OnFriday,May11,2001,theworldmournedtheuntimelypassingofDouglasAdams,belovedcreatorofTheHitchhiker'sGuidetotheGalaxy,deadofaheartattackatageforty-nine.Thankfully,inadditiontoamagnificentliterarylegacy--whichincludessevennovelsandthreeco-authoredworksofnonfiction--Douglasleftussomethingmore.Thebookyouareabouttoenjoywasrescuedfromhisfourcomputers,culledfromanarchiveofchaptersfromhislong-awaitednovel-in-progress,aswellashisshortstories,speeches,articles,interviews,andletters.
Inawaythatnoneofhispreviousbookscould,TheSalmonofDoubtprovidesthefull,dazzling,laugh-out-loudexperienceofajourneythroughthegalaxyasperceivedbyDouglasAdams.Fromaboy'sfirstloveletter(tohisfavoritesciencefictionmagazine)tothedistinctionofpossessinganoseofheroicproportions;fromclimbingKilimanjaroinarhinocostumetoexplainingwhyAmericanscan'tmakeadecentcupoftea;fromlyricaltributestothesublimepleasuresfoundinmusicbyProcolHarum,theBeatles,andBachtothefolliesofhishopelessinfatuationwithtechnology;fromfantastic,fictionalforaysintotheprivatelifeofGenghisKhantoextendedvisitswithDirkGentlyandZaphodBeeblebrox:thisisthevistafromtheelevatedperchofoneofthetallest,funniest,mostbrilliant,andmostpenetratingsocialcriticsandthinkersofourtime.
WelcometothewonderfulmindofDouglasAdams.