'Focus? Who needs to focus?'

 

“There's nothing worse than sitting down to write a novel and saying, 'Well, okay, today I'm going to do something of high artistic worth’.” – Douglas Adams

 

Born in Cambridge, England on this date in 1952, Adams is perhaps best known for writing The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which he originated in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy.  Ultimately, he turned it into a television series, several stage plays, comics, a computer game, a feature film and a bestselling series of book that sold over 15 million copies. 

 

Adams, who died of a heart attack at age 49, was a true Renaissance Man, known as an advocate for environmental and conservation causes, racing fast cars, and for his acting, singing and standup comedy routines.  He also created several top-selling computer games.

                                                                                      

His writing began with a piece published at age 10, and by age 13 he had a humorous short story published in a national youth magazine.  His first nationally published short story came at age 22.    But it was Adams’ work on “Hitchhiker’s Guide” that made him a superstar and got him enshrined in The UK Radio Academy’s Hall of Fame.

 

“I seldom end up where I want to go,” he said about his constant movement among careers and opportunities and seeming lack of focus.  “But I almost always end up where I need to be.”