Author: Erin K.

Welcome to the final discussion of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Did you enjoy reading this last section? It was not what I was expecting at all. I really thought we were going to get some sort of answer to the big Earth questions, but that didn’t happen. I at least thought we would get a word answer, not just a number! What did you think when it was announced that the answer to everything was 42? 

I had trouble with this last section in general. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around all of the things that were going on throughout. This world is just so different from our world that I couldn’t picture so many things! I appreciated that so many improbable things were happening, but it’s hard to keep track of completely improbable events and details. Did you feel that way? What section did you have the hardest time understanding? 

We find out that Earth was created as a supercomputer that will eventually answer the meaning of life questions. Since Earth was destroyed, the mice who ran Earth ask Arthur if they can buy his brain, hoping that his brain will help them answer the questions. They don’t want to wait millions of years for another Earth to find the answer. Arthur, of course, doesn’t want to give up his brain. It looks like all is lost, but the whole crew is able to escape. Did you notice that when Arthur would not give up his brain, the mice decided to make up a fake question that would provide the answer of 42? They decided to say that the Ultimate Question is “How many roads must a man walk down?” Not the fake question I would have come up with. 

At the end, we find out that Marvin the computer was responsible for the fact that the police starship didn’t attack. He talked to them so much that they ended up killing themselves. I was not expecting that. 

In the end, they all settle in to the starship and head off to their next adventure. Was this a satisfying ending for you? Are you excited to read the next book in the series? 

If you enjoyed this book and would like to read similar titles, check out this list. Make sure to let me know if you check out anything on the list. 

Did you know that this book also had a video game adaptation? It wasn’t a visual game like we would imagine now with graphics and game characters. It was a text-driven game. Read more about the game here, and if you’re feeling brave, try out a web version of the game here. I could not get the hang of the game, but you might have better luck!

Before you go, check out this interview with Douglas Adams from 1990. Let me know in a Facebook comment what you think of the video!

I hope you’ll join us again next month as we read A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley. Thanks for following along this month!

Welcome to Week 3 of the Online Book Club discussion of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

This week’s reading was really something, wasn’t it? I never knew what was going to happen from minute to minute. And, I don’t think I really understood all of the fantastical descriptions, but I think I grasped the important details. 

At the beginning of the section, Zaphod, Ford, and Arthur all come together, and in this scene, we realize that Zaphod and Ford are “semi-cousins,” and Arthur has met Zaphod before. Zaphod masqueraded as a human named Phil and ran into Arthur at a party. I thought that was a funny details. Also, Arthur and Tricia McMillan have met before. That seems incredibly improbable that they have all met each other before, but I think the only thing we could guarantee in this section was that a lot of improbable things were going to happen. 

Zaphod finds a planet called Magrathea–a rich planet that used to create custom planets. I thought that was a really fun idea that there were people who were so rich that they were able to create their own planet. Apparently, a lot of wealth is stored on Magrathea, and Zaphod hopes to steal it. Once the planet started shooting missiles, I knew things weren’t going to go as the team expected. Check out the video clip below if you want to see how that scene plays out in one of the adaptations. Is it what you imagined? 

What did you think about the detail that the whale that was created after Arthur turned on the Improbability Drive crashed and opened up the secret passage into the interior of Magrathea? That was wild. I thought that there would be piles of money lying around as soon as they went in the passage, but there wasn’t. That sure would have shortened their visit to Magrathea! 

Near the end of the section, Arthur meets an old man who explains that Magrathea has just been sleeping through an economic recession, and they are waiting to be able to make planets for people again. Then, he explains they are making an Earth 2 since Earth 1 was destroyed minutes before the completion of its mission. What do you think Earth 1 was supposed to do? Why do you think the author chose to say that Earth 1 is really controlled by mice who are doing experiments on people? That was unexpected, but I think it was a really fun idea. It was almost believable when the old man spelled it out for Arthur. 

Don’t you just wonder about how Douglas Adams got the idea for this book? How did he think of all of these crazy things? He must have had a really creative mind. If you’re interested in seeing some of his personal papers, check out this article about his papers that are displayed at St. John’s College, and then, check out this one about some frustrations he had while writing. 

Are you anxious to read the last section? Are you curious about what Earth’s purpose was? How do you think the book is going to end? Make sure to leave a comment on our Facebook page, so I can know what you thought of this section!

Make sure to finish the book before joining us next week! I can’t wait to hear from you!

Welcome to Week 2 of the Online Book Club discussion of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

How was your reading experience this week? I have to be honest–this is not the type of book that I would pick up and read on my own. I couldn’t tell you the last time I read a science fiction book. However, I did enjoy the section this week. It was creative, to say the least. 

Did you know that the story was originally presented as a radio drama? I was shocked when I read that. I think it would be really neat to hear it presented in that way. I think it’s just the type of book that’s meant to be read out loud. If you’d like to get a taste of what the radio performance is like, check out a clip below of a live taping of the radio drama. It seems to follow the book mostly, but I think some of the action from the radio drama finds its way into the second book in the series as well. 

The book starts pretty normally. We have a man who is upset because his house is going to be torn down. Then, the story suddenly shifts, and we realize that Earth is about to be destroyed, and Arthur’s struggling actor friend, Ford, is actually a galactic traveler who is working on adding entries to a book called The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Ford whisks Arthur off of Earth, right before it’s destroyed, and that’s when the action really starts. What did you think of that beginning? Were you excited to keep reading to figure out what was going to happen to Arthur? 

The first place Ford and Arthur visit is a Vogon ship. The Vogon’s don’t like hitchhikers, but there are cooks on the ship that let Arthur and Ford on. I think the thing that creeped me out the most when Arthur and Ford were on the Vogon ship was the fact that Arthur had to put a fish in his ear in order to understand the Vogons. That was absolutely disgusting! I didn’t like the description of the fish insertion in the ear, I didn’t like the idea of a fish in an ear–the whole thing was too gross for me! Were you affected by that section? The Vogons quickly decide to get rid of Arthur and Ford, and after reading them some weird poetry, they shoot them into space. 

But, not all hope is lost for Ford and Arthur. They, improbably, are picked up right before they would die in space. They’re rescued by the Starship Heart of Gold, a ship that can cross great distances without hyperspace. We know that Zaphod Beeblebrox stole the Heart of Gold, but we don’t really know anything other than that. Zaphod is an interesting guy. He’s the president of the Galaxy, but he’s a thief? And, he has an extra arm and two heads? What do you think is going on with him? At the end of this section, Arthur and Ford are about to meet Zaphod, and Ford is acting a little bit weird. Do you think Zaphod will let them stay on the ship? What do you think will happen next? 

Are you enjoying the story? Are you excited to keep reading, so you can find out more about Zaphod, Arthur, and Ford? I hope you’re excited to come back next week as we discuss the next 12 chapters! Remember, our comment section is down, so if you’d like to leave a comment about the book, head to our Facebook page. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts about this week’s section!

Welcome to Week 1 of the Online Book Club discussion of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. 

The Online Book Club, if you’ve never joined us before, is a book discussion group that takes place entirely online. Each week, I write a new blog post that talks about different aspects of the book, and you can interact directly with me and other readers by leaving your comments. Check back each week and see what new topics we’re talking about.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is the story of Arthur Dent, an ordinary man whose ordinary life changes in an instant when his best friend turns out to be a galactic explorer who plucks Arthur off of Earth seconds before it is destroyed. Arthur and his friend Ford embark on a journey through the galaxy where they encounter aliens and all sorts of fantastical creatures and people. 

If you want to follow along with us but you aren’t interested in reading the book, you can always watch the movie version starring Martin Freeman and Sam Rockwell. Check out the trailer above if you want to get a feel for the movie. Feel free to still leave comments on the blog posts, even if you’re only watching the movie and not reading the book.

We’ll read the first twelve chapters for next week, so make sure to check those out before reading the next blog post. Our comments section is currently experiencing some technical difficulties, so make sure to leave comments on our Facebook page, so I can know your thoughts about the book!

Welcome to the final discussion of Message in A Bottle.

Were you emotionally prepared for the ending of the book? I wasn’t. I understand that Nicholas Sparks likes to write bittersweet stories, but this was almost too much!

When the section starts, everything seems to be going right for them. They spend time together, Garrett meets Kevin, Garrett and Theresa express their love to each other. Garrett even says he wants to marry her. But, he wants her to move to him, and he wants her to give up her life and job in Boston. 

Then, Garrett finds out about the letters. I think he reacted in an appropriate way. He was justified in thinking that those letters would not be published in a newspaper for the world to see. I felt, throughout the book, that Garrett got unfair treatment from everyone in his life. His dad criticizes the way Garrett reacts to the news of the letters, and he questions, several times, whether or not Garrett was really over Catherine. I feel like Garrett was surprisingly open to love throughout the book, and I didn’t think it was inappropriate that he still thought about Catherine. And, I didn’t think it was inappropriate for Garrett to feel like Theresa betrayed him and built their whole relationship on a lie. What did you think? Did you feel like Garrett had an understandable reaction to Theresa’s actions? 

I totally understood why the pair had to break up. Neither one was in a place where they were willing to leave their houses or jobs and start somewhere new. I questioned from the beginning whether or not they would be able to stay together for the long haul. If you’d like to see how their breakup scene played out on the big screen, check out the movie clip below. 

How did you feel when Theresa got the fateful call from Jeb telling her that there had been an accident? I was disappointed, obviously, with Sparks’s choice for Garrett’s character, but I was most disappointed that they were unable to have any sort of closure with each other. I believed that their relationship should have ended, but I wished they could have had one more conversation with each other to tie up loose ends. How did you feel? What did you think about the way that Garrett died? I felt his death went back to the unfair treatment he received by everyone throughout the book. He was so desperate to move on and show everyone that he had moved on, that he was willing to go out to sea when there was a possibility for a storm.

How surprised were you when Theresa received the last letter from Garrett? I guess the letter provided some closure, but I think it made things harder. Instead of trusting that she had made the right decision ending their relationship, Theresa now had to deal with the thought that Garrett was going to make nice and come back to her. Now, Theresa has to deal with the pain of losing someone she loved so much. Maybe now, after feeling those feelings, she would have been more patient with Garrett when he was struggling with his feelings for Catherine. 

How would you have changed the book? What do you wish would have been different about the story? 

When I was researching this book, I searched Sparks’s website and discovered that he tells the inspiration behind each of his books. Apparently, for this book, he was inspired by his father’s love stories. You can check out more about the inspiration for the story here. 

If you enjoyed this book and would like to read or watch similar titles, check out this list I created. Make sure to let me know if you check out anything on the list!

Thanks for following along this month! I hope the comments section will be back next month. Make sure to check out next month’s title, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, if you’d like to join us again next month!

Welcome to Week 3 of the Online Book Club discussion of Message in A Bottle.

How was the reading for you this week? Were you able to stop reading after chapter 8, or did you want to keep going? I had a hard time stopping!

This section starts with Garrett and Theresa actually meeting each other. I was surprised by how quickly they made a connection. Garrett seemed to be open to speaking with her right from the get-to. I thought he would be more reserved, and I definitely didn’t expect them to go sailing together right away. I felt like Theresa made a lot of deceitful choices at the beginning of the book. She chose not to tell Garrett about the letters and why she was trying to track him down, and she wasn’t honest when she left her jacket on the boat. I know she left the jacket so that she would have a reason to see him again, but it still felt deceitful. 

In this section, we realize that Catherine died by getting hit by a car. She stepped off of a curb without looking and was run over. That was a shocking death to me. I expected her to be ill or something. Do you think having her die from such a senseless accident made it even harder for Garrett to move on? It was so sudden, so I think he had a hard time processing it. 

Were you surprised by how quickly Garrett and Theresa became serious with each other? People keep implying that Garrett hasn’t moved on from Catherine, and I think that’s true, but at least he’s open to the idea of having another relationship. He doesn’t close Theresa out, and he seems excited to see how their relationship can progress. Do you think Theresa will come visit and bring her son? Do you think the son will like being with Garrett? 

What is going to happen with their relationship? I don’t know how well it will go since they live so far apart. I can’t imagine that either one of them will want to give up the places they live. I’m just not sure how long their relationship can last. 

Do you have any guesses about what will happen in the last section? Garrett will definitely be upset once he realizes that Theresa has letters he wrote to Catherine. Don’t you think that will be a big obstacle in their relationship? Theresa should have brought it up right away. 

Before you go, check out this article about the movie set design for Garrett’s house. Isn’t it beautiful? I love how everything looks worn in and comfortable. Then, check out the video below to learn more about author, Nicholas Sparks, and his writing process!

I hope you’re excited to finish the book for next week! 

Welcome to Week 2 of the Online Book Club discussion of Message in A Bottle.

What did you think of the beginning of story? I always love the setting and scenery in a Nicholas Sparks novel. I love all of the descriptions of water, and I love reading about the slower pace of life that many of the characters have. 

At the beginning of the story, one of the things that surprised me the most was the fact that Theresa was so comfortable reading all of Garrett’s really personal letters. I think I would feel comfortable reading a letter if it was obviously old and antique, but reading one that could belong to a contemporary of mine would be awkward, I think. His letters were so vulnerable–I almost felt uncomfortable reading them in the book! It’s just hard because readers know that Garrett didn’t intend for anyone else to read them. I was also surprised how quickly everyone decided to publish the letters in the newspaper. It felt like a huge invasion of privacy to me, even though Theresa didn’t include names. What would you have done? 

It made me laugh when Theresa is trying to track down Garrett and it takes her so long. Deanna actually has to get on the phone and call places to see if she can figure out where Garrett lives. Today, it would take seconds to search for Garrett online. It just reminded me how connected we all are compared to how connected we were even 20 years ago. 

Were you surprised that Theresa was able to find more letters pretty easily? I wasn’t really surprised that someone called in and had more information about Garrett, but I was a little surprised that someone else had one of his letters. I just didn’t realize how prevalent messages in a bottle are, I guess! I was really surprised that one of his letters had been published already. Garrett was a really prolific letter writer–I wonder how many more letters he wrote that no one found. I think if I were to find a message in a bottle, I would be like the caller who said she reads the letter but hasn’t shared it with another person. I think, if I found something like that, that I would keep it to myself. 

In the end of this section, Theresa decides that she wants to go see Garrett for herself. What do you think she will do when she sees him? What do you think she’s hoping to accomplish? Do you think she thinks that she already loves Garrett? Do you think she will tell him about the letters? 

Did reading this first section make you want to find a message in a bottle? If you want to read about some real-life messages that were found in bottles, check out this article from Atlas Obscura and this one from the BBC. Check out the video below, too, if you want to see another message in a bottle and hear more about currents and how they could help a bottle travel. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this section this week. Make sure to read chapters five through eight for next week. And, feel free to leave comments on our Facebook page to let me know what you thought about the reading!

Welcome to Week 1 of the Online Book Club discussion of Message in A Bottle by Nicholas Sparks.

The Online Book Club, if you’ve never joined us before, is a book discussion group that takes place entirely online. Each week, I write a new blog post that talks about different aspects of the book, and you can interact directly with me and other readers by leaving your comments. Check back each week and see what new topics we’re talking about.

Message in a Bottle is the story of Theresa Osborne, a single mother and newspaper columnist who finds a bottle with a message inside. She immediately becomes enamored with the letter inside the bottle and wants to know the story that inspired the words. She tracks down the author, and once the two meet, their lives are changed forever. 

If you want to follow along with us but you aren’t interested in reading the book, you can always watch the movie version starring Kevin Costner and Robin Wright. Check out the trailer above if you want to get a feel for the movie. Feel free to still leave comments on the blog posts, even if you’re only watching the movie and not reading the book.

We’ll read the first four chapters for next week, so make sure to check those out before reading the next blog post. Our comments section is currently experiencing some technical difficulties, so make sure to leave comments on our Facebook page, so I can know your thoughts about the book!

Welcome to the final discussion of Run, Rose, Run!

Did you enjoy the ending of the book? I felt a little let down because the secrets with AnnieLee built and built throughout the whole book and then were just quickly announced in the last chapter. I felt like the ending was a little rushed. Did you feel that way at all? 

In this section, a lot of secrets are revealed. We learn that Ethan’s shadowy past includes a murdered wife. Were you surprised by this detail? What are the odds that AnnieLee’s protector would have that sort of skeleton in his closet? Do you think the fact that he had that trauma in his life helped him want to protect AnnieLee? 

What did you think of the balcony jumping scene? It was different than what I thought. When I read the Prologue for the first time, I assumed that AnnieLee was jumping off of the balcony because fame had become too much for her. I was not expecting, at that time, that she would need to be escaping from some sort of thug who wanted her dead. I was a little surprised that she didn’t sustain any sort of injury, but if she had had an injury, she wouldn’t have been able to leave the hospital and face her past. 

How surprised were you that the person she was tracking down was not her father? I was shocked when Ethan uncovered that detail. I had no idea that her story would be so much deeper than an abusive father. Her story was a really sad story–I’m glad she was able to escape, but I know there are many women in that sort of situation who would not be able to. Like I said at the beginning, I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get to hear AnnieLee’s story until the last pages. I was glad that there was an epilogue that showed that everyone was able to heal after the crazy happenings. 

Was AnnieLee’s family what you expected? It was sad that she still had those sisters at home. I hope they are able to find a happy ending. 

Do you have any other last thoughts? Did you enjoy reading this book? Would you recommend it to a friend? 

If you liked this book and would like to read or watch something similar, check out this list I created. Let me know if you check out anything on the list. 

Weren’t you interested in the fact that AnnieLee seemed to be able to make up songs on the spot? Apparently, that’s a trait she shares with Dolly Parton. Watch the video clip below if you’d like to see Dolly make up a song just for Johnny Carson. 

Thanks for joining us this month! I hope you’ll follow us again next month as we read Message in A Bottle by Nicholas Sparks. I can’t wait to hear from you in the comments!

Welcome to Week 3 of the Online Book Club discussion of Run, Rose, Run.

This was another crazy and exciting section, wasn’t it? 

Are you feeling a connection to any of the characters? Who do you think is your favorite to read about? I found myself wanting to know more about Ruthanna more than AnnieLee. I think I was just frustrated throughout this section because I didn’t know enough about AnnieLee and I was frustrated by all of her secrets. 

One thing I thought was a little unbelievable was the way that AnnieLee was able to win over everyone as soon as she sang, even if she had been challenging or disrespectful to them. That happened at least twice in this section, and I just had a hard time believing it. I know talent is intoxicating, and I’m sure the people she was interacting with saw dollar signs when they looked at her, but I really can’t imagine that people can just be a jerk and other people will want to work with them. Maybe I’m just being naive! Are you curious about the “Driven” song that AnnieLee keeps singing in this section? Check out the video below if you’d like to hear Dolly Parton sing the song. 

Were you surprised by the revelation about the death of Ruthanna’s daughter? I thought it was a little unfair that Ruthanna blamed Mikey Shumer for her daughter’s death. It’s not like Mikey was the one who supplied her with drugs and alcohol. Do you think Ruthanna was unfair to blame Mikey? Did you feel like you understood Ruthanna’s motivation more once you heard about her daughter’s death? 

It’s driving me crazy that I can’t figure out why so many men are after AnnieLee. She’s getting attacked, but it seems like the attackers just want to scare her a little bit? Do you think AnnieLee is a murderer or something? What kind of rules did she break? The only thing I can think is that she was in some sort of gang and escaped? I just don’t understand what’s going on. And it’s really frustrating. I feel like Ethan and how he’s so upset that AnnieLee doesn’t share anything with him. 

At the end of this section, AnnieLee and Ethan are having a connection on tour, and AnnieLee is planning on singing with Ruthanna in Las Vegas. Do you think Las Vegas is where all of the drama will unfold? Is that where AnnieLee is going to throw herself off of a balcony? What do you think is going to happen next? 

Before you go, check out this video in which James Patterson explains his writing process. What do you think of all of his story ideas in those big drawers? 

I can’t wait to hear your ideas about this section in the comments! I hope you’re enjoying the book so far and are excited to finish the book for next week!