The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (Dirk Gently)

I was describing the Dirk Gently books to a friend and emphasized that they didn't rely on supernatural things and then had to back track since the first book involves time travel and aliens and this book involves literal acts of god(s). The books are so grounded in the real, in specific places and times, and have such ordinary and well rounded characters that the time travel and aliens and gods and interdimensional travel and everything else just seems normal. Inconvenient but normal. So flight delays, massive eagles swooping down on people, pizza places that refuse to deliver, demonic contracts, defective telephone lines, missing cats, and men channeling dustin hoffman all seem on the same level. It's a tremendous bit of skillful writing that many other authors and wannabe authors imitate poorly.For me, like a lot of nerdy people in their late 30s, reading a Douglas Adams book is like slipping into your favorite pair of pajamas. It's a cozy comfortable familiar fit you can relax into. For most of us we haven't actually READ Adams in years. The Gently books hold up very well. They're witty without being cloying or "wacky" and Adams manages to write a book that doesn't center a confused, passive, out of his depths but gamely going along with it male character. Instead we have Kate Schecter, a reporter who's foiled in her attempt to join (or just miss) her emotionally and physically absent boyfriend. She takes an active role in investigating what's going on. We also have Dirk Gently, the holistic investigator, whose philosophy that all things are interconnected leads him down some very interesting (but, alas, rarely lucrative) paths. He, also, takes an active role in investigating what's going on, including negotiation with gods and advertising executives. It's a nice change of pace. The plot also feels less like a recycled Doctor Who script and more original.One could probably jump right into this book without having read the previous, but "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" is very worth reading in its own right.It's great when a cherished book holds up over the years.I wish the tv shows were better.

OK.I read it three times. In a row. Back to back. Each time I looked forward to picking it up. I learned a little more each time about what the heck is going on in the story.However.This book is not nearly as good as all of his others which I have reread so many times I could not even estimate how many. They are hilarious. Tea Time is good for a chuckle here and there but that is about it. I suppose those who have a bit more upstairs than I may find all the social commentary or what ever makes up for the lack of silliness and humor. In my case it did not.Glad I bought it. Glad I read it twice. Not really worth the third read. Wish it was as great as all the others. As some one once said the lack may lie with me and not the book.A great loss that there will be no more. I tip my ridiculous hat to you Mr. Adams !

I enjoy many things about this book and I am not good at explaining why. It has a good storyline that is very different from most. The central character Dirk Gently is endearing in an annoying kind of way. Unlike many thriller protagonists he is not stronger than strong, richer than rich, etc...rather he is annoyingly human. He doesn't pay his bills on time, he buys silly things, and while congratulating himself on his effort to quit smoking ,he excuses most things that happen throughout his day that he deems to be stressors and therefore allow him to indulge while still kidding himself that he is doing o.k in his efforts to quit.His fundamental belief in the interconnectedness of all things allows to to form connections that seem most unlikely but sometimes turn out to be correct...just like a pot smoker!Anyway I can't do justice to this book as I just don't have the twisted, warped, funny, way with words Douglas Adams does. Its a great and relaxing read and one that will have you laughing a bit, and that's something I don't get from many books these days. I also loved his book So Long And Thanks For All The Fish.

The Long Dark Tea-Time of The Soul is the second novel in the Dirk Gently series and, for me, it is even less memorable. Adams' ridiculousness is stronger here than in any of his other books (excluding The Salmon of Doubt of course) and I found it to be a bit annoying. Still, you can't help but enjoy the nonsense plot and intelligent writing style. Douglas Adams fans who liked the first Dirk Gently novel should enjoy this as well, but, for me, reading Adams is like watching a movie that is so set on getting laughs that they force in jokes and hilarious plot twists so much that it almost wears out your sense of humor after a while.

I love all of Douglas Adams' books. I'd recommend this book to everyone in the universe. Keep calm and Don't Panic

The difficulty with Dirk Gently novels is the suspension of disbelief is high. This novel is simply not of the greatness of the first, yet it is a good novel. That is the trouble with Douglas Adams novels. They are mostly great so occasionally you'll find a good but not great one and feel a little let down. It's what humans do when their expectations are over met. So I do like this novel just not as much as the first. There was to be a 3rd but it was never completed before the death of Mr. Adams. You can find a section of the 3rd book in Salmon of Doubt.

Adams nailed it again with his absurd plots and humor. Enjoyable escape from reality. I plan to read the whole series.

Ho comprato tutti e tre i libri per un regalo e visto che avevo già visto la serie tv ho dato una veloce occhiata ai testi che in lingua originale come sempre risultano migliori rispetto alle traduzioni, purtroppo la censura italiana in più occasioni rovina le opere… ho divagato ma tirando le somme sono soddisfatto e la persona che li ha ricevuti è contento

Quite simply brilliant. Reading this again for the first time in 10+ years. Better than ever. No book has ever been better than this.PS anyone mentioning the TV series will be placed into suspended animation until lemon-soaked paper napkins are available. It’s dross and bears NO relation to the books. If Adams were alive today he’d be spinning in his grave. Shame Amazon doesn’t allow comments on reviews any more or I’d have some choice things to say, I can tell you.

Let yourself enter into this fantastic and strange world of Dirk Gently, and be sorry it didn't last longer when you are done. A perfect way to pass the time.

Good book with great imagination

GOOD