Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe by Douglas Adams

Arthur Dent's day is not starting well. He wakes up with a terrible hangover and the realization that his house is about to be torn down to make way for an expressway. Unfortunately it's going to get worse as his friend Ford Prefect convenciences him to go have a drink and then says the world is ending in 6 minutes. Wouldn't you know it, the Earth is going to be blown up for an intergalexic expressway.

Ford Prefect, is actually a researcher for the book "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" from a planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse, and has been stranded on earth for 15 years. Thankfully just moments before the Earth is destroyed Arthur and Ford hitch a ride on the Vogon space cruiser that has just destroyed the planet Earth. Poor Arthur wakes up confused and sick and not able to understand anything being said until he sticks a Babel fish into his ear. After Arthur and Ford are thrown out into space they are picked up by the Heart of Gold stolen by President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox and his shipmate Trillian, both of whom Arthur actually met months before at a party. Such impossible coincidences are explained by the fact that the Heart of Gold is powered by the new Infinite Improbability Drive. More considents abound as they zoom through space. The ending leaves it open to the next book "Restaurant at the end of Universe".

I've read this several times but this was my first time hearing it read on CD. The reader was Stephen Fry and it was so well done. I just laughed and laughed and now want to continue the adventures by hopefully another tale online.