Douglas Adams, in full Douglas Noël Adams, (born March 11, 1952, Cambridge, Eng.—died May 11, 2001, Santa Barbara, Calif., U.S.), British comic writer whose works satirize contemporary life through a luckless protagonist who deals ineptly with societal forces beyond his control. Adams is best known for the mock science-fiction series known collectively as The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.