Nick Webb

Wish you were here: The official biography of Douglas Adams

Douglas Adams will be well known to all readers of this website. In 'Wish you were here', Nick Webb, a friend of Douglas for many years, tells the story of his life. We learn about his childhood years, his time at Cambridge University and his struggles to make a living as a sketch writer for TV. Then came the Hitchhiker's series and Douglas's rapid increase in fame and wealth, after which we hear about the various projects he was involved in, such as the film version of the story. Webb gives a good account of Douglas as a person - generous but sometimes insensitive and often annoying to those he worked with. Its a must read for anyone wanting to find out about the origin of Douglas's unique work.

However, while I found the book to be entertaining, I was sometimes irritated by Webb triying to be too 'Adamsy' in the text. I also felt that that Webb doesn't make a coherent story out of Douglas's life. Firstly I think that he gives too much prominence to the subject he knows best about, that of different media tie-ins. Secondly, many of Douglas's projects dragged on for many years, so it might seem reasonable that Webb organised his life by subject rather than chronologically. However, I believe that this was a mistake, as it is difficult to keep track of what year things are happening in each thread.

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Paperback 384 pages
ISBN: 0755311566
Salesrank: 1691576
Weight:0.66 lbs

Published: 2004 Headline Book Publishing

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Paperback 384 pages
ISBN: 0755311566
Salesrank: 465134
Weight:0.66 lbs

Published: 2004 Headline

Marketplace:New from £52.95:Used from £3.80

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Paperback 384 pages
ISBN: 0755311566
Salesrank: 1175121
Weight:0.66 lbs

Published: 2004 Headline

Marketplace:New from CDN$ 73.49:Used from CDN$ 11.02

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Product Description
THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY launched Douglas Adams to instant superstardom when it came out in 1978, becoming a huge success as a novel, radio and TV series. Like all his best work it was funny, but seriously funny. But Adams the comic writer who worked with Monty Python among others is only part of the story. He had a probing scientific mind, and was happy discussing ideas with the likes of Richard Dawkins or Steven Pinker. And his ideas in HITCHHIKER helped inspire the techies of the IT revolution. Nick Webb, who knew him very well for many years, has created a wonderful portrait of a larger than life character who is still mourned by his millions of fans around the world.

Product Description

THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY launched Douglas Adams to instant superstardom when it came out in 1978, becoming a huge success as a novel, radio and TV series. Like all his best work it was funny, but seriously funny. But Adams the comic writer who worked with Monty Python among others is only part of the story. He had a probing scientific mind, and was happy discussing ideas with the likes of Richard Dawkins or Steven Pinker. And his ideas in HITCHHIKER helped inspire the techies of the IT revolution. Nick Webb, who knew him very well for many years, has created a wonderful portrait of a larger than life character who is still mourned by his millions of fans around the world.

Nick Webb's biography on Douglas Adams - video review *****
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3DD0WP1I08D67

Nick Webb's biography on Douglas Adams - video review *****

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3DD0WP1I08D67

Poignant, Surprisingly Informative, Funny and Douglas-ish ****
A worthy addition to any library containing the rest of Douglas's books. Since his untimely passing, I'm afraid this is as close as we'll come to reading any work even remotely reminiscent of Douglas. Nick Webb does a great job, manifests prodigious levels of research and has a similar sense of humour to Douglas. It's a sad read, despite being funny, but I'm loathe to finish it - I've been stuck on the last few dozen pages for months now - because when I do, it's over. Cheers Mr. Adams and thanks for the effect you've had on my life.

Poignant, Surprisingly Informative, Funny and Douglas-ish ****

A worthy addition to any library containing the rest of Douglas's books. Since his untimely passing, I'm afraid this is as close as we'll come to reading any work even remotely reminiscent of Douglas. Nick Webb does a great job, manifests prodigious levels of research and has a similar sense of humour to Douglas. It's a sad read, despite being funny, but I'm loathe to finish it - I've been stuck on the last few dozen pages for months now - because when I do, it's over.

Cheers Mr. Adams and thanks for the effect you've had on my life.

An excellent book about an excellent subject ****
This book really made me want to put it down and reread THE SALMON OF DOUBT by Douglas Adams instead. Since I still have THE SALMON OF DOUBT, I will reread it. That's why I still have it. WISH YOU WERE HERE. The Prologue was so boring that I didn't feel like reading any further. But I love Douglas Adams and the book is roughly 350 pages, so I decided I'd read at least 35 of them before I quit. Not the best way to read a book, is it? The information about Adams is good, but there was something I just wasn't liking. At page 75, I felt ready to describe what it was. 1) Nick Webb, obviously a fan who "gets it" regarding Douglas Adams, tries to be irreverently humorous in the Douglas Adams style, with footnotes worthy of Terry Pratchett. One reviewer, quoted on the back cover, feels it's an effort worthy of Adams. I just find it tedious. Long-winded, pointless, and distracting, because Douglas Adams he ain't. 350 pages could be 250 pages if he'd just get on with it. 2) Webb rightly concludes that some biographies, such as this one, can be told better if strict chronology is abandoned. But then he doesn't tell it better because he knows so much more about his subject than we do. He needed a good solid edit by someone barely familiar with Douglas Adams who would only see what's on the paper, not what's in Webb's head. Without such an editor, I don't always know what Webb's talking about. I can figure it out later, but I don't want to work that hard. I want to enjoy reading about Douglas Adams. Yes, they were in a hurry to get this published as soon after the great man's death as possible -- so long and thanks for all the money -- but editing matters. This book cries out for it. 3) Webb drops names of every British celebrity he can and just assumes we'll all know who these people are. We don't. Some of us are too young, some of us are too old, and some of us aren't British. So unless they contribute something to the story, why confuse us? When I read, I don't want laundry lists. We're all buying this book to read about the man on the cover, Douglas Adams. The only shopping list I'll read is my own. Write, dammit! With those two reflections formed in my mind, I felt ready to persevere to the end. Again, it's about Douglas Adams. And so are quite a few wonderful Wikipedia entries, I'm sure. I wish the author, the publisher, and the friends and family of Douglas Adams had worked a little harder to raise a book about the man above that level. After I wrote the above paragraphs, I resumed my reading and positively fell in love. I kept finding spots where I wanted to grab Jan and repeat stuff to her. The style started clicking and it was everything I wanted it to be. I felt Douglas Adams coming through loud and clear on every page, as he damn well should. Congrats to the biographer for a job well done. So what the hell happened before? Padding added later to reach an arbitrary word count? Is this the price I pay for pre-ordering it before publication? (Yeah, it's been on my shelf a long time.) So I guess my advice is to buy a later printing, maybe a paperback, at which point one hopes it's been edited another time or two. It's a great book about a great man, written well and a pleasure to read. Oh, and get A SALMON OF DOUBT too. It may Douglas Adams' finest work, even though it was assembled from his notes after his death. I wish I was that editor.

An excellent book about an excellent subject ****

This book really made me want to put it down and reread THE SALMON OF DOUBT by Douglas Adams instead. Since I still have THE SALMON OF DOUBT, I will reread it. That's why I still have it.

WISH YOU WERE HERE. The Prologue was so boring that I didn't feel like reading any further. But I love Douglas Adams and the book is roughly 350 pages, so I decided I'd read at least 35 of them before I quit. Not the best way to read a book, is it? The information about Adams is good, but there was something I just wasn't liking. At page 75, I felt ready to describe what it was.

1) Nick Webb, obviously a fan who "gets it" regarding Douglas Adams, tries to be irreverently humorous in the Douglas Adams style, with footnotes worthy of Terry Pratchett. One reviewer, quoted on the back cover, feels it's an effort worthy of Adams. I just find it tedious. Long-winded, pointless, and distracting, because Douglas Adams he ain't. 350 pages could be 250 pages if he'd just get on with it.

2) Webb rightly concludes that some biographies, such as this one, can be told better if strict chronology is abandoned. But then he doesn't tell it better because he knows so much more about his subject than we do. He needed a good solid edit by someone barely familiar with Douglas Adams who would only see what's on the paper, not what's in Webb's head. Without such an editor, I don't always know what Webb's talking about. I can figure it out later, but I don't want to work that hard. I want to enjoy reading about Douglas Adams. Yes, they were in a hurry to get this published as soon after the great man's death as possible -- so long and thanks for all the money -- but editing matters. This book cries out for it.

3) Webb drops names of every British celebrity he can and just assumes we'll all know who these people are. We don't. Some of us are too young, some of us are too old, and some of us aren't British. So unless they contribute something to the story, why confuse us? When I read, I don't want laundry lists. We're all buying this book to read about the man on the cover, Douglas Adams. The only shopping list I'll read is my own. Write, dammit!

With those two reflections formed in my mind, I felt ready to persevere to the end. Again, it's about Douglas Adams. And so are quite a few wonderful Wikipedia entries, I'm sure. I wish the author, the publisher, and the friends and family of Douglas Adams had worked a little harder to raise a book about the man above that level.

After I wrote the above paragraphs, I resumed my reading and positively fell in love. I kept finding spots where I wanted to grab Jan and repeat stuff to her. The style started clicking and it was everything I wanted it to be. I felt Douglas Adams coming through loud and clear on every page, as he damn well should. Congrats to the biographer for a job well done. So what the hell happened before? Padding added later to reach an arbitrary word count? Is this the price I pay for pre-ordering it before publication? (Yeah, it's been on my shelf a long time.)

So I guess my advice is to buy a later printing, maybe a paperback, at which point one hopes it's been edited another time or two. It's a great book about a great man, written well and a pleasure to read. Oh, and get A SALMON OF DOUBT too. It may Douglas Adams' finest work, even though it was assembled from his notes after his death. I wish I was that editor.

Not your average biography ****
Biographies are written every day, but not everyone deserves one (i.e. Hollywood talentless starlets, hairy 80s rock stars etc. etc.). Douglas Adams , on the other hand, is a right person in this case - he had it all - wit, talent and lust for discovery. While purely British slang and references will most likely be lost on European and American readers, there's still a lot of interesting facts about Mr. Adams in Nick Webb book. He's presenting Adams as an intelligent and very tactful man, not without his faults, but very interesting person nonetheless. I'm sure that Mr. Adams would've been proud of this biography.

Not your average biography ****

Biographies are written every day, but not everyone deserves one (i.e. Hollywood talentless starlets, hairy 80s rock stars etc. etc.). Douglas Adams , on the other hand, is a right person in this case - he had it all - wit, talent and lust for discovery. While purely British slang and references will most likely be lost on European and American readers, there's still a lot of interesting facts about Mr. Adams in Nick Webb book. He's presenting Adams as an intelligent and very tactful man, not without his faults, but very interesting person nonetheless. I'm sure that Mr. Adams would've been proud of this biography.

A widely shared sentiment *****
It's a rare treat to find a book where every paragraph is a delight to read. And that's not counting the ones by Douglas Adams himself. "Wish You Were Here" is a testimony to a giant of a man - outsized in more ways than one. At over 196 centimetres, Adams was an intimidating figure. It's even more intimidating to encounter the breadth of his mentality. As Webb explains, Adams developed an incipient interest in science, became a proficient [if spendthrift] guitarist and learned just how final extinction is. He was a man attracted to new ideas, even to the extent of creating an Internet company that went beyond just being another dot.com. His personal interests were equally wide and intense. Given how soon after Adams' death this book was published, it's remarkably complete and sensitive to the survivors. If he'd done nothing but HHGG, Adams would be fondly remembered. As Webb notes often, Adams was too inventive and broad-minded to be limited to a single theme. Still, when you start off by considering the universe, you can only scale downward. Webb, who has a fine humorous style of his own, follows the life and tribulations of Adams with careful attention. He understands, as a flexible publisher should, that the craft of writing and production schedules are an uneasy liaison. The legends of Adams ability to procrastinate are common, but Webb points out that Adams' desire for perfection in his craft was at least as strong as his receptivity to diversion. His friends were nearly as important as his writing, and a long, liquidy lunch was both pleasurable and intellectually stimulating. Webb's own discussions with his subject were as often about deep philosophical questions as about the business of publishing. The author demonstrates how fervently Adams sought to have HHGG transposed into film. It's almost disappointing to note that no British firm was even approached to undertake the task. Given that the BBC-TV production was such a success, even though Adams himself felt disappointed in it, filming it there might have boosted the industry in the UK. Hollywood's special effects seemed to hold sway, even though BBC-TV's production was done with "old-fashioned" transparencies. That the film was made, even to mixed reviews, is one of the deep and tragic ironies of this account. Adams was unwilling or unable to perceive the vagaries of dealing with the Hollywood moguls. He wasn't a screenwriter - his first draft proved far too lengthy - and making the transition proved endlessly difficult. Adams' legacy is enduring, as Webb notes in his conclusion. Answer any question with "42" and you will almost certainly be granted a smile of recognition. The conversation will turn to favourite scenes or characters. Hitchhiker's [and the placement of the inverted comma remains a subject of discussion] was a phenomenon. Such things don't easily fade away. Webb is to be congratulated for helping perpetrate the marvel of Adams, even if the image is a bit smudged. The author makes a sincere effort to trace the origins of his subject's thinking, but much of that remains anonymous. That Richard Dawkins was a strong influence is now a given, but other sources likely lie in Adams own reading regimen. It wasn't Dawkins who put Adams on to astrophysics, one assumes. Little shortcomings of this sort don't detract from the immense value of this work. Webb's skills as an author, and one with such affinity for his subject more than overcome whatever might be lacking. It's a tribute to Adams, his circle of friends and to all us readers alike. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

A widely shared sentiment *****

It's a rare treat to find a book where every paragraph is a delight to read. And that's not counting the ones by Douglas Adams himself. "Wish You Were Here" is a testimony to a giant of a man - outsized in more ways than one. At over 196 centimetres, Adams was an intimidating figure. It's even more intimidating to encounter the breadth of his mentality. As Webb explains, Adams developed an incipient interest in science, became a proficient [if spendthrift] guitarist and learned just how final extinction is. He was a man attracted to new ideas, even to the extent of creating an Internet company that went beyond just being another dot.com. His personal interests were equally wide and intense. Given how soon after Adams' death this book was published, it's remarkably complete and sensitive to the survivors.

If he'd done nothing but HHGG, Adams would be fondly remembered. As Webb notes often, Adams was too inventive and broad-minded to be limited to a single theme. Still, when you start off by considering the universe, you can only scale downward. Webb, who has a fine humorous style of his own, follows the life and tribulations of Adams with careful attention. He understands, as a flexible publisher should, that the craft of writing and production schedules are an uneasy liaison. The legends of Adams ability to procrastinate are common, but Webb points out that Adams' desire for perfection in his craft was at least as strong as his receptivity to diversion. His friends were nearly as important as his writing, and a long, liquidy lunch was both pleasurable and intellectually stimulating. Webb's own discussions with his subject were as often about deep philosophical questions as about the business of publishing.

The author demonstrates how fervently Adams sought to have HHGG transposed into film. It's almost disappointing to note that no British firm was even approached to undertake the task. Given that the BBC-TV production was such a success, even though Adams himself felt disappointed in it, filming it there might have boosted the industry in the UK. Hollywood's special effects seemed to hold sway, even though BBC-TV's production was done with "old-fashioned" transparencies. That the film was made, even to mixed reviews, is one of the deep and tragic ironies of this account. Adams was unwilling or unable to perceive the vagaries of dealing with the Hollywood moguls. He wasn't a screenwriter - his first draft proved far too lengthy - and making the transition proved endlessly difficult.

Adams' legacy is enduring, as Webb notes in his conclusion. Answer any question with "42" and you will almost certainly be granted a smile of recognition. The conversation will turn to favourite scenes or characters. Hitchhiker's [and the placement of the inverted comma remains a subject of discussion] was a phenomenon. Such things don't easily fade away. Webb is to be congratulated for helping perpetrate the marvel of Adams, even if the image is a bit smudged. The author makes a sincere effort to trace the origins of his subject's thinking, but much of that remains anonymous. That Richard Dawkins was a strong influence is now a given, but other sources likely lie in Adams own reading regimen. It wasn't Dawkins who put Adams on to astrophysics, one assumes. Little shortcomings of this sort don't detract from the immense value of this work. Webb's skills as an author, and one with such affinity for his subject more than overcome whatever might be lacking. It's a tribute to Adams, his circle of friends and to all us readers alike. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

A portrait of the great man of ideas ****
I do not have half the capacity for language as Douglas Adams so I'm unable to do this book justice in words. Suffice to say it made me realise what a tragic loss to literature, radio and TV, computer science, and the world of ideas his untimely death really was. The fascinating story of a man full of contradictions and an illustration of the nature of a talent which if it is not genius is so close as to make no odds.

A portrait of the great man of ideas ****

I do not have half the capacity for language as Douglas Adams so I'm unable to do this book justice in words. Suffice to say it made me realise what a tragic loss to literature, radio and TV, computer science, and the world of ideas his untimely death really was. The fascinating story of a man full of contradictions and an illustration of the nature of a talent which if it is not genius is so close as to make no odds.

Heartbreaking stuff. ****
I agree. Leaves you feeling fuzzy, but sad. He had his big fingers in a lot of surprising pies like Dr Who and Python. He died with so much more to do and say. A sad loss to us all. Have a pan-galactic Gargle Blaster on me Doug.

Heartbreaking stuff. ****

I agree. Leaves you feeling fuzzy, but sad. He had his big fingers in a lot of surprising pies like Dr Who and Python. He died with so much more to do and say. A sad loss to us all.

Have a pan-galactic Gargle Blaster on me Doug.

a warm tribute *****
I devoured this biography of the great man and felt warmly satisfied afterwards. It's full of things you didn't know you wanted to know about the inspired creator of Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect and Zaphod Beeblebrox. It's also a very affectionate portrait, evidently painted by a friend. That closeness gives Webb licence to reveal Adams's imperfections. Even as you read with disgust that he once ditched an incredibly expensive bit of photographic equipment on a plane just because he was feeling a bit weighed down by all his luggage, you can't help warming to this clumsy, flawed, sometimes tactless, chaotic and, above all, incredibly talented individual. I'd certainly recommend this to anyone who adored "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", can recite every word of the radio programmes and felt the kind of agonising sadness at the untimely death of Douglas Adams that you usually only feel about the loss of a close friend or a member of your family. That describes me and I not only enjoyed this book but somehow needed it. But even if you're not like me, perhaps even if you've never encountered Adams's work, I reckon you could get a lot out of this story of a great life. It's good stuff. Thanks, Nick Webb.

a warm tribute *****

I devoured this biography of the great man and felt warmly satisfied afterwards. It's full of things you didn't know you wanted to know about the inspired creator of Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect and Zaphod Beeblebrox. It's also a very affectionate portrait, evidently painted by a friend. That closeness gives Webb licence to reveal Adams's imperfections. Even as you read with disgust that he once ditched an incredibly expensive bit of photographic equipment on a plane just because he was feeling a bit weighed down by all his luggage, you can't help warming to this clumsy, flawed, sometimes tactless, chaotic and, above all, incredibly talented individual. I'd certainly recommend this to anyone who adored "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", can recite every word of the radio programmes and felt the kind of agonising sadness at the untimely death of Douglas Adams that you usually only feel about the loss of a close friend or a member of your family. That describes me and I not only enjoyed this book but somehow *needed* it. But even if you're not like me, perhaps even if you've never encountered Adams's work, I reckon you could get a lot out of this story of a great life. It's good stuff. Thanks, Nick Webb.

to damn with faint praise *
This may be the "official" biography of Adams, but the definitive one it is not. While ethics may pull a writer to pen a "warts and all" biography, it is not usual to try to make ones subject appear as one giant wart. How many times is it necessary to mention that Adams was vain (can you count more than 20)? The author continually undercuts Adams accomplishments and makes him out to be foolish. This starts out with the description of Adams death - other accounts mention that the night before, he spent a long time on a transatlantic phone call consoling a friend who had had a death in the family. Did this fatigue contribute to his demise? Should his generosity with his time to his friend perhaps have been mentioned? How about a discourse on the air quality where Adams was living and it's effect on his health? Instead, we get a rambling story about Adams efforts to stay in shape which make him seem foolish and shallow. Mr. Webb mentions how competitive attitudes were in England among Adams friends and how jealous they were of his success - these 'friends" even tried to get a show off the ground called "rich bastard" based on Adams. Guess they weren't happy for his success. Mr. Webb mentions how Douglas was invited by the band to play a guitar solo with Pink Floyd for his birthday (!) for which he practiced assiduously. His playing was a success, but Mr. Webb has to mention how "he only finished one beat behind the band"; he also feels the need to relate an anecote of two teenagers asking each other "which one is Adams?" "the bald fat one"replies the other, "which one?" is the reply. Perhaps this is Mr. Wdbb's attempt at humour. If so it is a far cry from Adams humour which was based on a big heart and the large view. He also seems to discredit the value of Adams later non-collaborative work on the Dirk Gently series and other novels - which I personally feel are his best, more mature work. Perhaps this is because Adams had moved on from his life at this point. He also gives little time to Last Chance to See - a work Adams considered his best, as do I. I was hoping for a book that would draw broader strokes between Adams life and " the universe and everything". Don't bother to buy this book if you are an Adams fan, buy Last Chance to See instead.

to damn with faint praise *

This may be the "official" biography of Adams, but the definitive one it is not. While ethics may pull a writer to pen a "warts and all" biography, it is not usual to try to make ones subject appear as one giant wart. How many times is it necessary to mention that Adams was vain (can you count more than 20)? The author continually undercuts Adams accomplishments and makes him out to be foolish. This starts out with the description of Adams death - other accounts mention that the night before, he spent a long time on a transatlantic phone call consoling a friend who had had a death in the family. Did this fatigue contribute to his demise? Should his generosity with his time to his friend perhaps have been mentioned? How about a discourse on the air quality where Adams was living and it's effect on his health? Instead, we get a rambling story about Adams efforts to stay in shape which make him seem foolish and shallow. Mr. Webb mentions how competitive attitudes were in England among Adams friends and how jealous they were of his success - these 'friends" even tried to get a show off the ground called "rich bastard" based on Adams. Guess they weren't happy for his success. Mr. Webb mentions how Douglas was invited by the band to play a guitar solo with Pink Floyd for his birthday (!) for which he practiced assiduously. His playing was a success, but Mr. Webb has to mention how "he only finished one beat behind the band"; he also feels the need to relate an anecote of two teenagers asking each other "which one is Adams?" "the bald fat one"replies the other, "which one?" is the reply. Perhaps this is Mr. Wdbb's attempt at humour. If so it is a far cry from Adams humour which was based on a big heart and the large view. He also seems to discredit the value of Adams later non-collaborative work on the Dirk Gently series and other novels - which I personally feel are his best, more mature work. Perhaps this is because Adams had moved on from his life at this point. He also gives little time to Last Chance to See - a work Adams considered his best, as do I. I was hoping for a book that would draw broader strokes between Adams life and " the universe and everything". Don't bother to buy this book if you are an Adams fan, buy Last Chance to See instead.