and irrelevancies (mostly included, it seems, just to prove how much the author knows) that I found I often got to the bottom of a page and realised I had absolutely no idea what I had just read. This is a book that definitely needs the services of a good editor.
This, to paraphrase Monty Python (and get used to that, because it happens so very, very many times...) is not a book for reading, it is a book for laying down and avoiding.
I'm feeling really bad now, because there has obviously been a huge amount of obsessive, quality research gone into this, and the author really does know the subject. But even the most diligent Adams fan is going to end up skipping over most of it, and just looking for the "new" bits of writing from Adams, mostly unused excerpts from HHGTTG. And there are a good few of these, so I suppose it's worth the price just for them. But be prepared to work so very, very hard for that meagre reward.
November 11, 2014
A chunky and comprehensive biography of the life and afterlife of Douglas Noel Adams, a man with remarkable imagination and considerable wit, to match his tall and somewhat awkward frame. His story begins with his birth in 1952 but does not conclude with his untimely death in 2001. It covers his struggles to make his mark in the British comedy scene, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Clive Anderson, Rhys Jones, Stephen Fry and attempting to follow in the footsteps of John Cleese and the Monty Python crew. It covers his script-writing skills - for low-budget, almost forgotten science fiction skits, as well as Monty Python and eludes to the episodes he wrote for Doctor Who. We learn about the conception of his most noteable work: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and the trials and tribulations about writing for radio.
The writer, Jem Robert's, passion for his subject shines clearly through the text. Adams is portrayed as a somewhat determined, and dedicated young man with a certain level of hopeful optimism and general naivety, as well as a hearty dose of comic wit and timing. It is interspersed with extracts from scripted works, short gags from the Adams's archives and the occasional anecdote.
With his sudden, unexpected death at the age of a mere 49, the story of Douglas Adams may have finished, but his legacy continues with his daughter taking the helm and asking the ultimate question: What would Douglas have wanted? This period covers the movie, the Dirk Gently television series, the release of the incomplete "Salmon of Doubt", Eoin Colfer's rather forgotten "And another thing," along with a reboot of the radio show.
This is a hefty tome, a tribute to a fine fellow that lived too short a time and wrote far less than he could have. The writing is somewhat dry at times, and is best enjoyed in short chunks rather than as an epic read. There is just a part of me that wishes Adams had lived to write his autobiography, because there are so many unanswered questions lurking between the lines.
The writer, Jem Robert's, passion for his subject shines clearly through the text. Adams is portrayed as a somewhat determined, and dedicated young man with a certain level of hopeful optimism and general naivety, as well as a hearty dose of comic wit and timing. It is interspersed with extracts from scripted works, short gags from the Adams's archives and the occasional anecdote.
With his sudden, unexpected death at the age of a mere 49, the story of Douglas Adams may have finished, but his legacy continues with his daughter taking the helm and asking the ultimate question: What would Douglas have wanted? This period covers the movie, the Dirk Gently television series, the release of the incomplete "Salmon of Doubt", Eoin Colfer's rather forgotten "And another thing," along with a reboot of the radio show.
This is a hefty tome, a tribute to a fine fellow that lived too short a time and wrote far less than he could have. The writing is somewhat dry at times, and is best enjoyed in short chunks rather than as an epic read. There is just a part of me that wishes Adams had lived to write his autobiography, because there are so many unanswered questions lurking between the lines.
November 3, 2014
A surprisingly good book.
I've studiously avoided reading biographies of Douglas Adams so far.
I've often feared that we might stray over into the dissecting of comedy problem. It's a bit like dissecting a frog. It might be an interesting exercise to do but at the end of it all you have are bits of frog.
This book was a lot of fun. I bought it looking forward to the unpublished bits of Douglas' writing that Jem had promised us. These were fun but such a lot of short unconnected pieces that felt a little strange to read one after the other. I was just beginning to enjoy the creation and then it would end for the whole process to begin again with another piece.
The biography of Douglas, however, was very entertaining indeed with Jem managing to portray a real joy and delight in the works of DNA. It gave a very clear picture of Douglas' fervent amble to fame and fortune in the world of BBC light entertainment.
Most enjoyable.
I've studiously avoided reading biographies of Douglas Adams so far.
I've often feared that we might stray over into the dissecting of comedy problem. It's a bit like dissecting a frog. It might be an interesting exercise to do but at the end of it all you have are bits of frog.
This book was a lot of fun. I bought it looking forward to the unpublished bits of Douglas' writing that Jem had promised us. These were fun but such a lot of short unconnected pieces that felt a little strange to read one after the other. I was just beginning to enjoy the creation and then it would end for the whole process to begin again with another piece.
The biography of Douglas, however, was very entertaining indeed with Jem managing to portray a real joy and delight in the works of DNA. It gave a very clear picture of Douglas' fervent amble to fame and fortune in the world of BBC light entertainment.
Most enjoyable.
January 27, 2015
The Frood is comprehensive, really comprehensive. You might think Salmon of Doubt was comprehensive, but that's just peanuts to the Frood.
At times, this book is almost excessive in detail -- for instance, the "peanuts to space" bit didn't originate with Hitchhikers Guide, far from it. But for Hitchhikers fans, there's tons of interesting details about Douglas Adams' life, the creation of his famous works and a fair number of outtakes and alternate versions of familiar stories. Many of them would have needed a bit more polish before publication, such as the back story of the Dentrassi, but others of them are as good as anything Adams wrote.
A bit of a commitment, but a must read for serious fans of Adams or the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
At times, this book is almost excessive in detail -- for instance, the "peanuts to space" bit didn't originate with Hitchhikers Guide, far from it. But for Hitchhikers fans, there's tons of interesting details about Douglas Adams' life, the creation of his famous works and a fair number of outtakes and alternate versions of familiar stories. Many of them would have needed a bit more polish before publication, such as the back story of the Dentrassi, but others of them are as good as anything Adams wrote.
A bit of a commitment, but a must read for serious fans of Adams or the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
March 22, 2021
Confesso, comprei na xepa da feira literária da USP. Já tinha lido alguns livros da série dos Mochileiros das Galáxias e não só curti, como também curto esse estilo de misturar ficção com cultura pop que teve na figura do Douglas Adams um de seus principais ícones. E quando digo "teve", qual não foi minha surpresa ao saber que ele morreu há mais de 20 anos?
Pra quem é fã do DA, o livro é um prato cheio de curiosidades sobre sua vida e, principalmente, sobre como se formou toda a mitologia em torno do Mochileiro. Achei particularmente interessante a forma como toda a estória foi migrando do teatro para o rádio, do rádio para a TV, até - depois de muitos obstáculos - ter chegado aos cinemas e causado tanta divisão entre os fãs.
Acho que como objetivo primário de uma biografia, o livro cumpre bem sua função, mas certamente será bem mais degustado para os fãs do autor e de sua obra.
Pra quem é fã do DA, o livro é um prato cheio de curiosidades sobre sua vida e, principalmente, sobre como se formou toda a mitologia em torno do Mochileiro. Achei particularmente interessante a forma como toda a estória foi migrando do teatro para o rádio, do rádio para a TV, até - depois de muitos obstáculos - ter chegado aos cinemas e causado tanta divisão entre os fãs.
Acho que como objetivo primário de uma biografia, o livro cumpre bem sua função, mas certamente será bem mais degustado para os fãs do autor e de sua obra.
October 2, 2014
A comprehensive chronological history of Douglas Adams struggle to become a comedy writer (and performer), through the success of Hitchhiker's and subsequent struggle with the success and demands of being a phenomenally successful writer (but not performer).
From artistic hubris, thwarted ambitions and realised dreams.
A great insight, well written and many nuggets of unpublished DNA work. Also a very useful reference to the entire works of Douglas Adams both small and large.
From artistic hubris, thwarted ambitions and realised dreams.
A great insight, well written and many nuggets of unpublished DNA work. Also a very useful reference to the entire works of Douglas Adams both small and large.
December 20, 2016
This book took me a stupidly long time to finish. I was expecting to love it but actually, every page was a struggle to get through. I can't even tell you why I struggled was it with the author's writing style, which initially apes the great DNA himself but then slides into their own? Or maybe it was just that away from the books of his that I loved Douglas Adams wasn't the person I had thought he was?
It is packed full of details that usually thrill fans of biographies but somehow this left me cold.
It is packed full of details that usually thrill fans of biographies but somehow this left me cold.
July 5, 2016
A Espetacular e Incrível Vida de Douglas Adams e do Guia do Mochileiro das Galáx
April 14, 2015
“Hey, you sass that hoopy Ford Prefect? There’s a frood who really knows where his towel is.”
(Sass: know, be aware of, meet, have sex with; hoopy: really together guy; frood: really amazingly together guy.)
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
As I type this, and after reading The Frood, there is a realisation that there has been a major passage of time since I first encountered The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The publication of this biography, fully authorised by the Adams’ estate and Douglas’ family, is a fully formed thing of loveliness, released to indicate that it is 35 years ago Hitchhiker appeared as a BBC Radio 4 series, and then as a book. In 2014 it is known globally and still going strong, despite Douglas’s death at the criminally short age of 49 in 2001. Fans include scientist Richard Dawkins, actor and raconteur Stephen Fry, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, and various members of Monty Python, amongst many others.
This book puts the complex events of Douglas’ writing career into a chronological perspective. In five sections it tells of Douglas’s background, his family, his academic path and his early work in comedy before, almost by accident, working for the BBC and then creating Hitchhiker. It then deals with the now-legendary difficulties that Douglas experienced creating the series, and when the radio series became an international success.* Throughout all of this, The Frood also tells of his friendships, mainly with the New Wave of British comedians in the 1980s – John Lloyd, Stephen Fry, Ben Elton, Peter Cook, the Monty Python group, and then with scientists, conservationists, computer companies and fellow scriptwriters.
His success on Hitchhiker led to other things – work on Doctor Who scripts, a friendship with Pink Floyd and travel around the world with Stephen Fry to see nearly extinct animals for a book and TV series, Last Chance to See. Despite all of this, The Frood shows that his family kept Douglas grounded, it seems, both his sister Susan and his wife Jane, not to mention his daughter Polly (now at university).
For fans of Hitchhiker and the Dirk Gently series, there’s a lot of reminiscing here that will keep them amused, with anecdotes and bon mots a-plenty. The book includes material based on many new interviews with friends and colleagues to fill in some of the gaps that fans will no doubt be wanting to read.
And, perhaps most importantly, the book’s appendices have previously unpublished material from Douglas’s archive in Cambridge, including removed extracts from Hitchhiker, short stories and notes. The Introduction here is something Douglas wrote as self-parody circa 1985 based on his use of an automatic author-interview writing machine. It is rather typical of the man.
As biographies go, it must be said that there have been a few since Douglas’ death. The author himself has pointed out that the biographies by Neil Gaiman, Nick Webb and MJ Simpson were reference points to start with, not to further mention the website fanclub ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha, still going strong. The Frood is one of the most detailed and interesting accounts, and Jem’s Acknowledgements towards the back of the book show how much work and care has gone into this biography.
Whilst it could so easily have veered off into hagiography, The Frood shows, perhaps more than ever before, the man’s interests, drives and insecurities in an entertainingly affectionate manner. I enjoyed reading it a lot, even if only to realise at the end how much Douglas would have loved to be here in 2014.
*There is a now-apocryphal story, told again in this book, of Douglas being locked in a room with a typewriter by his editor, with no telephone or other means of communication, until he had sat down and written ‘something’. Pages were passed to the editor under the bottom of the locked door!
(Sass: know, be aware of, meet, have sex with; hoopy: really together guy; frood: really amazingly together guy.)
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
As I type this, and after reading The Frood, there is a realisation that there has been a major passage of time since I first encountered The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The publication of this biography, fully authorised by the Adams’ estate and Douglas’ family, is a fully formed thing of loveliness, released to indicate that it is 35 years ago Hitchhiker appeared as a BBC Radio 4 series, and then as a book. In 2014 it is known globally and still going strong, despite Douglas’s death at the criminally short age of 49 in 2001. Fans include scientist Richard Dawkins, actor and raconteur Stephen Fry, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, and various members of Monty Python, amongst many others.
This book puts the complex events of Douglas’ writing career into a chronological perspective. In five sections it tells of Douglas’s background, his family, his academic path and his early work in comedy before, almost by accident, working for the BBC and then creating Hitchhiker. It then deals with the now-legendary difficulties that Douglas experienced creating the series, and when the radio series became an international success.* Throughout all of this, The Frood also tells of his friendships, mainly with the New Wave of British comedians in the 1980s – John Lloyd, Stephen Fry, Ben Elton, Peter Cook, the Monty Python group, and then with scientists, conservationists, computer companies and fellow scriptwriters.
His success on Hitchhiker led to other things – work on Doctor Who scripts, a friendship with Pink Floyd and travel around the world with Stephen Fry to see nearly extinct animals for a book and TV series, Last Chance to See. Despite all of this, The Frood shows that his family kept Douglas grounded, it seems, both his sister Susan and his wife Jane, not to mention his daughter Polly (now at university).
For fans of Hitchhiker and the Dirk Gently series, there’s a lot of reminiscing here that will keep them amused, with anecdotes and bon mots a-plenty. The book includes material based on many new interviews with friends and colleagues to fill in some of the gaps that fans will no doubt be wanting to read.
And, perhaps most importantly, the book’s appendices have previously unpublished material from Douglas’s archive in Cambridge, including removed extracts from Hitchhiker, short stories and notes. The Introduction here is something Douglas wrote as self-parody circa 1985 based on his use of an automatic author-interview writing machine. It is rather typical of the man.
As biographies go, it must be said that there have been a few since Douglas’ death. The author himself has pointed out that the biographies by Neil Gaiman, Nick Webb and MJ Simpson were reference points to start with, not to further mention the website fanclub ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha, still going strong. The Frood is one of the most detailed and interesting accounts, and Jem’s Acknowledgements towards the back of the book show how much work and care has gone into this biography.
Whilst it could so easily have veered off into hagiography, The Frood shows, perhaps more than ever before, the man’s interests, drives and insecurities in an entertainingly affectionate manner. I enjoyed reading it a lot, even if only to realise at the end how much Douglas would have loved to be here in 2014.
*There is a now-apocryphal story, told again in this book, of Douglas being locked in a room with a typewriter by his editor, with no telephone or other means of communication, until he had sat down and written ‘something’. Pages were passed to the editor under the bottom of the locked door!
July 29, 2016
Demorei tempo demais para terminar esse livro, mas convenhamos que biografias não são uma leitura fluida e fácil. Apesar de cheio de humor, histórias divertidas e curiosas, além de muita informação sobre o criador de uma das séries de livros mais divertidas de ficção científica, me senti um pouco perdida com a quantidade de nomes de pessoas e programas de televisão que o autor traz, mas faz parte. No geral, a leitura foi boa, e marquei dezenas de passagens do livro! Adorei saber mais sobre Douglas Adams e confesso que chorei sim no fim da história. A edição da Editora Aleph está muito bonita e a tradução também está boa. Recomendo para os fãs do Guia, porque foi muito legal entender de onde vinha tanta criatividade e como Douglas influenciou tanta gente. E não esqueça sua toalha!
January 2, 2016
I've been a major fan of Douglas Adams since 1980 or 1981 thanks to the older brother of my boyfriend at the time who introduced us to this totally radical and cool book. My iPhone case says "Don't Panic!" It was great to read about Adams's background and how the various versions came to be. I think you have to be British to recognize many of the names that are dropped, but no matter. This is a worthy and entertaining biography.
February 3, 2019
decidiram dar o título de Espetacular e Incrível para esta biografia do Douglas Adams e tentaram fazer algo grandioso, tudo o que conseguiram foi fazer um livro grande
a coisa mais espetacular e incrível narrada é o soco que a mãe do escritor dá na cara de um dos amigos dele, e a parte mais bem escrita é a introdução, do próprio Adams
de resto os apêndices e fotos valem muito mais a pena que o restante do livro
a coisa mais espetacular e incrível narrada é o soco que a mãe do escritor dá na cara de um dos amigos dele, e a parte mais bem escrita é a introdução, do próprio Adams
de resto os apêndices e fotos valem muito mais a pena que o restante do livro
October 17, 2014
From Week Ending to That Thing About 'Hyperlinks', a meticulously researched and wittily told guide to the life and times and e-enthusiasms of the man some would call the greatest ever user of the English Language. He would have found a more imaginative way of phrasing it than that, though.
October 8, 2015
Very thorough biography put together excellently. Full of good stuff, with script/novel excerpts and patches of discarded material, as well as a whole heap of stuff that tracks early sketches that were reused and hammered into shape for various parts of HG2TG.
August 13, 2016
More entertaining, in some ways, than the latter range of Adams' own books, and instructive in its gentle criticism.
June 28, 2025
I very much enjoyed this biography of Douglas Adams. It actually inspired me to finish my own book. I didn't know anything about the author of Hitchhikers guide and I found the journey of how it came about, from its origins as a radio show, and the help Mr Adams had along the way, to be very insightful. Its a crying shame that he departed at such an early age. It doesnt sound like he would have written an awful lot more, as writing sounded quite enduring for him, but I would have loved to have read more of his ponderings.
Author of The Time Diary
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Diary.....
The Time Diary is a British sci-fi comedy adventure about the terrible misfortunes of discovering time travel. The hapless gang at the center of the story not only find themselves in a mess of tangled timelines, absurd moral dilemmas, universe-altering decisions, and ruined relationships, but they also learn the true meaning of self-loathing. Are you actually a good person, or have you just never been given the chance to be an utter bar steward?
If you’re a fan of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Red Dwarf or Black Mirror and enjoy cringey British humour, roguish misfits, and the occasional dollop of heart (not too much, mind, they are Brits, after all), then this might just be the next book for you.
Author of The Time Diary
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Diary.....
The Time Diary is a British sci-fi comedy adventure about the terrible misfortunes of discovering time travel. The hapless gang at the center of the story not only find themselves in a mess of tangled timelines, absurd moral dilemmas, universe-altering decisions, and ruined relationships, but they also learn the true meaning of self-loathing. Are you actually a good person, or have you just never been given the chance to be an utter bar steward?
If you’re a fan of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Red Dwarf or Black Mirror and enjoy cringey British humour, roguish misfits, and the occasional dollop of heart (not too much, mind, they are Brits, after all), then this might just be the next book for you.
January 7, 2022
0,5.
Que livro insuportável, meu deus. Isso não é uma biografia, é uma seção de créditos formatada em parágrafos.
Se você é uma pessoa peculiar que adoraria ler 500 páginas sobre longas negociações de programas de rádio, preenchidas com o nome de absolutamente todo mundo que já passou pela vida do Douglas Adams (cada engenheiro de som, maquiador, cabeleireiro ou limpador de telefone), então seja bem-vindo!
Agora, se você adora o Douglas Adams e o Guia e gostaria de ler algo que vai te colocar mais na cabeça do escritor, isso vai ser a maior decepção do ano. As únicas partes boas desse livro são a introdução (escrita pelo próprio Douglas Adams) e um dos últimos capítulos que é inteiramente composto de trechos inéditos do Guia (também escrito pelo Douglas Adams). Fora isso, é tudo um saco.
Meu conselho é: leia esses dois trechos na livraria (são bem curtinhos) e não gaste o seu precioso dinheiro nessa merda. Grata.
Que livro insuportável, meu deus. Isso não é uma biografia, é uma seção de créditos formatada em parágrafos.
Se você é uma pessoa peculiar que adoraria ler 500 páginas sobre longas negociações de programas de rádio, preenchidas com o nome de absolutamente todo mundo que já passou pela vida do Douglas Adams (cada engenheiro de som, maquiador, cabeleireiro ou limpador de telefone), então seja bem-vindo!
Agora, se você adora o Douglas Adams e o Guia e gostaria de ler algo que vai te colocar mais na cabeça do escritor, isso vai ser a maior decepção do ano. As únicas partes boas desse livro são a introdução (escrita pelo próprio Douglas Adams) e um dos últimos capítulos que é inteiramente composto de trechos inéditos do Guia (também escrito pelo Douglas Adams). Fora isso, é tudo um saco.
Meu conselho é: leia esses dois trechos na livraria (são bem curtinhos) e não gaste o seu precioso dinheiro nessa merda. Grata.
April 29, 2018
Uma biografia de fôlego
Este livro é um dos que mais demorei para ler, e confesso que ainda estou um pouco mais da metade (59%) mas nem por isso me sinto desmotivado para dar a ele cinco estrelas. Explico:
Douglas Adams está inteiro aqui. Suas fraquezas, suas inseguranças, suas loucuras. Temos um contexto completo do que era a Inglaterra durante sua vida; acabamos entendendo como ele deu duro a vida toda para se tornar um escritor de sucesso, e, principalmente, um comediante bem sucedido - e que ela sabia muito bem onde queria estar, por isso que a idade prematura de sua morte não significa nada: ele viveu intensamente e compensou no que muitos aos oitenta ainda teriam de fazer. Passei a respeitar muito mais a figura do Mingo depois dessa: ele fez tanto com tão pouco, e nunca pareceu arrependido de nada.
Editar
Excluir
Este livro é um dos que mais demorei para ler, e confesso que ainda estou um pouco mais da metade (59%) mas nem por isso me sinto desmotivado para dar a ele cinco estrelas. Explico:
Douglas Adams está inteiro aqui. Suas fraquezas, suas inseguranças, suas loucuras. Temos um contexto completo do que era a Inglaterra durante sua vida; acabamos entendendo como ele deu duro a vida toda para se tornar um escritor de sucesso, e, principalmente, um comediante bem sucedido - e que ela sabia muito bem onde queria estar, por isso que a idade prematura de sua morte não significa nada: ele viveu intensamente e compensou no que muitos aos oitenta ainda teriam de fazer. Passei a respeitar muito mais a figura do Mingo depois dessa: ele fez tanto com tão pouco, e nunca pareceu arrependido de nada.
Editar
Excluir
April 2, 2020
Pretty much essential reading for anyone that is familiar with The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - in every medium it has been presented - along with all of the other works of Douglas Adams. It is a pretty exhaustive tome and would not make an ideal place for a newcomer to start.
Some biographies become sycophantic hero worship, ignoring or glossing over any faults the subject my have had. Others ignore anything of merit achieved and become vicious character assassinations; but this manages to remain balanced. It is obviously written by an avid fan thrilled to gain access to The Frood’s personal papers now held at St John’s College, Cambridge. However, his tactlessness and unfair criticism of hardworking colleagues that shared his desire to achieve perfection are all featured.
Some biographies become sycophantic hero worship, ignoring or glossing over any faults the subject my have had. Others ignore anything of merit achieved and become vicious character assassinations; but this manages to remain balanced. It is obviously written by an avid fan thrilled to gain access to The Frood’s personal papers now held at St John’s College, Cambridge. However, his tactlessness and unfair criticism of hardworking colleagues that shared his desire to achieve perfection are all featured.
September 27, 2017
This is more than the biography of Douglas Adams and how The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy came to be; it's probably the best look into his mind that we'll ever have, shown primarily through the evolution of his most famous creation as it went through so many iterations. We're shown glimpses of his early influences and inspirations, and the very real personal and professional challenges he faced.
Ms. Roberts' respect and admiration for her subject are evident throughout, but she also adopts a balanced, critical eye, which I appreciate. In the end we come to know Douglas Adams the Man, as well as the Author.
I rarely give 5 stars. This is merited.
Ms. Roberts' respect and admiration for her subject are evident throughout, but she also adopts a balanced, critical eye, which I appreciate. In the end we come to know Douglas Adams the Man, as well as the Author.
I rarely give 5 stars. This is merited.
July 3, 2023
This is a dense book. Not that that's in any way a criticism, because while I enjoyed every second of it, there were a hell of a lot of seconds.
Jem writes in a kind of gentle homage to Douglas' style, in that there a jokes and phrases that are of a similar vein, but he never tries to emulate Douglas or ape him.
Hitchhiker's Guide (sorry Douglas, but that will always be what you are most famous for, even though I loved Dirk and Last Chance) is such a confused and mangled creation (each iteration seems to contradict the past), and hearing the story behind the story is a similar experience. For anyone who is a fan of Douglas' work, you simply must give this a go.
Jem writes in a kind of gentle homage to Douglas' style, in that there a jokes and phrases that are of a similar vein, but he never tries to emulate Douglas or ape him.
Hitchhiker's Guide (sorry Douglas, but that will always be what you are most famous for, even though I loved Dirk and Last Chance) is such a confused and mangled creation (each iteration seems to contradict the past), and hearing the story behind the story is a similar experience. For anyone who is a fan of Douglas' work, you simply must give this a go.
January 23, 2021
This is the only Adams biography I've ever read so I don't know how the others compare, but it's hard to imagine any others being as thorough as this one (although, as far as I'm aware this is the most recent so it has more to work with).
I found some of the details of radio/tv production a little tedious (as I'm sure the frood himself did) but luckily there's never a funny quote or interesting anecdote far off.
I found some of the details of radio/tv production a little tedious (as I'm sure the frood himself did) but luckily there's never a funny quote or interesting anecdote far off.
June 10, 2018
The butler did it.
I love Douglas Adams, and I wanted to know more about his epic bouts of writer's block. This doesn't provide much psychological insight into that, but tells instead the story of the production of Hitchhiker's Guide in its various forms. That was sorta interesting. The last 25% of the text was fairly useless to me.
I love Douglas Adams, and I wanted to know more about his epic bouts of writer's block. This doesn't provide much psychological insight into that, but tells instead the story of the production of Hitchhiker's Guide in its various forms. That was sorta interesting. The last 25% of the text was fairly useless to me.
Read
March 17, 2022It's well written and all, but there's too much "scene discussion" for me. I'm not British and can't keep up with all the people, shows and scenes being referenced throughout the book. It's lovely that the author wanted to provide a greater context to the genius of Douglas Adams, but it just started to read like Vogon poetry to me.
June 8, 2018
Not as entertaining as I hoped it would be. Still worth reading if you are a fan of the late Douglas Adams but it gets seriously dull at times. I had forgotten how young the Frood was when he died. Perhaps it needs Slartibartfast to add some interesting fiddly bits?
Ray Smillie
Ray Smillie
February 4, 2020
Muito maçante. Tem partes incríveis sobre o mingo e outras muuuuuito extensas e demoradas. A leitura fica arrastada demais. Mas é a história de DNA, e quem curte muito sua obra merece conhecê-lo um pouquinho melhor.
September 3, 2021
An interesting biography of Douglas Adams (The Frood) - gives one an understanding about the HGTTG "trilogy" and how it developed ("I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.").
June 9, 2020
Really enjoyable account of Adams's life and works, thoroughly entertaining account.
November 10, 2021
Interesting, witty, moving. As an added bonus, I found out that I used to live in the same West Hampstead street as Douglas Adams, separated only by 5 houses and 34 years. The coincidence!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews