What is the meaning of life, the universe and everything?

"There really is one?" breathed Phouchg.

"There really is one," confirmed Deep Thought.

"To Everything? To the great Question of Life, the Universe and Everything?"

"Yes."

Both of the men had been trained for this moment, their lives had been a preparation for it, they had been selected at birth as those who would witness the answer, but even so they found themselves gasping and squirming like excited children […].

"Tell us!"

"Alright," said Deep Thought. "The Answer to the Great Question..."

"Yes...!"

"Of Life, the Universe and Everything..." said Deep Thought.

"Yes...!"

"Is..." said Deep Thought, and paused.

"Yes...!"

"Is..."

"Yes...!!!...?"

"Forty-two," said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm.

Douglas Adams, The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

(Pan Books)

Block

Distinguished participants

The festival bookshops!

Once again, the lobby of Fabra i Coats will be packed full of books for the duration of Festival 42. In this third edition of the festival, the bookshop Alibri and the Gremi de Llibreters de Vell de Catalunya [Booksellers Guild of Catalonia] will be luring you in with two stalls piled high with the best genre literature around.

Also in this space, the authors participating in the festival will be signing copies of their works at the end of the gatherings they're taking part in. This area will also be hosting the book signing of the winners of the Premios 42 awards. This will take place on Saturday 11 November following the public conversation with all the authors from 11 am to 12 noon in Sala 2.