Yesterday would have marked the 60th birthday of one of the world’s greatest sci-fi/fantasy writers, Douglas Adams.

Every year on the 25th of May, fans of the author celebrate his life and his works by taking part in Towel Day, a day of fun and frivolity when true Douglas Adams fans are seen with the one item that every spacefarer should never be without – their towel!

This year friends and family of the author decided to throw a virtual 60th birthday party, in order to raise funds for Save the Rhino (one of Douglas Adam’s favourite charities). Adams was a passionate wildlife conservationist. He traveled the globe seeking beautiful places and creatures that would soon be extinct in order to create his book Last Chance To See.

Those who knew him remember him fondly and not a day goes by that the literary world does not regret his passing.

His long time friend, Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame) had this to say in an article by BBC News Online:

Asked what Douglas was like as a person, Jones offers an anecdote about being offered two tickets to a screening of Abel Gance’s five-hour epic 1927 silent film Napoleon.

“My wife said she had a a hangover and couldn’t possibly see a five-hour silent film, so I rang Mike Palin up and he said he had a hangover and couldn’t possibly face a five-hour silent film.

“And then I rang Douglas and he said he couldn’t possibly face it either – so I thought I’d just go on my own.

“And just as I was opening the front door, Douglas rang back and said: ‘Well it’s such an awful idea, I think I have to try it.’ And that’s the kind of person he was – he loved ideas, he had to test everything out.”

Other works by Douglas Adams (besides his famous Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy) include:

He had one posthumous release, The Salmon of Doubt, which is a collection of writings compiled by Stephen Fry and Adams’ family.

His Hitchhikers Guide series was offically concluded by fellow sci-si author Eoin Colfer in the novel And Another Thing.

So long Douglas Adams, and thanks for all the fish!