The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is world-renowned, and probably needs no introduction - though I’ll say that if you watched it on TV, you’re doing it wrong! Arthur Dent is the fantastically befuddled everyman who largely stands there being confused while the universe happens. Among my favorite lines in the book: "The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don’t."

Note: The link is to the Americanized edition (without reference to Belgium). If you can get hold of the originals, do.