The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Original Radio Scripts contains a new introduction by Geoffrey Perkins, and newly researched material by M. J. Simpson, including a transcript of "The Lost Hitchhiker Sketch." The sketch was an interview with Simon Jones in character as Arthur Dent, conducted by Sheila Steafel on her show "Steafel Plus" in 1982, written entirely by Adams. The sketch can be heard in the "Douglas Adams at the BBC" CD collection. The book now contains transcripts of all Hitchhikers radio sketches, barring a sketch for Marvin that Adams wrote for the BBC Radio 1 show Studio B15 to promote the television version of the serial, which
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (novel) of an encyclopedia. The book begins with city council workmen arriving at Arthur Dent's house. They wish to demolish his house in order to build a bypass. Arthur's best friend, Ford Prefect, arrives, warning him of the end of the world. Ford is revealed to be an alien who had come to Earth to research it for the titular "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", an enormous work providing information about every planet and place in the universe. The two head to a pub, where the locals question Ford's knowledge of the Apocalypse. An alien race, known as Vogons, show up