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Famous Douglas Adams Quotes

“The world is a thing of utter inordinate complexity and richness and strangeness that is absolutely awesome. I mean the idea that such complexity can arise not only out of such simplicity, but probably absolutely out of nothing, is the most fabulous extraordinary idea. And once you get some kind of inkling of how that might have happened ' it's just wonderful. And . . . the opportunity to spend 70 or 80 years of your life in such a universe is time well spent as far as I am concerned.”

WorldYearsWellsKindMeanIdeasMightUniverseOpportunityWonderfulHappenedConcernedExtraordinarySimplicityAriseComplexityFabulousRichnessStrangenessHitchhikingTime Well Spent
Author:Douglas Adams
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“It takes a long time before we really get to grips with this [Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species'] and begin to understand it, because not only does it seem incredible and thoroughly demeaning to us, but it's yet another shock to our system to discover that not only are we not the centre of the Universe and we're not made by anything, but we started out as some kind of slime and got to where we are via being a monkey. It just doesn't read well.”

WellsKindLongDoeMadeSeemsUniverseLong TimeSpeciesIncrediblesShockCentreMonkeysOrigin Of SpeciesSlimeDemeaning
Book:The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time
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“One of the major problems encountered in time travel is not that of accidentally becoming your own father or mother. There is no problem involved in becoming your own father or mother that a broadminded and well-adjusted family can't cope with.”

WellsProblemMotherFatherBecomingInvolvedMajorsTime TravelNo ProblemMajor Problems
Book:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Omnibus: A Trilogy in Four Parts
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“Well, I mean, yes idealism, yes the dignity of pure research, yes the pursuit of truth in all its forms, but there comes a point I'm afraid where you begin to suspect that the entire multidimensional infinity of the Universe is almost certainly being run by a bunch of maniacs. And if it comes to a choice between spending yet another ten million years finding that out, and on the other hand just taking the money and running, then I for one could do with the exercise.”

IfsYearsWellsMeanHandsRunningFormChoicesUniverseMillionsExercisePureTenFindingsResearchDignitySpendingPursuitBunchSuspectsInfinityIdealismManiacs
Book:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Omnibus: A Trilogy in Four Parts
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“The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”

ThinkingWellsFactsHumorScienceUniverseMillionsPlanetsPerspectiveNormalBottomSurfaceNuclearMilesGasCoveredGravityIndicationMiles AwaySubtle Atheist
Book:The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time
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“Life... is like a grapefruit. Well, it's sort of orangey-yellow and dimpled on the outside, wet and squidgy in the middle. It's got pips inside, too. Oh, and some people have half a one for breakfast.”

PeopleWellsLife IsHalfMiddleFoodBreakfastYellowWetGalaxyLife Is LikeHitchhikers Guide To The GalaxyHitchhikers GuideGrapefruitFord PrefectH2g2
Book:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Omnibus: A Trilogy in Four Parts
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“R is a velocity of measure, defined as a reasonable speed of travel that is consistent with health, mental well-being, and not being more than, say, five minutes late. It is therefore clearly as almost infinite variable figure according to circumstances, since the first two factors vary not only with speed as an absolute, but also with awareness of the third factor. Unless handled with tranquility, this equation can result in considerable stress, ulcers, and even death.”

FirstsWellsTwoResultsFiveMinutesAwarenessFiguresCircumstancesLateThirdsStressAbsolutesInfiniteSpeedFactorsDefinedWell BeingReasonableConsistentTranquilityEquationsFive MinutesVaryVariablesVelocityUlcers
Book:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Radio Scripts Volume 2: The Tertiary, Quandary and Quintessential Phases
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“But the plans were on display…” “On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.” “That’s the display department.” “With a flashlight.” “Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.” “So had the stairs.” “But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?” “Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.”

WellsLooksSaidLightFoundGonePlansDoorsBottomStuckDepartmentDisplayLockedStairsCabinetsArthurCellarsFilingLeopardsFlashlightsHitchhikers Guide To The GalaxyHitchhikers GuideArthur DentFiling Cabinet
Book:The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
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“Stomp stomp. Whirr. Pleased to be of service. Shut up. Thank you. Stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp. Whirr. Thank you for making a simple door very happy. Hope your diodes rot. Thank you. Have a nice day. Stomp stomp stomp stomp. Whirr. It is my pleasure to open for you... Zark off. ...and my satisfaction to close again with the knowledge of a job well done. I said zark off. Thank you for listening to this message.”

WellsSaidDoneJobsSimplePleasureNiceDoorsListeningMessagesSatisfactionShut UpVery HappyWell DoneNice DayJob Well DoneHave A Nice Day
Book:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Omnibus: A Trilogy in Four Parts
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“We're not obsessed by anything, you see," insisted Ford. "..." "And that's the deciding factor. We can't win against obsession. They care, we don't. They win." "I care about lots of things," said Slartibartfast, his voice trembling partly with annoyance, but partly also with uncertainty. "Such as?" "Well," said the old man, "life, the Universe. Everything, really. Fjords." "Would you die for them?" "Fjords?" blinked Slartibartfast in surprise. "No." "Well then." "Wouldn't see the point, to be honest.”

MenWellsSaidCareDiesUniverseWinningVoiceHonestSurpriseObsessionFactorsBeing HonestUncertaintyObsessedOld ManI CareTremblingCan't WinAnnoyanceWell SaidFjords
Book:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Omnibus: A Trilogy in Four Parts
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“Ghastly," continued Marvin, "it all is. Absolutely ghastly. Just don't even talk about it. Look at this door," he said, stepping through it. The irony circuits cut in to his voice modulator as he mimicked the style of the sales brochure. " 'All the doors in his spaceship have a cheerful and sunny disposition. It is their pleasure to open for you, and their satisfaction to close again with the knowledge of a job well done.' " As the door closed behind them it became apparent that it did indeed have a satisfied sighlike quality to it. "Hummmmmmmyummmmmmmah!" it said.”

WellsLooksSaidDoneJobsVoicePleasureBehindsQualityCuttingDoorsStyleSatisfactionSatisfiedIronyDispositionCheerfulSunnyCircuitsWell DoneSpaceshipsGhastlyMarvinJob Well DoneBrochuresSunny Disposition
Book:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Trilogy of Five
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“In fact, Lig never formally resigned his editorship—he merely left his office late one morning, and has never returned since. Though well over a century has now passed, many members of the Guide staff still retain the romantic notion that he has simply popped out for a sandwich and will yet return to put in a solid afternoon's work. Strictly speaking, all editors since Lig Lury Jr., have therefore been designated acting editors, and Lig's desk is still preserved the way he left it, with the addition of a small sign that says LIG LURY, JR., EDITOR, MISSING, PRESUMED FED.”

WayWellsStillsFactsLeftActingMorningCenturyMissingReturnMembersOfficeLateNotionGuidesFedsEditorsAfternoonDesksStaffSandwichesResigned
Book:The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
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“Many words and expressions which only a matter of decades ago were considered so distastefully explicit that, were they merely to be breathed in public, the perpetrator would be shunned, barred from polite society, and in extreme cases shot through the lungs, are now thought to be very healthy and proper, and their use in everyday speech and writing is evidence of a well-adjusted, relaxed and totally un****ed-up personality.”

WritingWellsMatterUseWould BeCasesExpressionPersonalityHealthySpeechShotsEvidenceEverydayExtremesDecadesPoliteRelaxedLungsExplicitPerpetratorsSpeech And Writing
Book:The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
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