Towel Day: Book Fans Unite to Celebrate the Interstellar Symbol of Preparedness
Published on May 24, 2024
May 25 is Towel Day, a yearly homage to the late Douglas Adams (1952–2001), the brilliant mind behind “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” series. On this day, Mr. Adams’s fans carry a towel, commemorating the indispensable item for any interstellar hitchhiker. According to the Guide, a towel is incredibly useful. It can keep you warm, serve as a makeshift bed, act as a sail or weapon, be a distress signal, protect against harmful fumes, and even hide you from the foolish yet dangerous Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal. But beyond its practical uses, a towel holds psychological significance. If a hitchhiker has a towel, others assume he has all the necessary travel gear and are likely to lend him anything he might need....