Douglas Adams' Last Book 292
mixedbag writes "A BBC news article suggests that a sixth book in Douglas Adams's Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy series will be published next May. It will be unfinished from files found of his computer. The title is to be A Salmon of Doubt."
hmmmm (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:So many questions... (Score:5, Insightful)
That will be revealed at the end of the unfinished "A Salmon of Doubt".
Publishing anything (Score:5, Insightful)
While almost-completed stories are ok to publish, when the level reaches 10 lines of text and 10 pages of comment by someone else then it's sad.
F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Last Tycoon (Score:3, Insightful)
For that reason, I'd be tempted to stay away from this book by Douglas.
Read it for what it's worth... (Score:5, Insightful)
On a side-note, Adams was a devout atheist. It doesn't seem fitting that we should be worried that he's looking down on all of us screaming, "No, you idiots! Don't publish that!"
But...he's DEAD. (Score:5, Insightful)
As for Mr. Adams, he was a very good writer, and an extremely talented man. He showed quite a bit of intelligence and insight, as well as compassion (I recommend that everyone try to get a copy of Last Chance to See. I think he did a great job of using his fame and talent to do good and have fun.
When he was alive, by all means, one should have shown him complete respect for his work and his rights. Treat him the way you'd want to be treated.
But, the fact of the matter is, now he's dead. You can't embarrass him, make him happy, cause him grief or indignation. You can't because he simply...isn't anymore. And, the fact is, there are people out there who are alive, who do want to read this. Why shouldn't they be allowed to, when doing so hurts absolutely nobody?
I'm sure some people will see this as flamebait, but seriously, many of the big problems in modern society revolve around un-dying "rights" and "wishes" -- be it of corporations, dead "prophets", or the ability of the very rich to pass on their inheritance to those who did nothing to earn it...Do we really need to devote any more "respect" to the non-existent when there are so many that could benefit (albeit in a very small way in this case) by considering the living?
If someone wants to show respect to the memory of Douglas Adams by not reading this unfinished material, that's their business -- personally I'd rather show people respect while they're alive and can appreciate it, rather than by making empty and useless gestures after they're dust.
Re:Reminds me of... (Score:2, Insightful)
Perhaps. I still have mixed feelings about it. I'm not much of a writer, but I am a nature photographer in my off hours, and I think there's an analogy here that bothers me. I have a lot of as yet unpublished photographs. Part of making a quality art print isn't just the pre-exposure and exposure-time work, it's the darkroom work (chemical or digital) in really cleanly establishing tonal relationships in the print, this is a process that takes some time to get right, and may be something I revisit.
Call me a control freak, but I don't feel that something is part of my work until it's finished. It's an intermediate result of my work, but since it doesn't completely represent my intention--it doesn't represent what I wanted from it. It may be enjoyable, it may be saleable, but it isn't really fair to give me the credit or the blame for releasing it.
Ansel Adams had a small number of color photographs that he never wished published, they were published after his death. These photographs, in my opinion, weren't up to the quality of his other work, if I didn't know (as many people don't) that this work was published without his consent, I would think less of the artist and the body of the artists work as a whole.
I'm not an Ansel Adams, I'm not a Douglass Adams, but I very much hope that whatever viewership and following I ever gain will not be confused by the publication of my intermediate work products. (I grant that good labelling of the intermediate prints would be a reasonable way of approaching the "confusion" question--but note that publishers only have an incentive to publish, not an incentive to publicize the nature of the work product.)
In the case of Douglass Adams, I worry that the publication of an unpublished draft of a 6th HHGTG novel, that Adams himself thought was dull, will color peoples impressions of Adams in a negative way, and paint the rest of his work. I'd rather not see that loss--and I am cynical that publishers will do anything to alert readers to the unfinished, incomplete nature of the work. (If they do, I grant that my objections are mitigated or removed.)
--Joe
Re:unfinished art (Score:3, Insightful)
Maybe not as well as a 'real' book by him, but well enough that publishers will lick their lips over this one. Hell. Even books vaguely connected to a series/world/idea sell. Think of the gazillion Guide To The World Of Foo books that are out there.
Some might argue that this is done so that the world will not be left without a particularly talented author's final contribution or some such. Some people may even mean that.
Personally, I don't like it. It's another man's work. Another man's dream. No matter how much respect you afford it, it's not yours. Leave it be. And, as my sig says,
a proposed ending (Score:5, Insightful)
If I was the editor it would end thusly in mid-sentence.
"...sadly the author of this work is now dead and no one knows what the question is."
and then like 42 blank pages. i would laugh my ass off at that I think Douglas would as well.
Re:But...he's DEAD. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:unfinished art (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Reminds me of... (Score:2, Insightful)
Maybe they're not. But Kafka wanted his unfinished work destroyed. It was his material and his right. People may have liked what was later published but Kafka was violated by having his own wishes denied when he couldn't even be around to have a say in it.
Re:But...he's DEAD. (Score:2, Insightful)
Uhhh -- sure, go right ahead. I'd think that, if it was truly a matter of survival, you should (Donner party, anyone?). Honestly, I don't really care what happens to my body after I'm dead (unless there's a reasonable chance for reanimation, in which case, I'd prefer you wait a bit).
If you're into cannibalism (which, I'd advise against on the basis of medical grounds), you're welcome to your meal.
People with fewer illogical qualms often donate their bodies to science, which -- IMO -- is equally practical and thoughtful as providing food to the hungry.
Re:Are you a moron or what? (Score:2, Insightful)
Very sad indeed. (Score:3, Insightful)
I personally, think that it shouldn't be published. If Adams wasn't happy with it, then his wish should have been respected.
This reminds me of when Freddie Mercury died, and all of a sudden a whole pile of Queen records got released. Most of them were pants. If they hadn't been released, it was for a good reason.
Very sad indeed. This shouldn't just be an excuse to cash in.