The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Douglas Adams Live in Concert

This audio CD was a real unexpected treat. I didn't look for it at all. I was just there in the library, looking for more listening material, and there it was, staring out at me. I love Adams' Hitchhiker series, and was intrigued to hear him perfom some parts from the books himself. But wasn't Adams a writer, not an actor? As it turns out, he was both, but is most well-known here in the U.S. for his written fiction.

This CD was pure, unadulturated enjoyment from the moment it started, to the minute it ended, all too soon. This CD is a recording of Adams reading some snippets from the first three books in the Hitchhiker series at the Almeida Theatre in London. Not only did I not know he ever did this, I didn't know he'd do it so well. Really, I don't think anyone could read Adams' material better than the way he does in this one performance. They sound much more like short skits than someone reading a book. Every line is read with every nuance and subtlte tone that Adams intended when he originally wrote the lines.

The only warning I can give is that it's probably best to be at least somewhat familiar with the Hitchhiker series to enjoy this. I've read the series several times, so I knew every snippet he read (but never knew they could be delivered so superbly).

As far as my rating goes, I had to knock half a star off because it is too short. It only fills one CD: I could've easily listened to another couple of hours of Adams reading his own stuff.