"Douglas Adams possessed one of the twentieth century's great imaginations. He was clever, funny, prescient, child-like and - to the dismay of some contemporaries - a polymath who combined intellect with a sense of wonder. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was both intimate and cosmic, bleak and funny, frivolous yet philosophical. In 1978 it sneaked out on BBC radio, but news of it cascaded through the public by word of mouth. Soon it reappeared in many incarnations, including a towel. Douglas Adams's books went on to sell 17 million copies. He created his own world which cast a sideways light on the one we inhabit; it never looked the same again." "He was a big man who gave the big things in life their proper due. Adams wrote sublimely, but he found the process agonising and developed a talent for displacement almost as inventive as his prose. His childhood was unusual, his enthusiasms overwhelming, his gift for friendship immense and his private life intense. He achieved success early and soon found himself in demand as a thinker in the realms of science and the arts. Building bridges between them was one of his missions." "Nick Webb's friendship with Douglas Adams began with the first novel, and grew through a shared interest in science. His definitive portrait has been drawn up with the help of family and mutual friends, many of whom have spoken with frankness of people who for years have also known the author. The result is a privileged vantage point from which to share a revealing and affectionate view of an astonishing man."--BOOK JACKET.