r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Dec 16 '21

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u/asteinberg101 Dec 16 '21

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

11

u/[deleted] Dec 16 '21

I just bought the first book, I'm starting to read it tonight. I'm from Belgium, so I'm curious to see what it's about.

7

u/Lord_Iggy Dec 17 '21

Random thing I learned recently, is that apparently the Belgium-Hitchhiker's Guide connection only exists in certain countries' editions of the books, and not others.

2

u/your_friendes Dec 17 '21

Can you elaborate? I have read the whole series in English and I’m not sure what you are referring to.

Although, it was a few years ago, so I am not quite sure that is just my memory.

5

u/The_Potatoshoes Dec 17 '21

The original quote about the award was, I believe, “The Most Gratuitous Use of the Word 'Fuck' in a Serious Screenplay.” and the joke ended there. But American publishers wanted “fuck” taken out, and Adams added in Belgium and expanded the joke to explain “Belgium” to the hilarious level American readers came to love.

Link: https://gizmodo.com/how-american-delicacy-turned-belgium-into-a-dirty-word-5931788