The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.  Douglas Adams. October 12, 1979.  Del Rey. Source: Audio Library.

First sentence: Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.

Plot: Seconds before Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.

Together, this dynamic pair began a journey through space aided by a galaxyful of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed, ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian (formerly Tricia McMillan), Zaphod’s girlfriend, whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; and Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he’s bought over the years.

Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? For all the answers, stick your thumb to the stars! (Goodreads)

My thoughts: I have to say that I am glad this one is behind me.  Checked off my list and never to be thought of again.  I had a hard time staying with this one because from the beginning it just did not appeal to me.  I finished it because it was on my Classics Challenge for six years now.
Earth is destroyed with only two that escape.  They travel through the galaxy meeting other, ummm, beings...
I guess if you are really into science fiction you would like this one.  I'm struggling with this genre.