Personal friend of
Douglas Adams. This fact may or may not have precipitated the
Simian version of
Hamlet referred to in
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, specifically where
Arthur Dent and
Ford Prefect are picked up by
Zaphod.
Richard Dawkins is undeniably very intelligent. The Selfish Gene contains an extremely useful tool for looking at evolution. He is, however, a Rabid Atheist, bordering on a Fanatic and as such his Fanatacism can cloud his writing occasionally, leading him to draw conclusions that are not necesserily self-evident from the data provided. However, as these rushed conclusions pertain mostly to theology and not so much to his actual science, his books are well worth reading. They may blow your mind.