@mclightning: “I haven't been able to get into the whole hype about this book”

Then try and get hold of the original radio series, which the books are based on. “Why a fish for translation”: because it is ridiculous, which most fifties sci/fi is/was. Adams did write scripts for Doctor Who.

So, the babelfish takes the piss out of Sci-Fi and the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation takes the piss out of consumerism. And this quote takes the piss out of Politics:

‘The President .. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it’. Take a look at that whole quote, does it remind you of anyone.

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7204835-the-president-in-pa...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_th...