The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul – Douglas Adams

One unremarkable afternoon, an unremarkable airport becomes the cause of great uproar due to “an act of God.” Inexplicably, something blew up, resulting in one missing person, but no casualties. The next morning, private detective Dirk Gently remains blissfully unaware of this “act of God” as he blusters around five hours late for his morning appointment. To his great consternation, he discovers that his client has died of a most improbable suicide, or less likely, a murder. As his day rolls on, filled with more and more strange coincidences and connections, Dirk sets out to uncover the incredible truth behind these two amazing events, determined to figure out which God has been causing trouble, why, and how these disparate accidents are actually inextricably linked to each other. As generally happens with these kinds of things, the big picture is unbelievably complicated, and can only be resolved with the holistic perspective of a private detective from a holistic detective agency.

“The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul” is the second novel by Douglas Adams featuring Dirk Gently, holistic detective. Adams is especially adept at writing grand philosophical statements and arguments that undermine rational thought processing, resulting in undeniable yet unbelievable truths. The strength of his statements is reinforced by his chosen narrative, a holistic detective who seeks the fundamental interconnectedness of all things. The irrational, implausible, and disparate all become beautifully and perfectly aligned in the world of Dirk Gently. Moreover, Adams writes with unexpected and incisive humor that perfectly captures the frustrations and absurdity of the human condition. His metaphors and illogical arguments connect the most unexpected elements, creating vivid descriptions to a degree that “a box of chocolates” just can’t muster. Both entertaining and mind-boggling, Adams will have you laughing out loud as you ponder the possibility of the impossible.

I love Adams’ work because of the originality, unexpectedness, and humor in his tone. Adams rarely crosses into the vulgar sarcasm that so often accompanies science fiction, keeping his arguments and criticisms more insightful than disparaging. However, “The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul” is not my favorite work by Adams. Perhaps because I couldn’t devote my full attention to reading this novel, and because it took me almost two full weeks to finish the novel, I had a hard time following the plot. Every once in a while I could understand how he was drawing conclusions based on earlier happenings in the novel, but for the most part, I seemed to be riding along with the arguments rather than building on the foundation of previous events. It’s hard to find the fundamental interconnectedness of things when you can’t keep all the things in your head. Disconnections aside, Adams is always a worthwhile read just for the entertainment value alone. Whether or not his arguments make sense, they always make you laugh.