How many books has Douglas Adams written?

Douglas Adams published 14 novels, 2 novellas and 1 non-fiction book that we list, as of September 2026.

What order should I read Douglas Adams's books in?

Read each series in its own order: start Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Dirk Gently with Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.

What is Douglas Adams's most famous book?

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979) is Douglas Adams's most widely read book.

Are Douglas Adams's books connected?

8 books belong to 2 series (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Dirk Gently); the other 9 books stand alone.

Does Douglas Adams write under a pen name?

Yes: Douglas Adams has also published as David Agnew.

Which Douglas Adams books have been adapted?

3 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (film, 2005), Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (TV) and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (as Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, TV).

Douglas Adams books in order

British science fiction writer and humorist

Lived: 1952–2001
Country: United Kingdom
Books: 17
Series: 2
Also writes as: David Agnew

Douglas Adams published 14 novels, 2 novellas and 1 non-fiction book, beginning with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979). The 2 series include Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (5 books, starting with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and Dirk Gently (3 books, starting with Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency).

Updated September 2026

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books in order (5)Series page

Reading order: 1 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979) · 2 The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (1980) · 3 Life, the Universe and Everything (1982) · 4 So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (1984) · 5 Mostly Harmless (1992)

1.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Oct 1979)
216 pages★ 4.5 (178 ratings)Adapted for film
Buy
2.
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (1980)
224 pages★ 4.2 (41 ratings)
Buy
3.
Life, the Universe and Everything (Aug 1982)
210 pages★ 4.1 (124 ratings)
Buy
4.
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (1984)
200 pages★ 4.0 (87 ratings)
Buy
5.
Mostly Harmless (1992)
259 pages★ 4.1 (76 ratings)
Buy

Dirk Gently books in order (3)Series page

Reading order: 1 Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (1987) · 2 The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (1988) · 3 The Salmon of Doubt (2002)

1.
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (1987)
278 pages★ 4.0 (38 ratings)Adapted for TV
Buy
2.
The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (1988)
285 pages★ 4.0 (61 ratings)Adapted for TV
Buy
3.
The Salmon of Doubt (2002), also published as The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time
299 pages★ 3.8 (30 ratings)
Buy

Where to start with Douglas Adams

Start here
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams's most-read book and the first of the 5 Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books.
Shortest way in
The Deeper Meaning of Liff
One of the most-read, at about 156 pages.

Standalone novels in order

Not 1982. Not the 9 O'Clock News (1981)
732 pages
Buy
The Meaning of Liff (Nov 1983)
185 pages
Buy
Humorous Stories (1984)
797 pages
Buy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Original Radio Scripts (1985)
249 pages
Buy
The Deeper Meaning of Liff (1990)
156 pages★ 3.9 (7 ratings)
Buy
Guide to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1998)
Buy
Starship Titanic (1998)
Buy

Novellas in order

Last Chance to See (1990)
136 pages
Buy

Non-fiction in order

The Utterly Utterly Merry Comic Relief Christmas Book (1986)
96 pages
Buy

Film and TV adaptations

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)Film · from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective AgencyTV · from Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective AgencyTV · from The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

About Douglas Adams

Douglas Noël Adams was an English author, humourist, and screenwriter. He wrote The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which originated in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy, before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold more than 14 million copies in his lifetime. He also adapted it into a 1981 television series, a 1984 video game and a posthumously-released 2005 feature film.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Douglas Adams FAQ

How many books has Douglas Adams written?: Douglas Adams published 14 novels, 2 novellas and 1 non-fiction book that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read Douglas Adams's books in?: Read each series in its own order: start Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Dirk Gently with Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
What is Douglas Adams's last book?: The Salmon of Doubt (2002).
What is Douglas Adams's most famous book?: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979) is Douglas Adams's most widely read book.
Are Douglas Adams's books connected?: 8 books belong to 2 series (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Dirk Gently); the other 9 books stand alone.
Does Douglas Adams write under a pen name?: Yes: Douglas Adams has also published as David Agnew.
Which Douglas Adams books have been adapted?: 3 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (film, 2005), Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (TV) and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (as Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, TV).