Douglas Adams, the fiction writer responsible for the HitchHiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series, the Dirk Gently series of detective novels, and countless other contributions to written fiction, the Doctor Who television series, and more, would have turned 61 today. Adams was not only a prolific writer and creative genius – he was also a famous Mac users before it was trendy, and was a deep inspiration to me when when I was in high school.
Google is celebrating Adams’ birthday today with a special Google Doodle in his honor. Adams passed away on May 11, 2001 from unexpected heart failure. I still remember reading the news on that fateful day, and mourning the loss of one of my greatest heroes. The ‘Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ – a vast electronic resource for knowledge about the universe at large – was not unlike today’s modern tablets, able to access huge amounts of information at the touch of a button. Aside from his contributions to fiction, Adams was also a noted environmental activist.
I’m thrilled that Google took the opportunity to pay tribute to this giant of a man – and now I add my tribute today as well. Here’s to Douglas Adams: Literary genius, famous Mac users, environmental hero, and all-around good guy. Thanks for inspiring me to develop my writing skills, and stimulating my mind.
Farewell, Douglas Adams – my towel and I will always remember you. So long, and, as always, thanks for all the fish!
