The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: A Trilogy in Five Parts

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: A Trilogy in Five Parts. The complete collection of Douglas Adams' five Hitch-Hiker's series novels published by The Folio Society between 2010 and 2016, illustrated by Jonathan Burton, all in their first printing.

Comprising of:

1. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. London: The Folio Society, 2010. First printing thus. Introduced by Terry Jones, illustrated by Jonathan Burton. 228 × 150 × 22 mm. Pp. [i–iv] v–xiv, [1–2] 3–174 [175–178]: [8] leaves of colour plates (facing pp. [iii], 35, 50, 83, 98, 115, 130 and 162). Type: Sabon. Printed and bound by L.E.G.O. in full dark blue cloth flecked with metallic greens, blocked with design in silver by Burton; metallic blue endleaves. Metallic blue slip case.
2. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams. London: The Folio Society, 2011. First printing thus. Introduced by Adam Roberts, illustrated by Jonathan Burton. 228 × 149 × 23 mm. Pp. [i–iv] v–xvi, [1–8] 9–208: [8] leaves of colour plates (facing pp. [iii], 33, 48, 80, 112, 129, 176 and 193). Type: Sabon. Printed and bound by L.E.G.O. in full dark blue cloth flecked with metallic greens, blocked with design in gold and silver by Burton; metallic blue endleaves. Metallic blue slip case.
3. Life, the Universe and Everything, by Douglas Adams. London: The Folio Society, 2014. First printing thus. Introduced by Jon Canter, illustrated by Jonathan Burton. 228 × 151 × 24 mm. Pp. [i–iv] v–xiii [xiv], [1–4] 5–194: [8] leaves of colour plates (facing pp. [iii], 50, 67, 82, 115, 130, 146 and 179). Type: Sabon. Printed and bound by L.E.G.O. in full dark blue cloth flecked with metallic greens, blocked with design in silver and metallic green by Burton; metallic blue endleaves. Metallic blue slip case. Burton’s work was shortlisted in the 2015 V&A Illustration Awards.
4. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, by Douglas Adams. London: The Folio Society, 2016. First printing thus. Illustrated by Jonathan Burton. 228 × 150 × 20 mm. Pp. [i–iv] v [vi], [1–4] 5–158 [159–162]: [7] leaves of colour plates (facing pp. [iii], 26, 58, 75, 115, 130 and 146). Type: Sabon. Printed and bound by L.E.G.O. in full dark blue cloth flecked with metallic greens, blocked with design in silver and metallic blue by Burton; metallic blue endleaves. Metallic blue slip case.
5. Mostly Harmless, by Douglas Adams. London: The Folio Society, 2016. First printing thus. Illustrated by Jonathan Burton. 228 × 150 × 26 mm. Pp. [i–iv] v [vi], [1–12] 13–221 [222–226]: [8] leaves of colour plates (facing pp. [iii], 42, 91, 106, 139, 154, 186 and 203). Type: Sabon. Printed and bound by L.E.G.O. in full dark blue cloth flecked with metallic greens, blocked with design in silver and metallic red by Burton; metallic blue endleaves. Metallic blue slip case. The final volume of Adams’s universe-spanning odyssey.

Near-fine copies with bindings square and secure, and pages clean, bright and uninscribed. In like slipcase only showing a hint of shelf-wear. A near-fine set, all five books being first printings of this edition. With all of them being reprinted at least three times by the Folio Society (and the first one being re-printed seven times!), it is quite difficult to find all copies as first impressions.

A cult classic and the story of the two human beings who survive the Earth's senseless destruction, and their adventures in space and time while attempting to discover the meaning of life or, in Arthur Dent, the main protagonist's case, simply find a decent cup of tea (something which can sometimes constitute the same thing).