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袣谢邪胁懈邪褌褍褉薪邪 谐褉械褕泻邪
袙 褉褗褑械褌械 褋懈 写褗褉卸懈褌械 泻薪懈谐邪 褋 写褍屑懈, 泻芯懈褌芯 芯褌褉邪鈥嬓费徯残把� 褑褟谢邪褌邪 屑懈 泻邪褉懈械褉邪.
袟邪 泻薪懈卸邪褉薪懈褑懈褌械, 写褉邪泻芯薪懈褌械, 锌懈褋屑邪褌邪 芯褌 褎械薪芯胁械褌械, 褋邪薪写胁懈褔懈褌械, 懈薪褋褌褉褍屑械薪褌懈褌械 薪邪 蟹邪薪邪褟褌邪 懈 谐薪械胁邪 泻褗屑 泻芯谢邪 屑邪褋泻邪褌邪. 袟邪 褍褔械斜薪懈褌械 写薪懈, 褉邪蟹褉邪薪械薪懈褌械 泻芯谢械薪械, 锌褗褉胁邪褌邪 褉邪斜芯褌邪, 褌邪屑褟薪邪, 褉芯斜芯褌懈褌械 褏褉懈褋褌懈褟薪懈 懈 谢褞斜懈屑懈褌械 泻薪懈谐懈, 斜械蟹 写邪 褋锌芯屑械薪邪胁邪屑械 芯褉邪薪谐褍褌邪薪邪. 袟邪 斜芯谢械褋褌褌邪 薪邪 袗谢褑褏邪泄屑械褉, 泻邪屑锌邪薪懈懈褌械, 锌褉芯褌懈胁芯褉械褔懈褟褌邪 懈 锌褉邪胁芯褌芯 薪邪 写芯褋褌芯械薪 蟹邪胁褗褉褕械泻. 袠 薪邪泄-胁械褔械 蟹邪 芯锌懈褌懈褌械 写邪 薪邪锌褉邪胁懈褕 屑薪芯谐芯 薪械褖邪 屑邪谢泻芯 锌芯-写芯斜褉懈 鈥� 写邪谢懈 薪邪 斜褟谢邪褌邪 褋褌褉邪薪懈褑邪, 懈谢懈 胁 卸懈胁芯褌邪 芯褌胁褗薪, 薪邪 褍谢懈褑邪褌邪.
袧械懈蟹写邪胁邪薪懈褟褌 写芯褋械谐邪 褋斜芯褉薪懈泻 褋 械褋械褌邪 薪邪 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 锌褉芯褋谢械写褟胁邪 褑褟谢邪褌邪 屑褍 锌懈褋邪褌械谢褋泻邪 泻邪褉懈械褉邪, 芯褌 锌褗褉胁懈褟 褎械薪褎懈泻褕褗薪 写芯 褋褗蟹写邪胁邪薪械褌芯 薪邪 谢褞斜懈屑邪褌邪 锌芯褉械写懈褑邪 薪邪 锌芯泻芯谢械薪懈褟 蟹邪 小胁械褌邪 薪邪 袛懈褋泻邪. 袙 薪械谐芯 褖械 褋械 褋褉械褖薪械褌械 泻邪泻褌芯 褋 谢褞斜懈屑懈 谐械褉芯懈 泻邪褌芯 小屑褗褉褌, 谢械谢褟 袨谐 懈 芯斜懈褌邪褌械谢懈褌械 薪邪 袧械胁懈写懈屑懈褟 褍薪懈胁械褉褋懈褌械褌, 褌邪泻邪 懈 褋 薪械锌芯蟹薪邪褌懈 泻邪褌芯 斜邪斜邪 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 鈥� 邪 褋褗褖芯 懈 褋 薪褟泻芯懈 屑薪芯谐芯 芯褋芯斜械薪懈 褉邪蟹屑懈褋谢懈 蟹邪 谢褞斜芯胁薪懈褟 卸懈胁芯褌 薪邪 袚邪薪写邪谢褎. 小 薪械褍屑芯褉薪芯 褔褍胁褋褌胁芯 蟹邪 褏褍屑芯褉 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 鈥� 谢褞斜懈褌械谢 薪邪 褕邪锌泻懈, 泻薪懈谐懈 懈 芯褉邪薪谐褍褌邪薪懈 鈥� 谐芯胁芯褉懈 蟹邪 锌褉懈蟹胁邪薪懈械褌芯 褋懈 薪邪 锌懈褋邪褌械谢 懈 蟹邪 泻邪褍蟹懈褌械, 懈蟹谐褉邪写懈谢懈 谐芯 泻邪褌芯 褔芯胁械泻.
袟邪 泻薪懈卸邪褉薪懈褑懈褌械, 写褉邪泻芯薪懈褌械, 锌懈褋屑邪褌邪 芯褌 褎械薪芯胁械褌械, 褋邪薪写胁懈褔懈褌械, 懈薪褋褌褉褍屑械薪褌懈褌械 薪邪 蟹邪薪邪褟褌邪 懈 谐薪械胁邪 泻褗屑 泻芯谢邪 屑邪褋泻邪褌邪. 袟邪 褍褔械斜薪懈褌械 写薪懈, 褉邪蟹褉邪薪械薪懈褌械 泻芯谢械薪械, 锌褗褉胁邪褌邪 褉邪斜芯褌邪, 褌邪屑褟薪邪, 褉芯斜芯褌懈褌械 褏褉懈褋褌懈褟薪懈 懈 谢褞斜懈屑懈褌械 泻薪懈谐懈, 斜械蟹 写邪 褋锌芯屑械薪邪胁邪屑械 芯褉邪薪谐褍褌邪薪邪. 袟邪 斜芯谢械褋褌褌邪 薪邪 袗谢褑褏邪泄屑械褉, 泻邪屑锌邪薪懈懈褌械, 锌褉芯褌懈胁芯褉械褔懈褟褌邪 懈 锌褉邪胁芯褌芯 薪邪 写芯褋褌芯械薪 蟹邪胁褗褉褕械泻. 袠 薪邪泄-胁械褔械 蟹邪 芯锌懈褌懈褌械 写邪 薪邪锌褉邪胁懈褕 屑薪芯谐芯 薪械褖邪 屑邪谢泻芯 锌芯-写芯斜褉懈 鈥� 写邪谢懈 薪邪 斜褟谢邪褌邪 褋褌褉邪薪懈褑邪, 懈谢懈 胁 卸懈胁芯褌邪 芯褌胁褗薪, 薪邪 褍谢懈褑邪褌邪.
袧械懈蟹写邪胁邪薪懈褟褌 写芯褋械谐邪 褋斜芯褉薪懈泻 褋 械褋械褌邪 薪邪 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 锌褉芯褋谢械写褟胁邪 褑褟谢邪褌邪 屑褍 锌懈褋邪褌械谢褋泻邪 泻邪褉懈械褉邪, 芯褌 锌褗褉胁懈褟 褎械薪褎懈泻褕褗薪 写芯 褋褗蟹写邪胁邪薪械褌芯 薪邪 谢褞斜懈屑邪褌邪 锌芯褉械写懈褑邪 薪邪 锌芯泻芯谢械薪懈褟 蟹邪 小胁械褌邪 薪邪 袛懈褋泻邪. 袙 薪械谐芯 褖械 褋械 褋褉械褖薪械褌械 泻邪泻褌芯 褋 谢褞斜懈屑懈 谐械褉芯懈 泻邪褌芯 小屑褗褉褌, 谢械谢褟 袨谐 懈 芯斜懈褌邪褌械谢懈褌械 薪邪 袧械胁懈写懈屑懈褟 褍薪懈胁械褉褋懈褌械褌, 褌邪泻邪 懈 褋 薪械锌芯蟹薪邪褌懈 泻邪褌芯 斜邪斜邪 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 鈥� 邪 褋褗褖芯 懈 褋 薪褟泻芯懈 屑薪芯谐芯 芯褋芯斜械薪懈 褉邪蟹屑懈褋谢懈 蟹邪 谢褞斜芯胁薪懈褟 卸懈胁芯褌 薪邪 袚邪薪写邪谢褎. 小 薪械褍屑芯褉薪芯 褔褍胁褋褌胁芯 蟹邪 褏褍屑芯褉 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 鈥� 谢褞斜懈褌械谢 薪邪 褕邪锌泻懈, 泻薪懈谐懈 懈 芯褉邪薪谐褍褌邪薪懈 鈥� 谐芯胁芯褉懈 蟹邪 锌褉懈蟹胁邪薪懈械褌芯 褋懈 薪邪 锌懈褋邪褌械谢 懈 蟹邪 泻邪褍蟹懈褌械, 懈蟹谐褉邪写懈谢懈 谐芯 泻邪褌芯 褔芯胁械泻.
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 23, 2014
426 people are currently reading
6319 people want to read
About the author
Terry Pratchett
628听books45k听followersSir Terence David John Pratchett was an English author, humorist, and satirist, best known for the Discworld series of 41 comic fantasy novels published between 1983鈥�2015, and for the apocalyptic comedy novel Good Omens (1990), which he co-wrote with Neil Gaiman.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 738 reviews
May 25, 2016
How is it possible to miss somebody so much when you've never even met them face-to-face?
I can't believe Terry Pratchett has been gone for over a year. His death affected me so much that I knew it would be a while before I could read one of this books again. The time has finally come.
This collection of non-fiction is an absolute delight for fans of this wonderful man. You experience his incredible sense of humour. You experience his compassion. You experience his anger. What you get here is a small slice of Terry Pratchett the man, speaking to us directly, as himself, rather than through one of the incredible worlds he created.
This wasn't an easy read for me. It was painful to have Terry talk to me from 'beyond the grave' and I cried while reading it... a lot. I also laughed a lot, too, because the book is damned funny. He covers a lot of topics here, from mushroom picking in the small hours of the morning to assisted dying, and he writes them all in his own brutally yet hilariously honest style.
It was good to spend some time with you, Terry, and I promise I'll return to the Discworld one of these days... but probably not too soon. I know you won't mind waiting.
I can't believe Terry Pratchett has been gone for over a year. His death affected me so much that I knew it would be a while before I could read one of this books again. The time has finally come.
This collection of non-fiction is an absolute delight for fans of this wonderful man. You experience his incredible sense of humour. You experience his compassion. You experience his anger. What you get here is a small slice of Terry Pratchett the man, speaking to us directly, as himself, rather than through one of the incredible worlds he created.
This wasn't an easy read for me. It was painful to have Terry talk to me from 'beyond the grave' and I cried while reading it... a lot. I also laughed a lot, too, because the book is damned funny. He covers a lot of topics here, from mushroom picking in the small hours of the morning to assisted dying, and he writes them all in his own brutally yet hilariously honest style.
It was good to spend some time with you, Terry, and I promise I'll return to the Discworld one of these days... but probably not too soon. I know you won't mind waiting.
April 4, 2018
I'm not sure I've ever read one of his books all the way through & I've tried quite a few over the years since he's so popular & many of his books wound up in my hands. He writes humor, British humor, which leaves me cold. I usually think it's too obvious to be funny or just don't get it. Sometimes it's the odd words that sound like the same language I speak, but they mean something completely different & are pronounced in a funny ways with weird accents.
In any case, while his fiction doesn't interest me, I read enough about his personal life & views to think this collection would & it did. For instance, steam rolling his hard drives so no one pulls 'new' books out after his demise is a wonderful idea & full of style. His battle with Alzheimer's & opinions on the 'right to die' also interested me.
Below I listed the TOC with just a bit at the end of each of the 3 sections. Scroll through it quickly & you'll get a good idea of the topics & times. There was definitely repetition, less than I would have thought, though.
Foreword by
A Scribbling Intruder
Thought Progress (1989)
Palmtop (1993)
The Choice Word (2000)
How to Be a Professional Boxer (2005)
Brewer鈥檚 Boy (1999)
Paperback Writer (2003)
Advice to Booksellers (1999)
No Worries (1998)
Conventional Wisdom (2011)
Straight from the Heart, via the Groin (2004)
Discworld Turns 21 (2004)
Kevins (1993)
Wyrd Ideas (1999)
Notes from a Successful Fantasy Author: Keep It Real (2007)
Whose Fantasy Are You? (1991)
Why Gandalf Never Married (1985)
Roots of Fantasy (1989)
Elves Were Bastards (1992)
Let There Be Dragons (1993)
Magic Kingdoms (1999)
Cult Classic (2001)
Neil Gaiman: Amazing Master Conjuror (2002)
2001 Carnegie Medal Award Speech (2002)
Boston Globe鈥揌orn Book Award Speech for Nation (2009)
Watching Nation (2009)
Doctor Who? (2001)
A Word About Hats (2001)
-----------------------------
The first section was both informative & funny. His take on Tolkein's LOTR was incredibly similar to mine a decade later. Yes, I have the same movie in my mind & also quit reading it annually, eventually. I'm not sure why either, but came to the same conclusion; it plays without the need to read.
I liked the boxer analogy to writing & his descriptions of how he writes, where his ideas come from, & his education due to fantasy reading. His defense of reading fantasy is excellent & he just seemed like a really nice guy. Anyone that can appreciate so many of Chesterton's words without his belief must be extremely tolerant.
----------------------------
A Twit and a Dreamer
The Big Store (2002)
Roundhead Wood, Forty Green (1996)
A Star Pupil (2011)
On Granny Pratchett (2004)
Tales of Wonder and of Porn (2004)
Letter to Vector (1963)
Writer鈥檚 Choice (2004)
Introduction to Roy Lewis鈥檚 The Evolution Man (1989)
The King and I, or How the Bottom Has Dropped Out of the Wise Man Business (1970)
Honey, These Bees Had a Heart of Gold (1976)
That Sounds Fungi, It Must Be the Dawn Chorus (1976)
Introduction to The Leaky Establishment by David Langford (2001)
The Meaning of My Christmas (1997)
Alien Christmas (1987)
2001: The Vision and the Reality (2000)
The God Moment (2008)
A Genuine Absent-minded Professor (2010)
Saturdays (2011)
------------------------
Autobiographical shorts that were interesting. His mind & talents wander around even more than mine do. Casting a gold bee & the silence of early morning mushroom picking were both fun.
------------------------
Days of Rage
On Excellence in Schools. Education: What It Means to You (1997)
The Orangutans Are Dying (2000)
The NHS Is Seriously Injured (2008)
I鈥檓 Slipping Away a Bit at a Time . . . and All I Can Do Is Watch It Happen (2008)
Taxworld (2009)
Point Me to Heaven When the Final Chapter Comes (2009)
The Richard Dimbleby Lecture: Shaking Hands with Death (2010)
At Last We Have Real Compassion in Assisted-Dying Guidelines (2010)
Assisted Dying: It鈥檚 Time the Government Gave Us the Right to End Our Lives (2011)
Death Knocked and We Let Him In (2011)
A Week in the Death of Terry Pratchett (2011)
And Finally . . .
Terry Pratchett鈥檚 Wild Unattached Footnotes to Life (1990)
-------------------------
A lot of interesting different bits in this one.
- Education goes about it wrongly in the UK. Terry, you have no clue how much worse it is in the US. I agreed with everything you wrote. Libraries are the way to go.
- The orangutans aren't doing any better, I'm sorry to say.
- 50% taxes... That seems steep, but in a socialist country with 'free' health services, you're no worse than we are here in the US where the income tax rates are only about half that, but then we go on to tax everything multiple times plus fees. We won't discuss health care idiocies since even a healthy person can easily spend 10% of their gross pay. If sick, just hand over the wallet, a limb or two, & first born BEFORE treatment. They'll get the rest of the pounds of flesh afterward. Oh & the doctor can fit me in only 2 months from the Tuesday after next? Marvelous! SMH
- The NHS doesn't cover a lot? You can get Viagra but not needed medication for Alzheimer's? You're penalized for paying your own way? This a condition of bureaucracies. In order to justify themselves, they have to create stupid rules that inhibit the very thing they are supposed to foster.
- Assisted dying... I couldn't agree more. We don't know how to die anymore.
The following link is one of the sections above & sums up Prachette's position well.
We need this. I also highly recommend . is a doctor & the son of 2 doctors. He covers the subject well.
I'm so glad I read this. What a great guy he seems to have been. Rarely does he speak negatively about anything, but manages to show his disapproval by poking some fun & showing other things in a more positive light. I loved how his mind flitted about through so many subjects & his loss was a great one. I'll probably have to try reading one of his books again. I'm not sure I've tried one in audio. Maybe that's the ticket. This one was very well narrated. A real pleasure & I highly recommend it to all.
In any case, while his fiction doesn't interest me, I read enough about his personal life & views to think this collection would & it did. For instance, steam rolling his hard drives so no one pulls 'new' books out after his demise is a wonderful idea & full of style. His battle with Alzheimer's & opinions on the 'right to die' also interested me.
Below I listed the TOC with just a bit at the end of each of the 3 sections. Scroll through it quickly & you'll get a good idea of the topics & times. There was definitely repetition, less than I would have thought, though.
Foreword by
A Scribbling Intruder
Thought Progress (1989)
Palmtop (1993)
The Choice Word (2000)
How to Be a Professional Boxer (2005)
Brewer鈥檚 Boy (1999)
Paperback Writer (2003)
Advice to Booksellers (1999)
No Worries (1998)
Conventional Wisdom (2011)
Straight from the Heart, via the Groin (2004)
Discworld Turns 21 (2004)
Kevins (1993)
Wyrd Ideas (1999)
Notes from a Successful Fantasy Author: Keep It Real (2007)
Whose Fantasy Are You? (1991)
Why Gandalf Never Married (1985)
Roots of Fantasy (1989)
Elves Were Bastards (1992)
Let There Be Dragons (1993)
Magic Kingdoms (1999)
Cult Classic (2001)
Neil Gaiman: Amazing Master Conjuror (2002)
2001 Carnegie Medal Award Speech (2002)
Boston Globe鈥揌orn Book Award Speech for Nation (2009)
Watching Nation (2009)
Doctor Who? (2001)
A Word About Hats (2001)
-----------------------------
The first section was both informative & funny. His take on Tolkein's LOTR was incredibly similar to mine a decade later. Yes, I have the same movie in my mind & also quit reading it annually, eventually. I'm not sure why either, but came to the same conclusion; it plays without the need to read.
I liked the boxer analogy to writing & his descriptions of how he writes, where his ideas come from, & his education due to fantasy reading. His defense of reading fantasy is excellent & he just seemed like a really nice guy. Anyone that can appreciate so many of Chesterton's words without his belief must be extremely tolerant.
----------------------------
A Twit and a Dreamer
The Big Store (2002)
Roundhead Wood, Forty Green (1996)
A Star Pupil (2011)
On Granny Pratchett (2004)
Tales of Wonder and of Porn (2004)
Letter to Vector (1963)
Writer鈥檚 Choice (2004)
Introduction to Roy Lewis鈥檚 The Evolution Man (1989)
The King and I, or How the Bottom Has Dropped Out of the Wise Man Business (1970)
Honey, These Bees Had a Heart of Gold (1976)
That Sounds Fungi, It Must Be the Dawn Chorus (1976)
Introduction to The Leaky Establishment by David Langford (2001)
The Meaning of My Christmas (1997)
Alien Christmas (1987)
2001: The Vision and the Reality (2000)
The God Moment (2008)
A Genuine Absent-minded Professor (2010)
Saturdays (2011)
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Autobiographical shorts that were interesting. His mind & talents wander around even more than mine do. Casting a gold bee & the silence of early morning mushroom picking were both fun.
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Days of Rage
On Excellence in Schools. Education: What It Means to You (1997)
The Orangutans Are Dying (2000)
The NHS Is Seriously Injured (2008)
I鈥檓 Slipping Away a Bit at a Time . . . and All I Can Do Is Watch It Happen (2008)
Taxworld (2009)
Point Me to Heaven When the Final Chapter Comes (2009)
The Richard Dimbleby Lecture: Shaking Hands with Death (2010)
At Last We Have Real Compassion in Assisted-Dying Guidelines (2010)
Assisted Dying: It鈥檚 Time the Government Gave Us the Right to End Our Lives (2011)
Death Knocked and We Let Him In (2011)
A Week in the Death of Terry Pratchett (2011)
And Finally . . .
Terry Pratchett鈥檚 Wild Unattached Footnotes to Life (1990)
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A lot of interesting different bits in this one.
- Education goes about it wrongly in the UK. Terry, you have no clue how much worse it is in the US. I agreed with everything you wrote. Libraries are the way to go.
- The orangutans aren't doing any better, I'm sorry to say.
- 50% taxes... That seems steep, but in a socialist country with 'free' health services, you're no worse than we are here in the US where the income tax rates are only about half that, but then we go on to tax everything multiple times plus fees. We won't discuss health care idiocies since even a healthy person can easily spend 10% of their gross pay. If sick, just hand over the wallet, a limb or two, & first born BEFORE treatment. They'll get the rest of the pounds of flesh afterward. Oh & the doctor can fit me in only 2 months from the Tuesday after next? Marvelous! SMH
- The NHS doesn't cover a lot? You can get Viagra but not needed medication for Alzheimer's? You're penalized for paying your own way? This a condition of bureaucracies. In order to justify themselves, they have to create stupid rules that inhibit the very thing they are supposed to foster.
- Assisted dying... I couldn't agree more. We don't know how to die anymore.
The following link is one of the sections above & sums up Prachette's position well.
We need this. I also highly recommend . is a doctor & the son of 2 doctors. He covers the subject well.
I'm so glad I read this. What a great guy he seems to have been. Rarely does he speak negatively about anything, but manages to show his disapproval by poking some fun & showing other things in a more positive light. I loved how his mind flitted about through so many subjects & his loss was a great one. I'll probably have to try reading one of his books again. I'm not sure I've tried one in audio. Maybe that's the ticket. This one was very well narrated. A real pleasure & I highly recommend it to all.
November 29, 2017
袦薪芯谐芯鈥� 褋褗泻褉芯胁械薪邪 泻薪懈谐邪. 袦薪芯谐芯 懈褋褌懈薪褋泻邪. 袗蟹, 泻邪泻褌芯 锌褉械写锌芯谢邪谐邪屑 懈 写芯褋褌邪 褏芯褉邪, 褋褗屑 褋胁懈泻薪邪谢邪 写邪 谐谢械写邪屑 薪邪 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 泻邪褌芯 薪邪 褌胁芯褉械褑 薪邪 褋屑褟褏. 袪芯屑邪薪懈褌械 屑褍 懈褉芯薪懈蟹懈褉邪褌 写芯褋褌邪 褌械屑懈, 褔械褋褌芯 鈥� 褌褗锌芯褌邪褌邪 薪邪 褏芯褉邪褌邪 鈥� 褌褍泻 薪褟屑邪 褑懈褌懈褉邪屑 袗泄薪褖邪泄薪 懈 薪械谐芯胁邪褌邪 屑懈褋褗谢 蟹邪 写胁械褌械 斜械蟹谐褉邪薪懈褔薪懈 薪械褖邪 鈥� 褔芯胁械褕泻邪褌邪 谐谢褍锌芯褋褌 懈 胁褋械谢械薪邪褌邪, 邪 褋邪屑懈褟 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌: Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time. 袠蟹泻褍褋褌胁芯 褋懈 械 写邪 褋械 锌褉懈褋屑懈胁邪褕 薪邪 褋屑芯褌邪薪懈褌械 薪械褖邪, 泻芯懈褌芯 胁懈写褗褌 褌懈 锌褉邪胁懈, 褋 褟褋薪芯褌芯 褋褗蟹薪邪薪懈械, 褔械 褔邪褋褌 芯褌 褌褟褏 谐懈 锌褉邪胁懈褕 懈 褌懈 褋邪屑懈褟褌. 袠蟹泻褍褋褌胁芯 褋懈 械 写邪 褋械 薪邪写褋屑懈胁邪褕 薪邪写 褋械斜械 褋懈. 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 谐芯 胁谢邪写械械 褋褗胁褗褉褕械薪芯. A Slip of the Keyboard 芯褌 写褉褍谐邪 褋褌褉邪薪邪 械 屑械褔褌邪褌械谢薪邪, 褉邪蟹屑懈褕谢褟胁邪褖邪, 谐薪械胁薪邪鈥� 薪褟泻褗写械 褌邪屑 懈蟹屑械卸写褍 胁褋懈褔泻懈 褌械蟹懈 械屑芯褑懈懈 械 懈 蟹邪斜邪胁薪芯褌芯, 锌褉芯褋褌芯 蟹邪褖芯褌芯 褌芯胁邪 械 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌. 袧械 斜懈 屑芯谐谢芯 写邪 斜褗写械 懈薪邪褔械.
袣薪懈谐邪褌邪 械 泻邪褌芯 芯薪械蟹懈 胁械褋械谢懈 芯写械褟谢褑邪, 泻芯懈褌芯 褋邪 薪邪锌褉邪胁械薪懈 芯褌 褋褗褕懈褌懈 薪械锌邪褋胁邪褖懈 褋懈 泻胁邪写褉邪褌懈, 懈 泻邪褌芯 谐懈 谐谢械写邪褕 锌芯谐谢械写褗褌 褌懈 谢械泻芯 褋械 褉邪蟹褎芯泻褍褋懈褉邪 芯褌 屑薪芯卸械褋褌胁芯褌芯 褑胁械褌芯胁械. 袥懈褔薪芯 屑芯褟褌 薪邪 屑芯屑械薪褌懈 褋械 褉邪蟹褎芯泻褍褋懈褉邪褕械 芯褌 薪邪褋褗谢蟹械薪懈 芯褔懈; 芯褌 泻褗褋褔械褌邪褌邪 懈褋褌懈薪褋泻懈 褔芯胁械泻, 泻芯懈褌芯 褍褋锌褟褏 写邪 胁懈写褟 芯褌胁褗写 薪械懈蟹屑械薪薪芯 写褍褏芯胁懈褌芯褌芯 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈; 芯褌 褍写懈胁谢械薪懈械褌芯, 泻芯械褌芯 械 懈蟹锌懈褌胁邪谢 泻褗屑 褋胁械褌邪; 芯褌 谢褞斜芯胁褌邪 屑褍 泻褗屑 褏芯褉邪褌邪 (胁褗锌褉械泻懈 薪械写芯褋褌邪褌褗褑懈褌械 懈屑, 邪 屑芯卸械 斜懈 懈屑械薪薪芯 蟹邪褉邪写懈 褌褟褏). 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 锌懈褕械 胁褋械 械写薪芯 褔械 锌褉邪胁懈 屑邪谐懈褟 鈥� 胁懈卸写邪褕 薪褟泻邪泻胁懈 屑褗谐谢褟胁懈 懈蟹褏芯写薪懈 械谢械屑械薪褌懈, 褔懈械褌芯 褋褗褔械褌邪胁邪薪械 懈蟹谐谢械卸写邪 械写胁邪 谢懈 薪械 谢芯谐懈褔薪芯, 胁懈卸写邪褕 懈 泻褉邪泄薪懈褟 褉械蟹褍谢褌邪褌, 薪芯 褌芯胁邪, 泻芯械褌芯 褉械邪谢薪芯 褋械 褋谢褍褔胁邪 锌芯 褋褉械写邪褌邪, 褋懈 芯褋褌邪胁邪 械薪懈谐屑邪.
袧邪褍褔懈褏, 褔械 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉邪褌邪 薪械 械 蟹邪写褗谢卸懈褌械谢薪芯 械褋泻械泄锌懈蟹褗屑. 孝褟 屑芯卸械 懈 写邪 械 锌褗褌 泻褗屑 褏芯褉邪褌邪, 邪 薪械 芯褌 褌褟褏 蟹邪 写褉褍谐邪写械. 袧邪褍褔懈褏, 褔械 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈褌芯 薪械 械 褑械薪薪芯 褋 褌芯胁邪, 褔械 褌懈 泻邪蟹胁邪, 褔械 写褉邪泻芯薪懈 褋褗褖械褋褌胁褍胁邪褌; 胁邪卸薪芯褌芯 械, 褔械 褌懈 锌芯泻邪蟹胁邪 泻邪泻 屑芯卸械褕 写邪 谐懈 锌芯斜械写懈褕. 袙褋褗褖薪芯褋褌 薪邪褍褔懈褏 懈 褔械 褌邪泻芯胁邪 薪械褖芯 泻邪褌芯 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈 薪褟屑邪 鈥� 懈屑邪 褋邪屑芯 褉邪蟹谢懈褔薪邪 谐谢械写薪邪 褌芯褔泻邪 泻褗屑 褋褗胁褋械屑 芯斜懈泻薪芯胁械薪懈 懈 械卸械写薪械胁薪懈 薪械褖邪 懈 褌芯胁邪 械 锌芯-褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈褔薪芯 懈 芯褌 薪邪泄-褋械褉懈芯蟹薪芯褌芯 斜褗谢薪褍胁邪薪械.
袙 锌芯褋谢械写薪邪褌邪 褔邪褋褌 芯褌 褋斜芯褉薪懈泻邪 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 芯斜褋褗卸写邪 邪褋懈褋褌懈褉邪薪邪褌邪 褋屑褗褉褌 懈 懈薪懈褑懈邪褌懈胁懈褌械 屑褍 蟹邪 褍蟹邪泻芯薪褟胁邪薪械褌芯 褲 胁 袗薪谐谢懈褟. 孝褗泄 泻邪褌芯 褋褌褉邪写邪 芯褌 褉褟写泻邪 褎芯褉屑邪 薪邪 袗谢褑褏邪泄屑械褉, 蟹邪 薪械谐芯 械写懈薪褋褌胁械薪懈褟褌 胁邪褉懈邪薪褌 械 屑邪谢泻芯 锌芯 屑邪谢泻芯 写邪 褋械 懈蟹锌谢褗蟹胁邪 薪邪 褋邪屑懈褟 褋械斜械 褋懈, 泻邪泻褌芯 褌芯泄 褋邪屑 谐芯 芯锌褉械写械谢褟. 袗 泻邪泻 写邪 懈褋泻邪褕 写邪 懈蟹谐褍斜懈褕 褋械斜械 褋懈, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 胁 褌械斜 懈屑邪 褌芯谢泻芯胁邪 屑薪芯谐芯? 袙褋褗褖薪芯褋褌 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 芯褋薪芯胁薪芯 蟹邪褖懈褌邪胁邪 锌褉邪胁芯褌芯 褋懈 写邪 懈蟹斜懈褉邪 写邪谢懈 懈 泻邪泻 写邪 褋懈 芯褌懈写械. 袨褌 褋屑褗褉褌褌邪 薪械 谐芯 械 褋褌褉邪褏, 褋褌褉邪褏 谐芯 械 芯褌 锌褉邪蟹薪芯褌邪褌邪, 泻芯褟褌芯 屑芯卸械 写邪 褟 锌褉械写褕械褋褌胁邪. 袧械薪邪锌褉邪蟹薪芯 懈 屑芯褌芯褌芯 薪邪 谢懈褔薪懈褟 屑褍 谐械褉斜 械 Noli Timere Messorem 鈥� Don鈥檛 fear the Reaper. 袙 泻褉邪泄薪邪 褋屑械褌泻邪 褌芯泄 褋懈 芯褌懈写械 褋 写芯褋褌芯泄薪褋褌胁芯. 袠 褋 泻芯褌泻邪 薪邪 谢械谐谢芯褌芯, 写芯泻芯谢泻芯褌芯 锌褉芯褔械褌芯褏. I guess in this final chapter someone did point him to Heaven.
Requiescat in pace
袣薪懈谐邪褌邪 械 泻邪褌芯 芯薪械蟹懈 胁械褋械谢懈 芯写械褟谢褑邪, 泻芯懈褌芯 褋邪 薪邪锌褉邪胁械薪懈 芯褌 褋褗褕懈褌懈 薪械锌邪褋胁邪褖懈 褋懈 泻胁邪写褉邪褌懈, 懈 泻邪褌芯 谐懈 谐谢械写邪褕 锌芯谐谢械写褗褌 褌懈 谢械泻芯 褋械 褉邪蟹褎芯泻褍褋懈褉邪 芯褌 屑薪芯卸械褋褌胁芯褌芯 褑胁械褌芯胁械. 袥懈褔薪芯 屑芯褟褌 薪邪 屑芯屑械薪褌懈 褋械 褉邪蟹褎芯泻褍褋懈褉邪褕械 芯褌 薪邪褋褗谢蟹械薪懈 芯褔懈; 芯褌 泻褗褋褔械褌邪褌邪 懈褋褌懈薪褋泻懈 褔芯胁械泻, 泻芯懈褌芯 褍褋锌褟褏 写邪 胁懈写褟 芯褌胁褗写 薪械懈蟹屑械薪薪芯 写褍褏芯胁懈褌芯褌芯 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈; 芯褌 褍写懈胁谢械薪懈械褌芯, 泻芯械褌芯 械 懈蟹锌懈褌胁邪谢 泻褗屑 褋胁械褌邪; 芯褌 谢褞斜芯胁褌邪 屑褍 泻褗屑 褏芯褉邪褌邪 (胁褗锌褉械泻懈 薪械写芯褋褌邪褌褗褑懈褌械 懈屑, 邪 屑芯卸械 斜懈 懈屑械薪薪芯 蟹邪褉邪写懈 褌褟褏). 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 锌懈褕械 胁褋械 械写薪芯 褔械 锌褉邪胁懈 屑邪谐懈褟 鈥� 胁懈卸写邪褕 薪褟泻邪泻胁懈 屑褗谐谢褟胁懈 懈蟹褏芯写薪懈 械谢械屑械薪褌懈, 褔懈械褌芯 褋褗褔械褌邪胁邪薪械 懈蟹谐谢械卸写邪 械写胁邪 谢懈 薪械 谢芯谐懈褔薪芯, 胁懈卸写邪褕 懈 泻褉邪泄薪懈褟 褉械蟹褍谢褌邪褌, 薪芯 褌芯胁邪, 泻芯械褌芯 褉械邪谢薪芯 褋械 褋谢褍褔胁邪 锌芯 褋褉械写邪褌邪, 褋懈 芯褋褌邪胁邪 械薪懈谐屑邪.
袧邪褍褔懈褏, 褔械 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉邪褌邪 薪械 械 蟹邪写褗谢卸懈褌械谢薪芯 械褋泻械泄锌懈蟹褗屑. 孝褟 屑芯卸械 懈 写邪 械 锌褗褌 泻褗屑 褏芯褉邪褌邪, 邪 薪械 芯褌 褌褟褏 蟹邪 写褉褍谐邪写械. 袧邪褍褔懈褏, 褔械 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈褌芯 薪械 械 褑械薪薪芯 褋 褌芯胁邪, 褔械 褌懈 泻邪蟹胁邪, 褔械 写褉邪泻芯薪懈 褋褗褖械褋褌胁褍胁邪褌; 胁邪卸薪芯褌芯 械, 褔械 褌懈 锌芯泻邪蟹胁邪 泻邪泻 屑芯卸械褕 写邪 谐懈 锌芯斜械写懈褕. 袙褋褗褖薪芯褋褌 薪邪褍褔懈褏 懈 褔械 褌邪泻芯胁邪 薪械褖芯 泻邪褌芯 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈 薪褟屑邪 鈥� 懈屑邪 褋邪屑芯 褉邪蟹谢懈褔薪邪 谐谢械写薪邪 褌芯褔泻邪 泻褗屑 褋褗胁褋械屑 芯斜懈泻薪芯胁械薪懈 懈 械卸械写薪械胁薪懈 薪械褖邪 懈 褌芯胁邪 械 锌芯-褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈褔薪芯 懈 芯褌 薪邪泄-褋械褉懈芯蟹薪芯褌芯 斜褗谢薪褍胁邪薪械.
袙 锌芯褋谢械写薪邪褌邪 褔邪褋褌 芯褌 褋斜芯褉薪懈泻邪 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 芯斜褋褗卸写邪 邪褋懈褋褌懈褉邪薪邪褌邪 褋屑褗褉褌 懈 懈薪懈褑懈邪褌懈胁懈褌械 屑褍 蟹邪 褍蟹邪泻芯薪褟胁邪薪械褌芯 褲 胁 袗薪谐谢懈褟. 孝褗泄 泻邪褌芯 褋褌褉邪写邪 芯褌 褉褟写泻邪 褎芯褉屑邪 薪邪 袗谢褑褏邪泄屑械褉, 蟹邪 薪械谐芯 械写懈薪褋褌胁械薪懈褟褌 胁邪褉懈邪薪褌 械 屑邪谢泻芯 锌芯 屑邪谢泻芯 写邪 褋械 懈蟹锌谢褗蟹胁邪 薪邪 褋邪屑懈褟 褋械斜械 褋懈, 泻邪泻褌芯 褌芯泄 褋邪屑 谐芯 芯锌褉械写械谢褟. 袗 泻邪泻 写邪 懈褋泻邪褕 写邪 懈蟹谐褍斜懈褕 褋械斜械 褋懈, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 胁 褌械斜 懈屑邪 褌芯谢泻芯胁邪 屑薪芯谐芯? 袙褋褗褖薪芯褋褌 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 芯褋薪芯胁薪芯 蟹邪褖懈褌邪胁邪 锌褉邪胁芯褌芯 褋懈 写邪 懈蟹斜懈褉邪 写邪谢懈 懈 泻邪泻 写邪 褋懈 芯褌懈写械. 袨褌 褋屑褗褉褌褌邪 薪械 谐芯 械 褋褌褉邪褏, 褋褌褉邪褏 谐芯 械 芯褌 锌褉邪蟹薪芯褌邪褌邪, 泻芯褟褌芯 屑芯卸械 写邪 褟 锌褉械写褕械褋褌胁邪. 袧械薪邪锌褉邪蟹薪芯 懈 屑芯褌芯褌芯 薪邪 谢懈褔薪懈褟 屑褍 谐械褉斜 械 Noli Timere Messorem 鈥� Don鈥檛 fear the Reaper. 袙 泻褉邪泄薪邪 褋屑械褌泻邪 褌芯泄 褋懈 芯褌懈写械 褋 写芯褋褌芯泄薪褋褌胁芯. 袠 褋 泻芯褌泻邪 薪邪 谢械谐谢芯褌芯, 写芯泻芯谢泻芯褌芯 锌褉芯褔械褌芯褏. I guess in this final chapter someone did point him to Heaven.
Requiescat in pace
February 4, 2016
I love Terry Pratchett's humor even in talking about his Alzheimer's and "assisted death." Oh, and this book prompted me to write my first ever fan letter Here it is.
Dear Sir Terry Pratchett,
I am not a Kevin.
I don鈥檛 want you to write my loved one into one of your books. I鈥檓 not a writer, but a reader, so I live on the other side of the Holy Grail. I already know where great ideas come from. They come from books, great and small, and minds, great and small. I鈥檓 not a librarian but I do work in a library, and have managed book stores, and have my own online bookstore from which I sell my own personal collection 鈥� the ones I can bare to let go 鈥� and all that to say that I find your books to be quite real. You are among my favorite authors but I鈥檓 not doing any projects and so don鈥檛 require you to fill out any surveys.
I鈥檓 probably definitely not your biggest fan. I haven鈥檛 read all of your books but I plan to eventually (I鈥檓 being rather stingy with them - trying to take them slowly.) I seem to exist somewhere in the midrange of your readership and, although I have many favorite books, The Wee Free Men consistently falls within my favorite top ten. I discovered it in 2010 when we, as a family, read it together. We have a habit of reading during dinner, taking turns so that everyone gets a chance to be a bit of a ham (and the others get a chance to eat). Do you know how difficult it is to find a book to interest a range of readers from 40something adults to boys ages 18 and 15 and a girl age 8? That is a rare book.
I know that your time is precious and I don鈥檛 require a response. I just wanted to say thank you. Not only for me, but also for my children, thank you. You have been a glorious inspiration. I鈥檓 so glad that, for the most part, you have had fun and that we have had the opportunity to benefit from it.
Gratefully yours,
Kevin
(Regina Miller-Fierke)
Dear Sir Terry Pratchett,
I am not a Kevin.
I don鈥檛 want you to write my loved one into one of your books. I鈥檓 not a writer, but a reader, so I live on the other side of the Holy Grail. I already know where great ideas come from. They come from books, great and small, and minds, great and small. I鈥檓 not a librarian but I do work in a library, and have managed book stores, and have my own online bookstore from which I sell my own personal collection 鈥� the ones I can bare to let go 鈥� and all that to say that I find your books to be quite real. You are among my favorite authors but I鈥檓 not doing any projects and so don鈥檛 require you to fill out any surveys.
I鈥檓 probably definitely not your biggest fan. I haven鈥檛 read all of your books but I plan to eventually (I鈥檓 being rather stingy with them - trying to take them slowly.) I seem to exist somewhere in the midrange of your readership and, although I have many favorite books, The Wee Free Men consistently falls within my favorite top ten. I discovered it in 2010 when we, as a family, read it together. We have a habit of reading during dinner, taking turns so that everyone gets a chance to be a bit of a ham (and the others get a chance to eat). Do you know how difficult it is to find a book to interest a range of readers from 40something adults to boys ages 18 and 15 and a girl age 8? That is a rare book.
I know that your time is precious and I don鈥檛 require a response. I just wanted to say thank you. Not only for me, but also for my children, thank you. You have been a glorious inspiration. I鈥檓 so glad that, for the most part, you have had fun and that we have had the opportunity to benefit from it.
Gratefully yours,
Kevin
(Regina Miller-Fierke)
March 12, 2024
鈥炐毿恍靶残感把傃冄€薪邪 谐褉械褕泻邪鈥� 械 褉邪蟹泻芯褕械薪 褋斜芯褉薪懈泻 褋 械褋械褌邪! 袙 薪械谐芯 褋邪 褋褗斜褉邪薪懈 懈蟹泻谢褞褔懈褌械谢薪芯 褋懈谢薪懈 褌械泻褋褌芯胁e, 褋褗蟹写邪写械薪懈 芯褌 孝械褉懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 锌褉械蟹 褉邪蟹谢懈褔薪懈 胁褉械屑械胁懈 锌械褉懈芯写懈, 胁 泻芯懈褌芯 谐芯谢械屑懈褟褌 锌懈褋邪褌械谢 械 褋锌芯写械谢懈谢 褋胁芯懈褌械 褉邪蟹褋褗卸写械薪懈褟 胁褗褉褏褍 褉邪蟹薪芯芯斜褉邪蟹薪懈 蟹薪邪褔懈屑懈 褌械屑懈. 袪邪蟹斜懈褉邪 褋械, 褌芯泄 薪械 械 锌褉芯锌褍褋薪邪谢 写邪 锌褉芯褟胁懈 懈 胁 械褋械褌邪褌邪 褋胁芯械褌芯 胁械谢懈泻芯谢械锌薪芯 褔褍胁褋褌胁芯 蟹邪 褏褍屑芯褉! 孝褗泄 泻邪褌芯 褋褗屑 锌芯褔懈褌邪褌械谢 薪邪 肖械薪褌褗蟹懈褌芯, 薪邪泄-褋懈谢薪芯 屑械 胁锌械褔邪褌谢懈褏邪 屑褗写褉懈褌械 屑褍 写褍屑懈 蟹邪 褌芯蟹懈 褔褍写械褋械薪 懈 薪械蟹邪褋谢褍卸械薪芯 锌芯写褑械薪褟胁邪薪 卸邪薪褉...
鈥炐ば敌窖傃娦沸秆傂� 胁褗胁械卸写邪 锌芯褉褟写褗泻 胁褗胁 胁褋械谢械薪邪褌邪. 袠谢懈 锌芯薪械 薪邪谢邪谐邪 锌芯褉褟写褗泻 胁褗褉褏褍 薪械褟. 袠 褌芯蟹懈 锌芯褉褟写褗泻 械 褔芯胁械褕泻懈. 袛械泄褋褌胁懈褌械谢薪芯褋褌褌邪 薪懈 泻邪蟹胁邪, 褔械 薪邪褕械褌芯 褋褗褖械褋褌胁褍胁邪薪械 械 泻褉邪褌褗泻 锌褉械褋褌芯泄 锌芯写 芯斜褋邪写邪 褋褉械写 褋褌褍写械薪邪 斜械蟹泻褉邪泄薪芯褋褌; 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈褌芯 薪懈 泻邪蟹胁邪, 褔械 褋邪 胁邪卸薪懈 褎懈谐褍褉懈褌械 薪邪 锌褉械写械薪 锌谢邪薪. 肖械薪褌褗蟹懈褌芯 薪邪褋械谢褟胁邪 褔褍卸写懈褟 袙褗薪褕械薪 褋胁褟褌 懈 薪褟屑邪 芯褋芯斜械薪芯 蟹薪邪褔械薪懈械 写邪谢懈 谐芯 薪邪褋械谢褟胁邪 褋 写芯斜褉懈 懈谢懈 褋 谢芯褕懈 谐械褉芯懈. 袠蟹锌懈褋胁邪薪械褌芯 薪邪 鈥炐バ靶� 袘褉邪蟹懈谢鈥� 胁褗褉褏褍 泻邪褉褌邪褌邪 械 褋褌褗锌泻邪 胁 锌褉邪胁懈谢薪邪 锌芯褋芯泻邪, 薪芯 邪泻芯 薪褟屑邪 泻邪泻, 褌芯, 鈥炐⒀冃盒� 懈屑邪 写褉邪泻芯薪懈鈥� 胁褋械 械 锌芯-写芯斜褉械 芯褌 薪懈褖芯. 袩芯-写芯斜褉械 写褉邪泻芯薪懈, 芯褌泻芯谢泻芯褌芯 锌褍褋褌芯褌邪.鈥�
鈥炐椥把傂拘残� 薪械泻邪 薪械 褋械 锌谢邪褕懈屑, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 写械褑邪褌邪 褔械褌邪褌 肖械薪褌褗蟹懈. 孝芯 械 泻芯屑锌芯褋褌褗褌 蟹邪 蟹写褉邪胁 褍屑. 孝芯 褋褌懈屑褍谢懈褉邪 胁褗蟹谢懈褌械 薪邪 谢褞斜芯蟹薪邪褌械谢薪芯褋褌褌邪. 袦芯卸械 写邪 薪械 懈蟹谐谢械卸写邪 褌芯谢泻芯胁邪 鈥炑冃夹笛佈傂叫锯€� 泻邪褌芯 泻薪懈谐懈褌械, 褔懈械褌芯 写械泄褋褌胁懈械 械 褌胁褗褉写芯 褍褋褌邪薪芯胁械薪芯 胁 蟹邪芯斜懈泻邪谢褟褖邪褌邪 写械褌械褌芯 写械泄褋褌胁懈褌械谢薪芯褋褌 懈谢懈 泻邪泻胁芯褌芯 褌邪屑, 锌芯 写褟胁芯谢懈褌械, 褋懈 屑懈褋谢懈 邪胁褌芯褉褗褌, 褔械 锌褉械写褋褌邪胁谢褟胁邪 蟹邪芯斜懈泻邪谢褟褖邪褌邪 谐芯 写械泄褋褌胁懈褌械谢薪芯褋褌, 薪芯 褋褗褖械褋褌胁褍胁邪褌 薪褟泻芯懈 写芯泻邪蟹邪褌械谢褋褌胁邪, 褔械 斜芯谐邪褌懈褟褌 胁褗褌褉械褕械薪 褎邪薪褌邪褋屑邪谐芯褉懈褔械薪 卸懈胁芯褌 械 褋褗褖芯 褌芯谢泻芯胁邪 写芯斜褗褉 懈 薪褍卸械薪 蟹邪 写械褌械褌芯, 泻芯谢泻芯褌芯 懈 蟹写褉邪胁芯褋谢芯胁薪邪褌邪 锌芯褔胁邪 蟹邪 褉邪褋褌械薪懈械褌芯 - 写芯 谐芯谢褟屑邪 褋褌械锌械薪 锌芯 褋褗褖懈褌械 锌褉懈褔懈薪懈.
袪邪蟹斜懈褉邪 褋械, 薪褟泻芯懈 屑芯卸械 褑褟谢 卸懈胁芯褌 写邪 薪械 褔械褌邪褌 写褉褍谐 胁懈写 锌褉芯蟹邪 (屑邪泻邪褉 褔械 泻邪泻褌芯 褋芯褔懈 屑芯褟褌 芯锌懈褌, 褎械薪芯胁械褌械 薪邪 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈泻邪褌邪 褋邪 褕懈褉芯泻芯 薪邪褔械褌械薪懈 懈蟹胁褗薪 卸邪薪褉邪). 袙褗蟹褉邪褋褌薪懈褌械 褎械薪芯胁械 薪邪 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈泻邪褌邪, 屑芯卸械 写邪 懈蟹谐谢械卸写邪褌 屑邪谢泻芯 褋褌褉邪褕薪懈褔泻芯 锌褉懈 胁谢懈蟹邪薪械 胁 泻薪懈卸邪褉薪懈褑懈褌械 - 蟹邪 薪褟泻芯懈 褋械 蟹薪邪械, 褔械 薪芯褋褟褌 锌谢邪褋褌屑邪褋芯胁懈 蟹邪芯褋褌褉械薪懈 褍褕懈, 薪芯 锌芯写芯斜薪懈 褏芯褉邪 褋邪 薪械锌褉械写褋褌邪胁懈褌械谢薪芯 屑邪谢褑懈薪褋褌胁芯 懈 薪械褋褗屑薪械薪芯 薪械 褋邪 锌芯-褕邪薪褌邪胁懈 芯褌 褏芯褉邪褌邪, 泻芯懈褌芯 懈谐褉邪褟褌 谐芯谢褎, 写邪 褉械褔械屑. 袧邪泄-屑邪谢泻芯褌芯 褌械 锌芯屑邪谐邪褌 写邪 褋械 锌芯写写褗褉卸邪 懈薪写褍褋褌褉懈褟褌邪 卸懈胁邪 懈 锌褉械写芯褋褌邪胁褟褌 械写懈薪 芯褌 薪邪泄-写芯斜褉懈褌械 胁褗蟹屑芯卸薪懈 锌褗褌懈褖邪 写芯 褔械褌械薪械褌芯.
袧邪蟹写褉邪胁械 蟹邪 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈 泻邪褌芯 锌芯写褏芯写褟褖邪褌邪 写懈械褌邪 蟹邪 锌芯写褉邪褋褌胁邪褖邪褌邪 写褍褕邪. 笑械谢懈褟褌 褔芯胁械褕泻懈 卸懈胁芯褌 械 褌邪屑 - 屑芯褉邪谢械薪 泻芯写械泻褋, 褔褍胁褋褌胁芯 蟹邪 褉械写, 邪 锌芯薪褟泻芯谐邪 谐褉邪屑邪写薪懈 蟹械谢械薪懈 蟹褗斜邪褌懈 褋褌褉邪褕懈谢懈褖邪. 袠屑邪 懈 写褉褍谐懈 泻薪懈谐懈 蟹邪 褔械褌械薪械 懈 褋械 薪邪写褟胁邪屑 写械褑邪褌邪, 泻芯懈褌芯 蟹邪锌芯褔胁邪褌 褋 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈, 写邪 锌褉芯写褗谢卸邪褌 褋 褌褟褏 懈 写邪 谐懈 锌褉芯褔械褌邪褌. 袧芯 胁褋械泻懈 褌褉褟斜胁邪 写邪 蟹邪锌芯褔薪械 芯褌薪褟泻褗写械.鈥�
鈥炐熝€械写懈 薪褟泻芯谢泻芯 谐芯写懈薪懈 褋械 芯褌锌械褔邪褌邪褏邪 写芯褋褌邪 褟蟹胁懈褌械谢薪懈 褌械泻褋褌芯胁械, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 ,,袙谢邪褋褌械谢懈薪褗褌 薪邪 锌褉褗褋褌械薪懈褌械鈥� 斜械 芯锌褉械写械谢械薪邪 褔褉械蟹 谐谢邪褋褍胁邪薪械 蟹邪 薪邪泄-写芯斜褉邪褌邪 泻薪懈谐邪 薪邪 胁械泻邪 胁 邪薪泻械褌邪 褋褉械写 褔懈褌邪褌械谢懈褌械 薪邪 鈥炐Ｐ狙傃娧€褋褌芯褍薪鈥�. 小锌芯褉械写 薪褟泻芯懈 泻褉懈褌懈褑懈 锌褍斜谢懈泻邪褌邪 斜邪褟 薪械斜谢邪谐芯写邪褉薪芯 褋械 芯褌薪械褋械 褋谢械写 胁褋懈褔泻芯, 泻芯械褌芯 褌械 褋邪 褋褌芯褉懈谢懈 蟹邪 薪械褟, 蟹胁械褉芯胁械 褋褗褋 蟹胁械褉芯胁械! 袧芯 褌芯胁邪 薪褟屑邪褕械 蟹薪邪褔械薪懈械. 孝邪蟹懈 泻薪懈谐邪 械 懈蟹胁褗薪 褌褟褏薪邪褌邪 胁谢邪褋褌. 袙褋械 械写薪芯 写邪 蟹邪屑械褉胁邪褌 锌谢邪薪懈薪邪 褋 褌褍褏谢懈 - 褌芯胁邪 薪械 锌褉械写懈蟹胁懈泻胁邪 薪懈泻邪泻胁邪 胁褉械写邪 懈 锌褉邪胁懈 锌谢邪薪懈薪邪褌邪 屑邪谢泻芯 锌芯-胁懈褋芯泻邪. 孝邪蟹懈 泻薪懈谐邪 胁械褔械 褋械 械 锌褉械胁褗褉薪邪谢邪 胁 泻谢邪褋懈泻邪, 邪 懈褋褌懈薪褋泻邪褌邪 泻谢邪褋懈泻邪 薪械 褋械 褋褗蟹写邪胁邪 褔褉械蟹 写懈泻褌邪褌.
袛卸. 袪. 袪. 孝芯谢泻懈薪 褋械 械 锌褉械胁褗褉薪邪谢 胁 薪械褖芯 泻邪褌芯 锌谢邪薪懈薪邪, 泻芯褟褌芯 褋械 锌芯褟胁褟胁邪 胁 褑褟谢芯褌芯 锌芯褋谢械写胁邪谢芯 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈 褌邪泻邪, 泻邪泻褌芯 锌谢邪薪懈薪邪褌邪 肖褍写卸懈 褌褗泄 褔械褋褌芯 褋械 锌芯褟胁褟胁邪 胁 褟锌芯薪褋泻懈褌械 谐褉邪胁褞褉懈. 袩芯薪褟泻芯谐邪 褌褟 械 谐芯谢褟屑邪 懈 械 褋褗胁褋械屑 薪邪斜谢懈蟹芯. 袛褉褍谐 锌褗褌 械 褋懈谢褍械褌 薪邪 褏芯褉懈蟹芯薪褌邪. 小谢褍褔胁邪 褋械 懈蟹芯斜褖芯 写邪 褟 薪褟屑邪 褌邪屑, 泻芯械褌芯 蟹薪邪褔懈, 褔械 褏褍写芯卸薪懈泻褗褌 懈谢懈 械 胁蟹械谢 褍屑懈褕谢械薪芯 褉械褕械薪懈械 写邪 薪械 懈蟹芯斜褉邪蟹褟胁邪 锌谢邪薪懈薪邪褌邪, 泻芯械褌芯 械 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪芯 褋邪屑芯 锌芯 褋械斜械 褋懈, 懈谢懈 胁褋褗褖薪芯褋褌 械 蟹邪褋褌邪薪邪谢 胁褗褉褏褍 锌谢邪薪懈薪邪褌邪 肖褍写卸懈.鈥�
鈥炐ば敌窖傃娦沸秆傂� 胁褗胁械卸写邪 锌芯褉褟写褗泻 胁褗胁 胁褋械谢械薪邪褌邪. 袠谢懈 锌芯薪械 薪邪谢邪谐邪 锌芯褉褟写褗泻 胁褗褉褏褍 薪械褟. 袠 褌芯蟹懈 锌芯褉褟写褗泻 械 褔芯胁械褕泻懈. 袛械泄褋褌胁懈褌械谢薪芯褋褌褌邪 薪懈 泻邪蟹胁邪, 褔械 薪邪褕械褌芯 褋褗褖械褋褌胁褍胁邪薪械 械 泻褉邪褌褗泻 锌褉械褋褌芯泄 锌芯写 芯斜褋邪写邪 褋褉械写 褋褌褍写械薪邪 斜械蟹泻褉邪泄薪芯褋褌; 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈褌芯 薪懈 泻邪蟹胁邪, 褔械 褋邪 胁邪卸薪懈 褎懈谐褍褉懈褌械 薪邪 锌褉械写械薪 锌谢邪薪. 肖械薪褌褗蟹懈褌芯 薪邪褋械谢褟胁邪 褔褍卸写懈褟 袙褗薪褕械薪 褋胁褟褌 懈 薪褟屑邪 芯褋芯斜械薪芯 蟹薪邪褔械薪懈械 写邪谢懈 谐芯 薪邪褋械谢褟胁邪 褋 写芯斜褉懈 懈谢懈 褋 谢芯褕懈 谐械褉芯懈. 袠蟹锌懈褋胁邪薪械褌芯 薪邪 鈥炐バ靶� 袘褉邪蟹懈谢鈥� 胁褗褉褏褍 泻邪褉褌邪褌邪 械 褋褌褗锌泻邪 胁 锌褉邪胁懈谢薪邪 锌芯褋芯泻邪, 薪芯 邪泻芯 薪褟屑邪 泻邪泻, 褌芯, 鈥炐⒀冃盒� 懈屑邪 写褉邪泻芯薪懈鈥� 胁褋械 械 锌芯-写芯斜褉械 芯褌 薪懈褖芯. 袩芯-写芯斜褉械 写褉邪泻芯薪懈, 芯褌泻芯谢泻芯褌芯 锌褍褋褌芯褌邪.鈥�
鈥炐椥把傂拘残� 薪械泻邪 薪械 褋械 锌谢邪褕懈屑, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 写械褑邪褌邪 褔械褌邪褌 肖械薪褌褗蟹懈. 孝芯 械 泻芯屑锌芯褋褌褗褌 蟹邪 蟹写褉邪胁 褍屑. 孝芯 褋褌懈屑褍谢懈褉邪 胁褗蟹谢懈褌械 薪邪 谢褞斜芯蟹薪邪褌械谢薪芯褋褌褌邪. 袦芯卸械 写邪 薪械 懈蟹谐谢械卸写邪 褌芯谢泻芯胁邪 鈥炑冃夹笛佈傂叫锯€� 泻邪褌芯 泻薪懈谐懈褌械, 褔懈械褌芯 写械泄褋褌胁懈械 械 褌胁褗褉写芯 褍褋褌邪薪芯胁械薪芯 胁 蟹邪芯斜懈泻邪谢褟褖邪褌邪 写械褌械褌芯 写械泄褋褌胁懈褌械谢薪芯褋褌 懈谢懈 泻邪泻胁芯褌芯 褌邪屑, 锌芯 写褟胁芯谢懈褌械, 褋懈 屑懈褋谢懈 邪胁褌芯褉褗褌, 褔械 锌褉械写褋褌邪胁谢褟胁邪 蟹邪芯斜懈泻邪谢褟褖邪褌邪 谐芯 写械泄褋褌胁懈褌械谢薪芯褋褌, 薪芯 褋褗褖械褋褌胁褍胁邪褌 薪褟泻芯懈 写芯泻邪蟹邪褌械谢褋褌胁邪, 褔械 斜芯谐邪褌懈褟褌 胁褗褌褉械褕械薪 褎邪薪褌邪褋屑邪谐芯褉懈褔械薪 卸懈胁芯褌 械 褋褗褖芯 褌芯谢泻芯胁邪 写芯斜褗褉 懈 薪褍卸械薪 蟹邪 写械褌械褌芯, 泻芯谢泻芯褌芯 懈 蟹写褉邪胁芯褋谢芯胁薪邪褌邪 锌芯褔胁邪 蟹邪 褉邪褋褌械薪懈械褌芯 - 写芯 谐芯谢褟屑邪 褋褌械锌械薪 锌芯 褋褗褖懈褌械 锌褉懈褔懈薪懈.
袪邪蟹斜懈褉邪 褋械, 薪褟泻芯懈 屑芯卸械 褑褟谢 卸懈胁芯褌 写邪 薪械 褔械褌邪褌 写褉褍谐 胁懈写 锌褉芯蟹邪 (屑邪泻邪褉 褔械 泻邪泻褌芯 褋芯褔懈 屑芯褟褌 芯锌懈褌, 褎械薪芯胁械褌械 薪邪 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈泻邪褌邪 褋邪 褕懈褉芯泻芯 薪邪褔械褌械薪懈 懈蟹胁褗薪 卸邪薪褉邪). 袙褗蟹褉邪褋褌薪懈褌械 褎械薪芯胁械 薪邪 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈泻邪褌邪, 屑芯卸械 写邪 懈蟹谐谢械卸写邪褌 屑邪谢泻芯 褋褌褉邪褕薪懈褔泻芯 锌褉懈 胁谢懈蟹邪薪械 胁 泻薪懈卸邪褉薪懈褑懈褌械 - 蟹邪 薪褟泻芯懈 褋械 蟹薪邪械, 褔械 薪芯褋褟褌 锌谢邪褋褌屑邪褋芯胁懈 蟹邪芯褋褌褉械薪懈 褍褕懈, 薪芯 锌芯写芯斜薪懈 褏芯褉邪 褋邪 薪械锌褉械写褋褌邪胁懈褌械谢薪芯 屑邪谢褑懈薪褋褌胁芯 懈 薪械褋褗屑薪械薪芯 薪械 褋邪 锌芯-褕邪薪褌邪胁懈 芯褌 褏芯褉邪褌邪, 泻芯懈褌芯 懈谐褉邪褟褌 谐芯谢褎, 写邪 褉械褔械屑. 袧邪泄-屑邪谢泻芯褌芯 褌械 锌芯屑邪谐邪褌 写邪 褋械 锌芯写写褗褉卸邪 懈薪写褍褋褌褉懈褟褌邪 卸懈胁邪 懈 锌褉械写芯褋褌邪胁褟褌 械写懈薪 芯褌 薪邪泄-写芯斜褉懈褌械 胁褗蟹屑芯卸薪懈 锌褗褌懈褖邪 写芯 褔械褌械薪械褌芯.
袧邪蟹写褉邪胁械 蟹邪 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈 泻邪褌芯 锌芯写褏芯写褟褖邪褌邪 写懈械褌邪 蟹邪 锌芯写褉邪褋褌胁邪褖邪褌邪 写褍褕邪. 笑械谢懈褟褌 褔芯胁械褕泻懈 卸懈胁芯褌 械 褌邪屑 - 屑芯褉邪谢械薪 泻芯写械泻褋, 褔褍胁褋褌胁芯 蟹邪 褉械写, 邪 锌芯薪褟泻芯谐邪 谐褉邪屑邪写薪懈 蟹械谢械薪懈 蟹褗斜邪褌懈 褋褌褉邪褕懈谢懈褖邪. 袠屑邪 懈 写褉褍谐懈 泻薪懈谐懈 蟹邪 褔械褌械薪械 懈 褋械 薪邪写褟胁邪屑 写械褑邪褌邪, 泻芯懈褌芯 蟹邪锌芯褔胁邪褌 褋 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈, 写邪 锌褉芯写褗谢卸邪褌 褋 褌褟褏 懈 写邪 谐懈 锌褉芯褔械褌邪褌. 袧芯 胁褋械泻懈 褌褉褟斜胁邪 写邪 蟹邪锌芯褔薪械 芯褌薪褟泻褗写械.鈥�
鈥炐熝€械写懈 薪褟泻芯谢泻芯 谐芯写懈薪懈 褋械 芯褌锌械褔邪褌邪褏邪 写芯褋褌邪 褟蟹胁懈褌械谢薪懈 褌械泻褋褌芯胁械, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 ,,袙谢邪褋褌械谢懈薪褗褌 薪邪 锌褉褗褋褌械薪懈褌械鈥� 斜械 芯锌褉械写械谢械薪邪 褔褉械蟹 谐谢邪褋褍胁邪薪械 蟹邪 薪邪泄-写芯斜褉邪褌邪 泻薪懈谐邪 薪邪 胁械泻邪 胁 邪薪泻械褌邪 褋褉械写 褔懈褌邪褌械谢懈褌械 薪邪 鈥炐Ｐ狙傃娧€褋褌芯褍薪鈥�. 小锌芯褉械写 薪褟泻芯懈 泻褉懈褌懈褑懈 锌褍斜谢懈泻邪褌邪 斜邪褟 薪械斜谢邪谐芯写邪褉薪芯 褋械 芯褌薪械褋械 褋谢械写 胁褋懈褔泻芯, 泻芯械褌芯 褌械 褋邪 褋褌芯褉懈谢懈 蟹邪 薪械褟, 蟹胁械褉芯胁械 褋褗褋 蟹胁械褉芯胁械! 袧芯 褌芯胁邪 薪褟屑邪褕械 蟹薪邪褔械薪懈械. 孝邪蟹懈 泻薪懈谐邪 械 懈蟹胁褗薪 褌褟褏薪邪褌邪 胁谢邪褋褌. 袙褋械 械写薪芯 写邪 蟹邪屑械褉胁邪褌 锌谢邪薪懈薪邪 褋 褌褍褏谢懈 - 褌芯胁邪 薪械 锌褉械写懈蟹胁懈泻胁邪 薪懈泻邪泻胁邪 胁褉械写邪 懈 锌褉邪胁懈 锌谢邪薪懈薪邪褌邪 屑邪谢泻芯 锌芯-胁懈褋芯泻邪. 孝邪蟹懈 泻薪懈谐邪 胁械褔械 褋械 械 锌褉械胁褗褉薪邪谢邪 胁 泻谢邪褋懈泻邪, 邪 懈褋褌懈薪褋泻邪褌邪 泻谢邪褋懈泻邪 薪械 褋械 褋褗蟹写邪胁邪 褔褉械蟹 写懈泻褌邪褌.
袛卸. 袪. 袪. 孝芯谢泻懈薪 褋械 械 锌褉械胁褗褉薪邪谢 胁 薪械褖芯 泻邪褌芯 锌谢邪薪懈薪邪, 泻芯褟褌芯 褋械 锌芯褟胁褟胁邪 胁 褑褟谢芯褌芯 锌芯褋谢械写胁邪谢芯 褎械薪褌褗蟹懈 褌邪泻邪, 泻邪泻褌芯 锌谢邪薪懈薪邪褌邪 肖褍写卸懈 褌褗泄 褔械褋褌芯 褋械 锌芯褟胁褟胁邪 胁 褟锌芯薪褋泻懈褌械 谐褉邪胁褞褉懈. 袩芯薪褟泻芯谐邪 褌褟 械 谐芯谢褟屑邪 懈 械 褋褗胁褋械屑 薪邪斜谢懈蟹芯. 袛褉褍谐 锌褗褌 械 褋懈谢褍械褌 薪邪 褏芯褉懈蟹芯薪褌邪. 小谢褍褔胁邪 褋械 懈蟹芯斜褖芯 写邪 褟 薪褟屑邪 褌邪屑, 泻芯械褌芯 蟹薪邪褔懈, 褔械 褏褍写芯卸薪懈泻褗褌 懈谢懈 械 胁蟹械谢 褍屑懈褕谢械薪芯 褉械褕械薪懈械 写邪 薪械 懈蟹芯斜褉邪蟹褟胁邪 锌谢邪薪懈薪邪褌邪, 泻芯械褌芯 械 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪芯 褋邪屑芯 锌芯 褋械斜械 褋懈, 懈谢懈 胁褋褗褖薪芯褋褌 械 蟹邪褋褌邪薪邪谢 胁褗褉褏褍 锌谢邪薪懈薪邪褌邪 肖褍写卸懈.鈥�
May 15, 2015
The late great Sir Terry Pratchett, deity of Discworld, has made me laugh an awful lot over the past few years (OK decades), with his richly imaginative fantasy series. In a departure from his normal output this is a collection of articles, speeches and letters that he has written since the late 1980鈥檚. But over recent years he has become equally well known for being an outspoken campaigner for causes such as orang-utans and of course Alzheimer's and assisted death.. This collection is the very best of those articles, grouped under three headings; A Scribbling intruder, A Twit and a Dreamer and Days of Rage.
From the time he announced that he had Posterior Cortical Atrophy, he has moved from the hazy lights of the science fiction and fantasy convention world, into the brighter glare of the modern media world. And in this world he showed his humanity, through humour and eloquence, and that a multi million best selling author could be a regular bloke with a fondness for banana daiquiris鈥檚. He writes on subjects as diverse as hats, past head teachers, why elves are bastards, his beloved grandmother and being a genuinely absentminded professor.
His writing is brilliant. And poignant. And funny; really funny. And this is nonfiction too. The way that he observed life and people is unparalleled, a talent that he used to highlight injustices and the frequent idiocy of the world that we live in, and explore within the world he created. But what comes through this collection is his wit and humour. The letter he sent to The Times about tax is a classic example of restrained wit, and there are other examples all the way through.
Really pleased to have read this, it is a great collection. Even though he is seen as purely a fantasy writer, I hope that the wider literary world will come to fully appreciate the genius in his writing in time.
From the time he announced that he had Posterior Cortical Atrophy, he has moved from the hazy lights of the science fiction and fantasy convention world, into the brighter glare of the modern media world. And in this world he showed his humanity, through humour and eloquence, and that a multi million best selling author could be a regular bloke with a fondness for banana daiquiris鈥檚. He writes on subjects as diverse as hats, past head teachers, why elves are bastards, his beloved grandmother and being a genuinely absentminded professor.
His writing is brilliant. And poignant. And funny; really funny. And this is nonfiction too. The way that he observed life and people is unparalleled, a talent that he used to highlight injustices and the frequent idiocy of the world that we live in, and explore within the world he created. But what comes through this collection is his wit and humour. The letter he sent to The Times about tax is a classic example of restrained wit, and there are other examples all the way through.
Really pleased to have read this, it is a great collection. Even though he is seen as purely a fantasy writer, I hope that the wider literary world will come to fully appreciate the genius in his writing in time.
September 28, 2014
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley. I should note, however, that I pre-ordered the book before I got the digital ARC. It came the day before I sat down to write this review.
Perhaps in recent years, Pratchett has come to wider attention because of his activism in the right to die movement. I don鈥檛 know; it鈥檚 hard to judge here in American. I did have a shy student who actually came out of his shell when he discovered that I read and enjoyed Pratchett.
Pratchett鈥檚 appeal seems to lie in the fact that he is a great humanist, feminist, realistic, and pro-compassion, even if, as Neil Gaiman shows in his introduction, you can feel Pratchett鈥檚 rage when you read his work. Even Dr. Who nods to him.
A Slip of the Keyboard contains Pratchett essays and speeches. The topics include writing, the Discworld, fans, religion, fantasy writing, and of course, his battle with Alzheimer's. At times, there is a little too much repetition. This is true, in particular, of the first section of the book. This section contains the essays (and speeches) on fantasy literature and writing. Many of the fantasy essays are about what exactly are fantasy and its place in literature. Pratchett鈥檚 right, but considering many fantasy readers think the same way (I know I do) it is a bit general and not very enlightening to read essay after essay that says basically, what you and most fantasy readers are thinking. It鈥檚 a bit too much of the rich chocolate cake, if you know what I mean. There is brilliance here. If you haven鈥檛 read 鈥淲hy Gandalf Never Married鈥�, you really should. The essays about Nation 鈥� Pratchett鈥檚 best book (it should have won the bloody Booker, bastards) 鈥� are particularly powerful. The descriptions of book tours and cons are amusing. It鈥檚 also worth reading for phrases like 鈥淲e spray our fantasies on the landscape like a dog sprays urine鈥� or what Pratchett said about his female characters when accepting the Horn Book Award, 鈥淥h, they sometimes start out soppy as anything, but as soon as they find that it doesn鈥檛 work, they tend to become a reasonably close relative of Miss Piggy鈥�.
Miss Piggy didn鈥檛 just teach Yoda!
The most powerful and interesting essays for me were when he was writing about more the literature and the writing process. Whenever he discusses his former job at a nuclear plant, it is rather interesting and funny. More importantly, it is impossible to read what Pratchett writes (or says in interviews for that matter) about the right to die and not think about the issue (or about health care in general). It isn鈥檛 because of who he is, but because of how he writes about it. His essay about a drug will have you spitting in disbelief and anger, regardless of where you live. Considering the debates that swirl around the issue, it is important to consider all sides, and Pratchett is a far more effective speaker than some others, most likely because he isn鈥檛 grandstanding. Honestly, read 鈥淚鈥檓 Slipping Away a Bit at a Time . . . and All I Can Do Is Watch It Happen鈥� and 鈥淒eath Knocked and We Let Him In鈥� and tell me you weren鈥檛 affected. I double dog dare you.
And the rage, you can feel the rage. You can feed off of his rage in some of the essays. And that鈥檚 good because we need that kick in the bum.
So break out the Banana Daiquiris and enjoy.
Perhaps in recent years, Pratchett has come to wider attention because of his activism in the right to die movement. I don鈥檛 know; it鈥檚 hard to judge here in American. I did have a shy student who actually came out of his shell when he discovered that I read and enjoyed Pratchett.
Pratchett鈥檚 appeal seems to lie in the fact that he is a great humanist, feminist, realistic, and pro-compassion, even if, as Neil Gaiman shows in his introduction, you can feel Pratchett鈥檚 rage when you read his work. Even Dr. Who nods to him.
A Slip of the Keyboard contains Pratchett essays and speeches. The topics include writing, the Discworld, fans, religion, fantasy writing, and of course, his battle with Alzheimer's. At times, there is a little too much repetition. This is true, in particular, of the first section of the book. This section contains the essays (and speeches) on fantasy literature and writing. Many of the fantasy essays are about what exactly are fantasy and its place in literature. Pratchett鈥檚 right, but considering many fantasy readers think the same way (I know I do) it is a bit general and not very enlightening to read essay after essay that says basically, what you and most fantasy readers are thinking. It鈥檚 a bit too much of the rich chocolate cake, if you know what I mean. There is brilliance here. If you haven鈥檛 read 鈥淲hy Gandalf Never Married鈥�, you really should. The essays about Nation 鈥� Pratchett鈥檚 best book (it should have won the bloody Booker, bastards) 鈥� are particularly powerful. The descriptions of book tours and cons are amusing. It鈥檚 also worth reading for phrases like 鈥淲e spray our fantasies on the landscape like a dog sprays urine鈥� or what Pratchett said about his female characters when accepting the Horn Book Award, 鈥淥h, they sometimes start out soppy as anything, but as soon as they find that it doesn鈥檛 work, they tend to become a reasonably close relative of Miss Piggy鈥�.
Miss Piggy didn鈥檛 just teach Yoda!
The most powerful and interesting essays for me were when he was writing about more the literature and the writing process. Whenever he discusses his former job at a nuclear plant, it is rather interesting and funny. More importantly, it is impossible to read what Pratchett writes (or says in interviews for that matter) about the right to die and not think about the issue (or about health care in general). It isn鈥檛 because of who he is, but because of how he writes about it. His essay about a drug will have you spitting in disbelief and anger, regardless of where you live. Considering the debates that swirl around the issue, it is important to consider all sides, and Pratchett is a far more effective speaker than some others, most likely because he isn鈥檛 grandstanding. Honestly, read 鈥淚鈥檓 Slipping Away a Bit at a Time . . . and All I Can Do Is Watch It Happen鈥� and 鈥淒eath Knocked and We Let Him In鈥� and tell me you weren鈥檛 affected. I double dog dare you.
And the rage, you can feel the rage. You can feed off of his rage in some of the essays. And that鈥檚 good because we need that kick in the bum.
So break out the Banana Daiquiris and enjoy.
December 31, 2019
While Terry's short fiction doesn't do much for me (I think he needs longer forms to really shine), this non-fiction collection regaled me with laughs and thoughts worthy of further thinking. Here're some of them:
~ Neil Gaiman really nails it in the intro:
I felt the same especially strongly when I read .
~ Ehehe (from "How to Be a Professional Boxer"):
~ Fantasy on the nose:
(Interestingly, expressed a similar sentiment about "escaping to.")
~ "Let There Be Dragons" is another, even more fully-fledgeddefence explanation of fantasy. I can't pick a single excerpt to quote. Just go for the whole thing.
~ And humor:
Versus humorlessness:
~
Hahaha indeed. :)
~ From "The God Moment":
I'm not at a stage where I can tackle this topic properly, but it always amazes me what roadblocks people can raise when they cling to the notion that God is something/someone entirely separate from us. (I'm a .) At the same time, it's just as amazing when this notion of separation lifts, even for an instant, and we "hear" "our~God's" voice. Have you felt that? :)
~ Terry's appeal in "The Orangutans Are Dying"--expectedly--struck a chord with me. The essay is from the year 2000--just before I started doing whatever I can to help restore the balance. I wonder how many of its readers were moved to act. (Or: what do one's words matter?)
~ Kudos for having the strength to treat your diagnosis (posterior cortical atrophy, a form of Alzheimer's) like this:
~ This came as a surprise:
I'd thought the Christian "mortal sin" status of suicide was older. seems to confirm it wasn't in the Bible.
~ Neil Gaiman really nails it in the intro:
But beneath any jollity, there is a foundation of fury. Terry Pratchett is not one to go gentle into any night, good or otherwise. He will rage, as he leaves, against so many things: stupidity, injustice, human foolishness and shortsightedness, not just the dying of the light, although that鈥檚 here, too. And, hand in hand with the anger, like an angel and a demon walking hand in hand into the sunset, there is love: for human beings, in all our fallibility; for treasured objects; for stories; and ultimately and in all things, love for human dignity.
Or to put it another way, anger is the engine that drives him, but it is the greatness of spirit that deploys that anger on the side of the angels, or better yet for all of us, the orangutans.
I felt the same especially strongly when I read .
~ Ehehe (from "How to Be a Professional Boxer"):
I鈥檝e never had occasion to use one magnificent tip from a well-known author, but I pass it on anyway: 鈥淜eep an eye on the trade press. When an editor moves on, immediately send your precious MS to his or her office, with a covering letter addressed to said departed editor. Say, in the tones of one engaged in a cooperative effort, something like this: 鈥楧ear X, I was very pleased to receive your encouraging letter indicating your interest in my book, and I have made all the changes you asked for.鈥︹€� Of course they won鈥檛 find the letter. Publishers can never find anything. But at least someone might panic enough to read the MS.鈥�
~ Fantasy on the nose:
Fantasy should present the familiar in a new light鈥擨 try to do that on Discworld. It鈥檚 a way of looking at the here and now, not the there and then. Fantasy is the Ur-literature, from which everything else sprang鈥攚hich is why my knuckles go white when toe-sucking literary critics dismiss it as 鈥済enre trash.鈥� And, at its best, it is truly escapist.
But the point about escaping is that you should escape to, as well as from. You should go somewhere worthwhile, and come back the better for the experience.
(Interestingly, expressed a similar sentiment about "escaping to.")
~ "Let There Be Dragons" is another, even more fully-fledged
~ And humor:
Laughter can get through the keyhole while seriousness is still hammering on the door. New ideas can ride in on the back of a joke; old ideas can be given an added edge.
Versus humorlessness:
We look around and see foreign policies that are little more than the taking of revenge for the revenge that was taken in revenge for the revenge last time.
~
There were fights at school over the question of whether or not Batman could fly. Those of us who said he couldn鈥檛 were in the minority and, therefore, got beaten up by the thick kids. But, hahaha, it wasn鈥檛 us who broke limbs by jumping out of their bedroom windows. Shouting 鈥淏atmaaagh!鈥� on the way down didn鈥檛 work, did it听鈥�
Hahaha indeed. :)
~ From "The God Moment":
(...) I鈥檝e never disliked religion. I think it has some purpose in our evolution. I don鈥檛 have much truck with the 鈥渞eligion is the cause of most of our wars鈥� school of thought, because in fact that鈥檚 manifestly done by mad, manipulative, and power-hungry men who cloak their ambition in God.
I number believers of all sorts among my friends. Some of them are praying for me. I鈥檓 happy that they wish to do this, I really am, but I think science may be a better bet.
So what shall I make of the voice that spoke to me recently as I was scuttling around getting ready for yet another spell on a chat show sofa? More accurately it was the memory of a voice in my head, and it told me that everything was okay and things were happening as they should. For a moment, the world had felt at peace. Where did it come from?
Me, actually鈥攖he part of all of us that, in my case, caused me to stand in awe the first time I heard Thomas Tallis鈥檚 Spem in alium, and the elation I felt on a walk one day last February, when the light of the setting sun turned a ploughed field into shocking pink; I believe it鈥檚 what Abraham felt on the mountain and Einstein did when it turned out that E=mc^2.
It鈥檚 that moment, that brief epiphany when the universe opens up and shows us something, and in that instant we get just a sense of an order greater than heaven and, as yet at least, beyond the grasp of Hawking. It doesn鈥檛 require worship, but, I think, rewards intelligence, observation, and inquiring minds. I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e found God but I may have seen where gods come from.
I'm not at a stage where I can tackle this topic properly, but it always amazes me what roadblocks people can raise when they cling to the notion that God is something/someone entirely separate from us. (I'm a .) At the same time, it's just as amazing when this notion of separation lifts, even for an instant, and we "hear" "our~God's" voice. Have you felt that? :)
~ Terry's appeal in "The Orangutans Are Dying"--expectedly--struck a chord with me. The essay is from the year 2000--just before I started doing whatever I can to help restore the balance. I wonder how many of its readers were moved to act. (Or: what do one's words matter?)
~ Kudos for having the strength to treat your diagnosis (posterior cortical atrophy, a form of Alzheimer's) like this:
I have the opposite of a superpower; sometimes, I cannot see what is there. I see the teacup with my eyes, but my brain refuses to send me the teacup message. It鈥檚 very Zen. First there is no teacup and then, because I know there is a teacup, the teacup will appear the next time I look.
~ This came as a surprise:
(...) despite the fact that there is no scriptural objection [to suicide], the prohibition came about in the fourteenth century when, because of religious wars and the Black Death, people were committing suicide on the basis that, well, since this world was now so dreadfully unpleasant then maybe it would be a good idea to make an attempt on heaven. Authority thought otherwise and objected. Who would milk the cows? Who would fight the wars? People couldn鈥檛 be allowed to slope off like that. They had to stay and face their just punishment for being born.
I'd thought the Christian "mortal sin" status of suicide was older. seems to confirm it wasn't in the Bible.
March 2, 2015
This collection of essays covers Terry Pratchett's entire career, from before he even started writing the Discworld novels up through now, when he's possibly even more famous as an advocate for Death with Dignity.
I personally enjoyed the first half of the book the most, with his discussions of writing, touring, and attending conferences. It was fun to see what his working days look like, and comforting to see how anxious he stayed about writing *enough* even as he was selling loads of books.
The last third is very weighty stuff, as it focuses on his diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease, his fight for equal access to treatment in the UK for people under 65, and his ongoing push to allow terminally ill people the right to choose the time of their own death.
The essays do get a little repetitive when you read them all in a row, but they were all interesting and enjoyable. If you like Terry Pratchett's novels, you'll probably enjoy this book.
January 9, 2016
I am not a Pratchett fan, not yet! My wife and my sister-in-law are making their way through the whole corpus. So it's sort of odd I picked this up, in part thanks to a review by Sam Quixote that pointed me to his writing about assisted suicide. I had thought of Pratchett as a fantasy writer and humorist, a jolly elf writing in the mode of other funny fantasy writers such as Douglas Adams. Been there, done that, and I enjoyed that ride, but I had no particular interest in going back in that direction, really.
So this is a collection of essays that span Pratchett's career, focusing on his life as a writer, traveling the globe, writing about various topics. His "Days of Rage" section really began to draw me in, in particular, though. Pratchett was diagnosed in his fifties with Alzheimers, so he began writing angrily and insightfully and often movingly about this. These essays were for me the best part of the book, and you know, just might lead me into his Discworld!
So this is a collection of essays that span Pratchett's career, focusing on his life as a writer, traveling the globe, writing about various topics. His "Days of Rage" section really began to draw me in, in particular, though. Pratchett was diagnosed in his fifties with Alzheimers, so he began writing angrily and insightfully and often movingly about this. These essays were for me the best part of the book, and you know, just might lead me into his Discworld!
October 12, 2014
An absolute must for all Terry Pratchett fans, and an interesting read for just about anyone.
This is a collection of, it seems, pretty much everything that Pratchett's published that isn't fiction.
It's divided thematically into three sections. The first focuses on thoughts on writing and the writing process. The second is more autobiographical material. The third has to do with Pratchett's early-onset Alzheimers and his advocacy for the right-to-die cause. (And then, it finishes up with a little bit of humor; I guess the editors didn't want to end on a down note.)
The first two sections are probably of specific interest to those familiar with Pratchett's work. The third definitely has a more general appeal, and gives an insight into the perspective of someone with an incurable disease who wants the legal right to be able to choose the time and manner of their passing, with dignity.
The main flaw I found in the book was not with any of the brief pieces included here individually, but rather with the effect of reading them all sequentially. Pratchett is clearly a man with 'pet' ideas and favorite quotes, who uses every given opportunity to air them. While there isn't a problem with this in practice, when all his speeches, introductions, and such are set end-to-end, it begins to feel a bit repetitive. The volume would probably be better enjoyed in small segments - reading an essay every now and again.
Favorite quote:
"You want fantasy? here's one... There's this species that lives on a planet a few miles above molten rock and a few miles below a vacuum that'd suck the air right out of them. They live in a brief geological period between ice ages, when giant asteroids have temporarily stopped smacking into the surface. As far as they can tell, there's nowhere else in the universe where they could stay alive for ten seconds.
And what do they call their fragile little slice of space and time? They call it real life. In a universe where it's known that whole galaxies can explode, they think there's things like "natural justice" and "destiny." Some of them even believe in democracy..."
And, as a librarian, I am, from here on out, going to take Pratchett's suggestion, and call myself by the title of "Shining Acolyte of the Sacred Flame of Literacy in a Dark and Encroaching Universe."
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read this book. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
This is a collection of, it seems, pretty much everything that Pratchett's published that isn't fiction.
It's divided thematically into three sections. The first focuses on thoughts on writing and the writing process. The second is more autobiographical material. The third has to do with Pratchett's early-onset Alzheimers and his advocacy for the right-to-die cause. (And then, it finishes up with a little bit of humor; I guess the editors didn't want to end on a down note.)
The first two sections are probably of specific interest to those familiar with Pratchett's work. The third definitely has a more general appeal, and gives an insight into the perspective of someone with an incurable disease who wants the legal right to be able to choose the time and manner of their passing, with dignity.
The main flaw I found in the book was not with any of the brief pieces included here individually, but rather with the effect of reading them all sequentially. Pratchett is clearly a man with 'pet' ideas and favorite quotes, who uses every given opportunity to air them. While there isn't a problem with this in practice, when all his speeches, introductions, and such are set end-to-end, it begins to feel a bit repetitive. The volume would probably be better enjoyed in small segments - reading an essay every now and again.
Favorite quote:
"You want fantasy? here's one... There's this species that lives on a planet a few miles above molten rock and a few miles below a vacuum that'd suck the air right out of them. They live in a brief geological period between ice ages, when giant asteroids have temporarily stopped smacking into the surface. As far as they can tell, there's nowhere else in the universe where they could stay alive for ten seconds.
And what do they call their fragile little slice of space and time? They call it real life. In a universe where it's known that whole galaxies can explode, they think there's things like "natural justice" and "destiny." Some of them even believe in democracy..."
And, as a librarian, I am, from here on out, going to take Pratchett's suggestion, and call myself by the title of "Shining Acolyte of the Sacred Flame of Literacy in a Dark and Encroaching Universe."
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read this book. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
November 2, 2016
A collection of articles, speeches, columns etc from the late, very great, Sir Terry Pratchett.
The collection provoked thoughts, laughter, and tears in equal measure.
A great man; a great writer gone far too soon.
The collection provoked thoughts, laughter, and tears in equal measure.
A great man; a great writer gone far too soon.
July 28, 2021
Begins and ends with rage. The rage of a man who knows we should better, and knows we aren鈥檛. I read it in two breathless sittings, reading large passages out loud to my husband and my dogs.
He could have structured this book to leave me warm and comfortable, delighted that there is another humanist out there, and one who can speak such poetry. He didn鈥檛.
Well worth the time.
He could have structured this book to leave me warm and comfortable, delighted that there is another humanist out there, and one who can speak such poetry. He didn鈥檛.
Well worth the time.
July 28, 2015
I鈥檝e come late to Pratchett鈥檚 writings. I had tried some comic fantasy and sci-fi and found it wanting; it mostly seemed to be trying too hard to be funny and witty. I enjoyed Red Dwarf on TV and Hitchhiker鈥檚 Guide to the Galaxy on the radio but somehow on the page much of this genre writing seemed to consist of dull, lifeless things, full of their own cleverness. So, despite everyone saying I ought to try Pratchett, that I鈥檇 like his stuff, I resisted it. Perhaps it was the cover illustrations that put me off: 鈥淭his is a wickedly weird funny book!鈥� they seemed to scream at me.
I recently finally took the plunge. Somehow the Piaf song Je ne regrette rien now rings a little hollow鈥�
Where the fiction of his that I鈥檝e read so far speaks of a man with his heart in the right place, A Slip of the Keyboard confirms that this heart could have been a twin of mine. We share much 鈥� the same birth year, a beard (not the same one, obviously), baldness, an irreligious spiritual inclination, anger directed at injustice, a love of words and a sense of the ridiculous 鈥� but sadly Pratchett surpassed me in terms of creativity, hard work, more creativity and more hard work. Where he was awesome, I am plain awful. And he suited hats, which I never have.
More than that, he was funny. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 actually believe in magic any more than I believe in astrology, because I鈥檓 a Taurean and we don鈥檛 go in for all that weirdo occult stuff,鈥� he wrote in 1985. (Even though I鈥檓 a Virgoan, I agree with that; the ability to suspend disbelief in magic through one鈥檚 writing, which Pratchett displays amply, is one I admire, relish, and envy.) On the page it works; and, as this collection of non-fiction suggests, when he addressed conventions or award ceremonies his spoken words had the same power.
So, this book. Pratchett鈥檚 miscellaneous musings range from 1963 (a letter to Vector, the magazine of the British Science Fiction Association) to 2011, four years before his death. The first and largest section is entitled 鈥楢 Scribbling Intruder鈥� and mostly includes reflections on fantasy writing, wizards, computers and 鈥� hats, though there are also pieces on boxing and his friend Neil Gaiman for example. Virtually all are characterised by the wonderful blend of humour, common sense and the ridiculousness of everyday life. Much the same applies to 鈥楢 Twit and a Dreamer鈥�, though the subjects range more widely, from childhood to the existence or not of a Deity.
The tone changes with 鈥楧ays of Rage鈥�. Neil Gaiman鈥檚 introduction had already alluded to Pratchett鈥檚 anger: 鈥淭here is a fury to Terry Pratchett鈥檚 writing [鈥 anger at the headmaster who would decide that six-year-old Terry Pratchett would never be smart enough for the 11-plus [secondary school examination]; anger at pompous critics, and at those who think that serious is the opposite of funny, anger at his early American publishers who could not bring his books out successfully.鈥� And that anger extended to testing in schools, the plight of the orangutans in their shrinking forests in Borneo, the injuries inflicted on the National Health Service in Britain, taxes, his early onset Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease (Posterior Cortical Atrophy, since you ask) and the legal sanction against assisted dying.
A history master at my school in the 60s showed us Ingmar Bergman鈥檚 Seventh Seal, with its unremitting monochrome view of life and death, and its powerful images stayed with me while the overall storyline faded into obscurity. Pratchett had a similar epiphany when, 鈥減laying on the floor of my grandmother鈥檚 front room, I glanced up at the television and saw Death, talking to a Knight, [鈥 with a scythe and an amiable manner鈥�. Ever since then the image remained with him, and Death started appearing in his Discworld novels, becoming 鈥渙ne of its most popular characters鈥�. And, of course, Death famously appeared in Sir Terry鈥檚 final tweets:
AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER
Terry took Death鈥檚 arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night.
The End.
How would the author like to be remembered? Should we harbour morbid thoughts about his passing, focus on the issues that roused his ire, or should we relish his vision of life as something of wonder, sometimes profound but more often ridiculous? I鈥檇 like to imagine it鈥檚 a bit of everything, characterised by his suggestion of 鈥楾hings to Order Loudly in Restaurants':
1) Liver with bigger tubes
2) Whitebait with extra eyes
3) Smorgasbord with the tops on
Here it all is encapsulated: dead things; pompous authority that needs to be brought down a peg or two; and a different way of looking at things. I鈥檓 grateful for that legacy of around fifty titles that I have yet to explore.
I recently finally took the plunge. Somehow the Piaf song Je ne regrette rien now rings a little hollow鈥�
Where the fiction of his that I鈥檝e read so far speaks of a man with his heart in the right place, A Slip of the Keyboard confirms that this heart could have been a twin of mine. We share much 鈥� the same birth year, a beard (not the same one, obviously), baldness, an irreligious spiritual inclination, anger directed at injustice, a love of words and a sense of the ridiculous 鈥� but sadly Pratchett surpassed me in terms of creativity, hard work, more creativity and more hard work. Where he was awesome, I am plain awful. And he suited hats, which I never have.
More than that, he was funny. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 actually believe in magic any more than I believe in astrology, because I鈥檓 a Taurean and we don鈥檛 go in for all that weirdo occult stuff,鈥� he wrote in 1985. (Even though I鈥檓 a Virgoan, I agree with that; the ability to suspend disbelief in magic through one鈥檚 writing, which Pratchett displays amply, is one I admire, relish, and envy.) On the page it works; and, as this collection of non-fiction suggests, when he addressed conventions or award ceremonies his spoken words had the same power.
So, this book. Pratchett鈥檚 miscellaneous musings range from 1963 (a letter to Vector, the magazine of the British Science Fiction Association) to 2011, four years before his death. The first and largest section is entitled 鈥楢 Scribbling Intruder鈥� and mostly includes reflections on fantasy writing, wizards, computers and 鈥� hats, though there are also pieces on boxing and his friend Neil Gaiman for example. Virtually all are characterised by the wonderful blend of humour, common sense and the ridiculousness of everyday life. Much the same applies to 鈥楢 Twit and a Dreamer鈥�, though the subjects range more widely, from childhood to the existence or not of a Deity.
The tone changes with 鈥楧ays of Rage鈥�. Neil Gaiman鈥檚 introduction had already alluded to Pratchett鈥檚 anger: 鈥淭here is a fury to Terry Pratchett鈥檚 writing [鈥 anger at the headmaster who would decide that six-year-old Terry Pratchett would never be smart enough for the 11-plus [secondary school examination]; anger at pompous critics, and at those who think that serious is the opposite of funny, anger at his early American publishers who could not bring his books out successfully.鈥� And that anger extended to testing in schools, the plight of the orangutans in their shrinking forests in Borneo, the injuries inflicted on the National Health Service in Britain, taxes, his early onset Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease (Posterior Cortical Atrophy, since you ask) and the legal sanction against assisted dying.
A history master at my school in the 60s showed us Ingmar Bergman鈥檚 Seventh Seal, with its unremitting monochrome view of life and death, and its powerful images stayed with me while the overall storyline faded into obscurity. Pratchett had a similar epiphany when, 鈥減laying on the floor of my grandmother鈥檚 front room, I glanced up at the television and saw Death, talking to a Knight, [鈥 with a scythe and an amiable manner鈥�. Ever since then the image remained with him, and Death started appearing in his Discworld novels, becoming 鈥渙ne of its most popular characters鈥�. And, of course, Death famously appeared in Sir Terry鈥檚 final tweets:
AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER
Terry took Death鈥檚 arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night.
The End.
How would the author like to be remembered? Should we harbour morbid thoughts about his passing, focus on the issues that roused his ire, or should we relish his vision of life as something of wonder, sometimes profound but more often ridiculous? I鈥檇 like to imagine it鈥檚 a bit of everything, characterised by his suggestion of 鈥楾hings to Order Loudly in Restaurants':
1) Liver with bigger tubes
2) Whitebait with extra eyes
3) Smorgasbord with the tops on
Here it all is encapsulated: dead things; pompous authority that needs to be brought down a peg or two; and a different way of looking at things. I鈥檓 grateful for that legacy of around fifty titles that I have yet to explore.
September 10, 2015
This is a collection of Terry Pratchett鈥檚 non-fictional writing, including talks, articles, introductions and opinion pieces. It does include 鈥楽haking Hands With Death鈥� as well, if you wanted to read that without actually buying the separate book with it in; this is technically better value for money, if you鈥檙e interested in all of the pieces. Most of them are interesting; one or two are odd without context 鈥� I haven鈥檛 read Nation recently enough, for example, to really appreciate his commentary on the writing of it, and the stage adaptation that was made.
If you鈥檝e made the mistake of thinking of Sir Pratchett as like some 鈥榡olly old elf鈥�, then Neil Gaiman鈥檚 introduction will begin to separate you from that notion, and then Pratchett鈥檚 own words will add to it. He had a burning anger which drove him in his writing and his activism, an anger at things that were wrong, an anger at the disease that was taking away parts of himself. He writes about that movingly several times; other essays talk about reading, learning, writing, the oddnesses of being an author鈥�
I enjoyed reading it, though it鈥檚 not something I can see myself reading again. Worth it for the clear-eyed view on assisted dying and the kind of legislation we need on that.
If you鈥檝e made the mistake of thinking of Sir Pratchett as like some 鈥榡olly old elf鈥�, then Neil Gaiman鈥檚 introduction will begin to separate you from that notion, and then Pratchett鈥檚 own words will add to it. He had a burning anger which drove him in his writing and his activism, an anger at things that were wrong, an anger at the disease that was taking away parts of himself. He writes about that movingly several times; other essays talk about reading, learning, writing, the oddnesses of being an author鈥�
I enjoyed reading it, though it鈥檚 not something I can see myself reading again. Worth it for the clear-eyed view on assisted dying and the kind of legislation we need on that.
August 10, 2018
"A Slip of the Keyboard" is a collection of articles and speeches sir Pterry wrote and published over the years. The themes vary from writing, to discovering science fiction at a young age in the most unlikely of places, to a Situation at the nuclear power plant which involved sewers, radioactivity and a lot of horrified people (but no disasters, thankfully), and finally Alzheimer's and assisted death.
...there are plenty of people out there who do their jobs well (maybe exceedingly so), but who aren't really the sort you'd look up to. With Terry Pratchett, however, you can love his books and look up to the man in the same measure - or, if you don't like his style, there's still something you can like about the man.
It isn't that he's kind, or cheerful, or positive. Neil Gaiman once said people think of him as a jolly man because of his humor, but he's actually angry, and that anger is powerful, deep, and drives him forward. It's anger put to its best use, that of an engine to make you go forward and change the world.
(If you want, read this in past tense; Terry Pratchett might be physically dead, but he's still capable of touching those who are alive though what he left behind. So, in a sense, he is still with us.)
"A Slip of the Keyboard" made me laugh, and it made me sad, and it made me feel that it's okay to be very, very angry at the world sometimes, because there's a lot to be angry at. And what you do with that anger is that you enjoy life as much as you can, you do things well, and you can maybe be brilliant, if you allow yourself be so.
(And did I mention the story with the nuclear power plant in which the security system is sabotaged by a minute's laziness? Oh, that's a good one.)
...there are plenty of people out there who do their jobs well (maybe exceedingly so), but who aren't really the sort you'd look up to. With Terry Pratchett, however, you can love his books and look up to the man in the same measure - or, if you don't like his style, there's still something you can like about the man.
It isn't that he's kind, or cheerful, or positive. Neil Gaiman once said people think of him as a jolly man because of his humor, but he's actually angry, and that anger is powerful, deep, and drives him forward. It's anger put to its best use, that of an engine to make you go forward and change the world.
(If you want, read this in past tense; Terry Pratchett might be physically dead, but he's still capable of touching those who are alive though what he left behind. So, in a sense, he is still with us.)
"A Slip of the Keyboard" made me laugh, and it made me sad, and it made me feel that it's okay to be very, very angry at the world sometimes, because there's a lot to be angry at. And what you do with that anger is that you enjoy life as much as you can, you do things well, and you can maybe be brilliant, if you allow yourself be so.
(And did I mention the story with the nuclear power plant in which the security system is sabotaged by a minute's laziness? Oh, that's a good one.)
August 30, 2014
Note: free galley received via Amazon Vine program in exchange for honest review.
If you're a fan of Pratchett's books, A Slip of the Keyboard is the type of book that you'll want for background purposes. The first two sections in particular provide eye opening insight into his childhood and younger writing years as well as his thoughts on writing and what makes fantasy interesting. If you're looking for writing advice, there's a surprising amount of that mixed in too if you're reading closely. While I love the book and the author, I did struggle a bit through the last section, not because it was badly written, but because of the content. After two generally lighter toned sections, hearing about his struggles with Alzheimer's and his championing of assisted death was a bit, well, hard. Necessary, but difficult nonetheless. He explains his views eloquently and with a humanity that I often find those who are most faced with their own humanity can really best explore.
This is a solid volume of the nonfiction variety from a master of words and worlds. I was reminded of books I'd read and shelved and want to pick them up anew. I was enlightened, heartened, and encouraged that there is a person just waiting to explore the world in all of us. This book also made me want to pick up a pen and begin writing, even if it is some story once thought abandoned. Pratchett's humor and humanity are on display in an unfamiliar way, but what better way to get a peek into his life than through his nonfiction?
If you're a fan of Pratchett's books, A Slip of the Keyboard is the type of book that you'll want for background purposes. The first two sections in particular provide eye opening insight into his childhood and younger writing years as well as his thoughts on writing and what makes fantasy interesting. If you're looking for writing advice, there's a surprising amount of that mixed in too if you're reading closely. While I love the book and the author, I did struggle a bit through the last section, not because it was badly written, but because of the content. After two generally lighter toned sections, hearing about his struggles with Alzheimer's and his championing of assisted death was a bit, well, hard. Necessary, but difficult nonetheless. He explains his views eloquently and with a humanity that I often find those who are most faced with their own humanity can really best explore.
This is a solid volume of the nonfiction variety from a master of words and worlds. I was reminded of books I'd read and shelved and want to pick them up anew. I was enlightened, heartened, and encouraged that there is a person just waiting to explore the world in all of us. This book also made me want to pick up a pen and begin writing, even if it is some story once thought abandoned. Pratchett's humor and humanity are on display in an unfamiliar way, but what better way to get a peek into his life than through his nonfiction?
October 12, 2019
袦薪芯谐芯 褋谢械写 泻邪褌芯 褏芯褉邪褌邪 褋邪 芯褌泻褉懈谢懈, 褔械 袟械屑褟褌邪 薪械 械 锌谢芯褋泻邪 懈 写褗谢谐芯 锌褉械写懈 褔邪褋褌 芯褌 褌褟褏 写邪 褉械褕邪褌 芯褌薪芯胁芯, 薪邪锌褍泻 薪邪 薪邪褍泻邪褌邪, 褔械 褌褟 械 褌邪泻邪胁邪, 懈屑邪谢芯 械写薪芯 薪械芯斜懈泻薪芯胁械薪芯 屑褟褋褌芯. 孝芯 褋褌邪薪邪谢芯 懈蟹胁械褋褌薪芯 泻邪褌芯 小胁械褌褗褌 薪邪 写懈褋泻邪. 袧邪屑懈褉邪谢芯 褋械 胁褗褉褏褍 褔械褌懈褉懈 褋谢芯薪邪. 孝械 锌褗泻 芯褌 褋胁芯褟 褋褌褉邪薪邪 斜邪谢邪薪褋懈褉邪谢懈 胁褗褉褏褍 泻芯褉褍斜邪褌邪 薪邪 芯谐褉芯屑薪邪 泻芯褋褌械薪褍褉泻邪. 孝褟 锌褗泻 褋械 薪芯褋械谢邪 懈蟹 胁褋械谢械薪邪褌邪鈥� 袗 胁褋械谢械薪邪褌邪 斜懈谢邪 胁 谐谢邪胁邪褌邪 薪邪 械写懈薪-械写懈薪褋褌胁械薪 褔芯胁械泻, 锌褉械胁褗褉薪邪谢 褋械 胁 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪邪 懈泻芯薪邪 蟹邪 薪褟泻芯谢泻芯 锌芯泻芯谢械薪懈褟 褔懈褌邪褌械谢懈. 效芯胁械泻褗褌 胁械褔械 薪械 械 褋褉械写 薪邪褋, 薪芯 薪邪褋谢械写褋褌胁芯褌芯 屑褍 薪褟屑邪 写邪 斜褗写械 蟹邪斜褉邪胁械薪芯 薪懈泻芯谐邪. 小械谐邪 褋斜芯褉薪懈泻 褋 薪械谐芯胁懈 械褋械褌邪 懈蟹谢懈蟹邪 蟹邪 锌褗褉胁懈 锌褗褌 薪邪 斜褗谢谐邪褉褋泻懈 械蟹懈泻 芯褌 懈蟹写. 鈥炐⌒感敌恍扳€�. 袙械谢懈泻芯谢械锌薪邪褌邪 鈥炐毿恍靶残感把傃冄€薪邪 谐褉械褕泻邪鈥� 械 薪械 褌芯褔薪芯 邪胁褌芯斜懈芯谐褉邪褎懈褟, 薪械 褌芯褔薪芯 屑械屑芯邪褉懈, 薪芯 锌褗泻 懈 袩褉邪褌褔械褌 薪懈泻芯谐邪 薪械 褋械 械 胁锌懈褋胁邪谢 胁 泻芯薪胁械薪褑懈芯薪邪谢薪懈褌械 卸邪薪褉芯胁懈 谐褉邪薪懈褑懈. 袩褉芯褔械褌械褌械 褉械胁褞褌芯 薪邪 "袣薪懈卸薪懈 袣褉懈谢械":
August 20, 2014
This collection of some of Terry Pratchett's non-fiction writing provides his fans (every reader who has ever read one of Terry's books) with an intimate look at the workings of his mind. He offers up his views on writing, gods, his Alzheimer's diagnosis, and a variety of other topics that give us the feeling that we have been his long time personal friends.
This is an absolute "Must Read" if you are a Terry Pratchett fan! If you are not (yet) one of his fans, read one of his Discworld books first and then you can really enjoy this one.
This is an absolute "Must Read" if you are a Terry Pratchett fan! If you are not (yet) one of his fans, read one of his Discworld books first and then you can really enjoy this one.
September 8, 2019
携 胁懈写械谢邪 褋褝褉邪 孝械褉褉懈 胁 薪邪褔邪谢械 薪褍谢械胁褘褏. 袘芯谢械械 褌芯谐芯, 褟 谐芯胁芯褉懈谢邪 褋 薪懈屑, 懈 写邪卸械 胁蟹褟谢邪 褍 薪械谐芯 邪胁褌芯谐褉邪褎. 袛胁邪. 袣芯谐写邪 褟 锌芯写褋芯胁褘胁邪谢邪 械屑褍 胁褌芯褉褍褞 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎懈褞, 褉邪褋锌械褔邪褌邪薪薪褍褞 写芯屑邪 薪邪 褑胁械褌薪芯屑 锌褉懈薪褌械褉械 (写褍褉邪褑泻褍褞, 褋 褍褌芯褔泻芯泄 薪邪 谐芯谢芯胁械), 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌 褋芯褖褍褉懈谢 谐谢邪蟹邪 懈 褋泻邪蟹邪谢: 芦袩褉芯写邪胁邪褌褜 斜褍写械褕褜?禄 携 芯褎懈谐械谢邪, 锌芯褌芯屑褍 褔褌芯 邪胁褌芯谐褉邪褎 斜褉邪谢邪 写谢褟 褋胁芯械泄 蟹薪邪泻芯屑芯泄 懈蟹 写褉褍谐芯谐芯 谐芯褉芯写邪. 袧褍 懈 胁芯芯斜褖械; 泻邪泻 屑芯卸薪芯 锌褉芯写邪胁邪褌褜 邪胁褌芯谐褉邪褎褘? 袩芯褌芯屑, 泻芯薪械褔薪芯, 褍蟹薪邪谢邪, 泻邪泻.
小斜芯褉薪懈泻 褝褋褋械 芯写薪芯谐芯 懈蟹 谢褍褔褕懈褏 邪胁褌芯褉芯胁 屑懈褉邪 薪邪锌芯屑薪懈褌, 褔褌芯 芯薪 斜褘谢 卸褍褉薪邪谢懈褋褌芯屑, 锌懈邪褉褖懈泻芯屑 薪邪 邪褌芯屑薪芯泄 褝谢械泻褌褉芯褋褌邪薪褑懈懈, 薪芯 锌褉械卸写械 胁褋械谐芯 - 蟹邪锌芯泄薪褘屑 褔褌械褑芯屑. 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌 褋 芯谐褉芯屑薪芯泄 谢褞斜芯胁褜褞 锌懈褕械褌 锌褉芯 泻薪懈谐懈, 锌褉芯 褎褝薪褌械蟹懈, 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈泻褍, 邪 褝褌芯 薪邪锌芯屑懈薪邪械褌 屑薪械, 蟹邪 褔褌芯 褟 褌邪泻 谢褞斜谢褞 械谐芯 泻薪懈谐懈. 袟邪 谢褞斜芯胁褜 泻 褋胁芯懈屑 锌械褉褋芯薪邪卸邪屑 懈 蟹邪 锌芯褌褉褟褋邪褞褖懈泄 褋谢芯谐.
袩褉懈 褝褌芯屑 褌械泻褋褌褘 胁 褋斜芯褉薪懈泻械 薪邪锌懈褋邪薪褘 芯褔械薪褜 锌褉芯褋褌芯: 胁褋械 卸械 胁 褍屑械薪懈懈 锌褉芯褋褌芯 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹褘胁邪褌褜 芯 褋谢芯卸薪芯屑 械褋褌褜 泻邪泻芯泄-褌芯 薪械胁械褉芯褟褌薪褘泄 褕邪褉屑. 袣芯谐写邪 卸械 写械谢芯 写芯褏芯写懈褌 写芯 蟹邪屑械褌芯泻 芯 械谐芯 斜芯谢械蟹薪懈, 褋褝褉 孝械褉褉懈 锌褉械胁褉邪褖邪械褌褋褟 胁 薪邪褋褌芯褟褖械谐芯 斜芯褉褑邪 - 锌谢邪屑械薪薪芯谐芯, 褟蟹胁懈褌械谢褜薪芯谐芯 懈 芯褔械薪褜 褍斜械写懈褌械谢褜薪芯谐芯.
袦薪械 械谐芯 褍卸邪褋薪芯 薪械 褏胁邪褌邪械褌.
小斜芯褉薪懈泻 褝褋褋械 芯写薪芯谐芯 懈蟹 谢褍褔褕懈褏 邪胁褌芯褉芯胁 屑懈褉邪 薪邪锌芯屑薪懈褌, 褔褌芯 芯薪 斜褘谢 卸褍褉薪邪谢懈褋褌芯屑, 锌懈邪褉褖懈泻芯屑 薪邪 邪褌芯屑薪芯泄 褝谢械泻褌褉芯褋褌邪薪褑懈懈, 薪芯 锌褉械卸写械 胁褋械谐芯 - 蟹邪锌芯泄薪褘屑 褔褌械褑芯屑. 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌 褋 芯谐褉芯屑薪芯泄 谢褞斜芯胁褜褞 锌懈褕械褌 锌褉芯 泻薪懈谐懈, 锌褉芯 褎褝薪褌械蟹懈, 褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈泻褍, 邪 褝褌芯 薪邪锌芯屑懈薪邪械褌 屑薪械, 蟹邪 褔褌芯 褟 褌邪泻 谢褞斜谢褞 械谐芯 泻薪懈谐懈. 袟邪 谢褞斜芯胁褜 泻 褋胁芯懈屑 锌械褉褋芯薪邪卸邪屑 懈 蟹邪 锌芯褌褉褟褋邪褞褖懈泄 褋谢芯谐.
袩褉懈 褝褌芯屑 褌械泻褋褌褘 胁 褋斜芯褉薪懈泻械 薪邪锌懈褋邪薪褘 芯褔械薪褜 锌褉芯褋褌芯: 胁褋械 卸械 胁 褍屑械薪懈懈 锌褉芯褋褌芯 褉邪褋褋泻邪蟹褘胁邪褌褜 芯 褋谢芯卸薪芯屑 械褋褌褜 泻邪泻芯泄-褌芯 薪械胁械褉芯褟褌薪褘泄 褕邪褉屑. 袣芯谐写邪 卸械 写械谢芯 写芯褏芯写懈褌 写芯 蟹邪屑械褌芯泻 芯 械谐芯 斜芯谢械蟹薪懈, 褋褝褉 孝械褉褉懈 锌褉械胁褉邪褖邪械褌褋褟 胁 薪邪褋褌芯褟褖械谐芯 斜芯褉褑邪 - 锌谢邪屑械薪薪芯谐芯, 褟蟹胁懈褌械谢褜薪芯谐芯 懈 芯褔械薪褜 褍斜械写懈褌械谢褜薪芯谐芯.
袦薪械 械谐芯 褍卸邪褋薪芯 薪械 褏胁邪褌邪械褌.
November 8, 2016
This collection of short pieces by Terry Pratchett is fun, if not particularly thrilling--but then, it's more or less what I expected, so I'm calling it a win. There's some repetition of content because these are essays and letters written at various times for various purposes, but, again, it's the nature of the beast. I especially liked his description of searching for frankincense at Christmastime in Bristol and the story of casting a honeycomb and bees in gold. I dipped into this now and again over the course of a week, and it was well worth the time spent. (I also managed to splash it with teriyaki sauce while cooking dinner. Reading and cooking rarely go well together.)
March 15, 2015
I finished this last night, after the news of Terry Pratchett's death. I'd been reading it for a couple weeks and had about 40 pages left--the pages dealing with how he wished to die. These pages should've upset me, but they didn't. Instead, I feel blessed to have read him, to have had my Uncle Jim insist I borrow the Witches' series when I was seventeen, or nineteen, or fifteen. Thank you Terry Pratchett--I bow to your wit and fun and wisdom. The world, I think, is a little bit better with your novels in it.
August 23, 2018
笑褟 泻薪懈谐邪 斜械蟹锌芯褉邪写薪芯 胁懈褋褨谢邪 胁 屑械薪械 胁 芦写芯 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪薪薪褟禄 褌邪泻 写芯胁谐芯, 褨 薪邪褉械褕褌褨 胁懈锌邪胁 褕邪薪褋 褩褩 泻褍锌懈褌懈, 褖芯 褟 褨 蟹褉芯斜懈谢邪 蟹邪胁写褟泻懈 写芯谢褨, 褟泻邪 薪邪胁褨褌褜 谢褞斜鈥櫻徯沸叫� 写芯蟹胁芯谢懈谢邪 芯斜褉邪褌懈 屑褨卸 hardback 褨 paperback. 些芯 卸, 写芯谢褟 褔褍写芯胁芯 屑械薪械 褉芯蟹褍屑褨褦, 斜芯 褑褟 泻薪懈谐邪 屑芯褟 薪邪 胁褨泻懈, 褟 薪褨泻芯屑褍 褩褩 薪械 胁褨写写邪屑. 效懈褌邪褞褔懈 褉褟写泻懈, 薪邪锌懈褋邪薪褨 褍谢褞斜谢械薪懈屑 锌懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈泻芯屑, 薪邪褔械 芯锌懈薪褟褦褕褋褟 蟹 薪懈屑 薪邪 胁械褉邪薪写褨 锌褉芯褋褌芯褉芯谐芯 邪薪谐谢褨泄褋褜泻芯谐芯 屑邪褦褌泻褍, 褨 胁械写械褕 蟹邪 褔邪褕械褔泻芯褞 褔邪褞 锌芯胁褨谢褜薪褍 褉芯蟹屑芯胁褍 锌褉芯 胁褋械 薪邪 褋胁褨褌褨. 袣薪懈谐褍 锌芯写褨谢械薪芯 薪邪 褌褉懈 褔邪褋褌懈薪懈 鈥� 锌懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈褑褜泻褨 锌褉懈谐芯写懈 (胁褨写 锌械褉褕懈褏 泻薪懈谐, 写芯 褋胁褨褌芯胁懈褏 book tours, 写芯 锌褉芯褑械褋褍 锌懈褋褜屑械薪褋褌胁邪), 褋锌芯谐邪写懈 写懈褌懈薪褋褌胁邪-褞薪芯褋褌褨, 褨 芦days of rage禄, 蟹邪锌懈褋懈 褖芯写芯 褋芯褑褨邪谢褜薪懈褏 锌褉芯斜谢械屑, 褌邪泻懈褏 褟泻 褋褌邪胁谢械薪薪褟 褋褍褋锌褨谢褜褋褌胁邪 写芯 袗谢褜褑谐械泄屑械褉邪, 械胁褌邪薪邪蟹褨褩, 褌邪 胁懈薪懈褖褍胁邪薪薪褟 锌褉懈褉芯写薪芯谐芯 邪褉械邪谢褍 芯褉邪薪谐褍褌邪薪谐褨胁. 校 锌械褉械写屑芯胁褨 胁褨写 袧褨谢邪 袚械泄屑邪薪邪 褋泻邪蟹邪薪芯, 褖芯 孝械褉褉褨 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌 薪械 芦褌芯泄 泻褍屑械写薪懈泄 褔芯谢芯胁褨褔芯泻 褍 泻邪锌械谢褞褋褨禄 褟泻懈屑 屑懈 泄芯谐芯 褋芯斜褨 褍褟胁谢褟褦屑芯 鈥� 胁褨薪 泻芯薪褑械薪褌褉芯胁邪薪邪 谢褞褌褜 锌褉芯褌懈 褋懈褋褌械屑懈, 锌褉芯褌懈 薪械胁褨谐谢邪褋褌胁邪, 锌褉芯褌懈 卸芯褉褋褌芯泻芯褋褌褨, 胁芯写薪芯褔邪褋 褋锌芯胁薪械薪邪 谢褞斜芯胁褨 写芯 谐褍屑邪薪薪芯褋褌褨. 笑械 泄 胁懈写薪芯, 泻芯谢懈 谐褍谢褟褦褕 褑懈屑懈 褉褟写泻邪屑懈, 褨 写褨蟹薪邪褦褕褋褟 斜褨谢褜褕械 锌褉芯 写褍屑泻懈 褨 褋胁褨褌 孝械褉褉褨 袩褉邪褌褔械褌褌邪 蟹 泄芯谐芯 卸 胁褍褋褌. 袗 褌邪泻芯卸 褨 锌褉芯 褋褌邪胁谢械薪薪褟 写芯 泻邪锌械谢褞褏褨胁.
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I developed the habit of starting a book on the same day as I鈥檇 finished the last one. There was one period where I had a schedule of four hundred finished words a day. If I could finish the book in three hundred words, I wrote a hundred words of the next book. No excuses. Granddad died, go to funeral, four hundred words. Christmas time, nip our after dinner, four hundred words.
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I do recall that Salman Rushdie came second in a science fiction writing competition in the late 1970s. Just image if he鈥檇 won 鈥� he would have had none of that trouble over Satanic Verses, 鈥榗os it would have been SF and therefore unimportant.
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So, apparently, I鈥檓 a post-modern fantasy writer. I think this is because I鈥檝e got a condom machine in Ankh-Morpork. [鈥 But you cannot imagine a condom machine in Middle-earth. Well, actually, I can, regrettably. But you certainly can鈥檛 imagine one in Narnia, and nor should you. But the curious thing is Ankh-Morpork can survive this. Ankh-Morpork can survive most things.
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People really do ask: where do you get your ideas from? [鈥 鈥楩rom a warehouse in Croydon鈥� is only funny once.
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Many of them have this in common, though: they express doubts that the author will read the letter, let alone answer it. The letter in an act of faith. It鈥檚 as though they鈥檝e put a message in a bottle and tossed it into the sea. But鈥� Well, when I was young, I wrote a letter to J. R. R. Tolkien, just as he was becoming extravagantly famous. [鈥 Mine must have been among hundreds or thousands of letters he received every week. I got a reply. It might have been dictated. For all I know, it might have been typed to a format. But it was signed. [鈥 For a moment, it achieved the most basic and treasured of human communications: you are real, and therefore so am I.
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[On writing fantasy.] You are allowed to make pigs fly, but you must take into account the depredations on the local bird life and the need for people in heavily over-flown areas to carry stout umbrellas at all times.
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[On a badly written fantasy book]. That鈥檚 not fantasy 鈥� that鈥檚 just Tolkien reheated until the magic boils away.
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J. R. R. Tolkien has become a sort of mountain, appearing in all subsequent fantasy in the way Mt Fuji appears so often in Japanese prints. Sometimes it鈥檚 big and up close. Sometimes it鈥檚 a shape on the horizon. Sometimes it鈥檚 not there at all, which means that the artist either has made a deliberate decision against the mountain, which is interesting in itself, or is in fact standing on Mt Fuji.
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I have always treasured having one of my novels named an Amelia Bloomer Book by the feminist task force of the ALA, because there is something heart-warming about a man with a beard receiving accolades for strong feminist writing.
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Science fiction certainly predicted the age of computers. [...] But what took us by surprise was that the people using the computers were not, in fact, shiny new people, but the same dumb old human beings that there have always been. They didn鈥檛 鈥� much 鈥� want to use the technology to get educated. They wanted to look at porn, play games, steal things, and chat.
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There is a rumor going around that I have found God. I think this is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
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Twice, when I have spoken out on subjects like Alzheimer鈥檚 and assisted dying, helpful Christians have told me that I should try considering my affliction as a gift from God. Now, personally I would have preferred a box of chocolates.
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It is a strange life when you 鈥榗ome out鈥�. People get embarrassed, lower their voices, get lost for words. Part of the report I鈥檓 helping to launch today reveals that fifty percent of Britons think there is a stigma surrounding dementia. Onl y twenty-five per cent think there is still a stigma associated with cancer.
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[On Alzheimer] Before you can kill the monster you have to say its name.
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We should aim for a good and rich life well lived, and at the end of it, in the comfort of our own home, in the company of those who love us, have a death worth dying for.
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I developed the habit of starting a book on the same day as I鈥檇 finished the last one. There was one period where I had a schedule of four hundred finished words a day. If I could finish the book in three hundred words, I wrote a hundred words of the next book. No excuses. Granddad died, go to funeral, four hundred words. Christmas time, nip our after dinner, four hundred words.
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I do recall that Salman Rushdie came second in a science fiction writing competition in the late 1970s. Just image if he鈥檇 won 鈥� he would have had none of that trouble over Satanic Verses, 鈥榗os it would have been SF and therefore unimportant.
#
So, apparently, I鈥檓 a post-modern fantasy writer. I think this is because I鈥檝e got a condom machine in Ankh-Morpork. [鈥 But you cannot imagine a condom machine in Middle-earth. Well, actually, I can, regrettably. But you certainly can鈥檛 imagine one in Narnia, and nor should you. But the curious thing is Ankh-Morpork can survive this. Ankh-Morpork can survive most things.
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People really do ask: where do you get your ideas from? [鈥 鈥楩rom a warehouse in Croydon鈥� is only funny once.
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Many of them have this in common, though: they express doubts that the author will read the letter, let alone answer it. The letter in an act of faith. It鈥檚 as though they鈥檝e put a message in a bottle and tossed it into the sea. But鈥� Well, when I was young, I wrote a letter to J. R. R. Tolkien, just as he was becoming extravagantly famous. [鈥 Mine must have been among hundreds or thousands of letters he received every week. I got a reply. It might have been dictated. For all I know, it might have been typed to a format. But it was signed. [鈥 For a moment, it achieved the most basic and treasured of human communications: you are real, and therefore so am I.
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[On writing fantasy.] You are allowed to make pigs fly, but you must take into account the depredations on the local bird life and the need for people in heavily over-flown areas to carry stout umbrellas at all times.
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[On a badly written fantasy book]. That鈥檚 not fantasy 鈥� that鈥檚 just Tolkien reheated until the magic boils away.
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J. R. R. Tolkien has become a sort of mountain, appearing in all subsequent fantasy in the way Mt Fuji appears so often in Japanese prints. Sometimes it鈥檚 big and up close. Sometimes it鈥檚 a shape on the horizon. Sometimes it鈥檚 not there at all, which means that the artist either has made a deliberate decision against the mountain, which is interesting in itself, or is in fact standing on Mt Fuji.
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I have always treasured having one of my novels named an Amelia Bloomer Book by the feminist task force of the ALA, because there is something heart-warming about a man with a beard receiving accolades for strong feminist writing.
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Science fiction certainly predicted the age of computers. [...] But what took us by surprise was that the people using the computers were not, in fact, shiny new people, but the same dumb old human beings that there have always been. They didn鈥檛 鈥� much 鈥� want to use the technology to get educated. They wanted to look at porn, play games, steal things, and chat.
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There is a rumor going around that I have found God. I think this is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
#
Twice, when I have spoken out on subjects like Alzheimer鈥檚 and assisted dying, helpful Christians have told me that I should try considering my affliction as a gift from God. Now, personally I would have preferred a box of chocolates.
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It is a strange life when you 鈥榗ome out鈥�. People get embarrassed, lower their voices, get lost for words. Part of the report I鈥檓 helping to launch today reveals that fifty percent of Britons think there is a stigma surrounding dementia. Onl y twenty-five per cent think there is still a stigma associated with cancer.
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[On Alzheimer] Before you can kill the monster you have to say its name.
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We should aim for a good and rich life well lived, and at the end of it, in the comfort of our own home, in the company of those who love us, have a death worth dying for.
August 10, 2020
Terry Pratchett ile tan谋艧ma kitab谋m onun engin yazma tecr眉besini payla艧t谋臒谋 bu kitapla oldu. 陌nsanlar谋n yazma rutinlerini veya ge莽mi艧lerini kaleme nas谋l yans谋tt谋klar谋n谋 okumay谋 seviyorum. Besleyici ve motive edici bir etkisi oldu臒una inan谋yorum. S枚r Terry e臒lenceli bir kimlik, bir g眉n Diskd眉nya鈥檡谋 da okumak isterim. Ama bunun d谋艧谋nda hayatla m眉cadelesini ve elde etti臒i ba艧ar谋y谋 艧a艧k谋nl谋kla kar艧谋lamas谋n谋 epey sevdim. Sanki bir yanl谋艧l谋k varm谋艧 gibi bir hisle tek bildi臒i eylem olan yazmak ve okumaya devam edi艧ini g枚zlemek heyecand谋. Onu yazmaya te艧vik eden unsurun temelde okumak oldu臒unu s枚ylemek yanl谋艧 olmaz. Buldu臒u her 艧eyi okuyarak ge莽irdi臒i 莽ocukluk d枚neminin etkilerini tahmini 枚l眉m眉ne kadar ta艧谋m谋艧t谋.
Muhte艧em bir hayal g眉c眉ne sahip ars谋z bir hayalperestten bahsediyoruz. 陌nsanl谋臒谋n g枚rd眉臒眉n眉 ba艧ka bir forma sokmak konusunda 眉zerine yok. Yazd谋klar谋n谋 okumay谋 bu y眉zden 莽ok istiyorum. Bununla birlikte iyi bir okur olmas谋 sebebiyle 枚nerileri ve etraf谋na dair g枚zlemleri de hayli i艧levli gibi duruyor. Kat谋ld谋臒谋 fuarlar, gazete yaz谋lar谋 bu kitapta 莽ok daha fazlas谋 mevcut.
脰l眉me dair kaleme ald谋klar谋 脰fkeli G眉nler ba艧l谋臒谋 alt谋nda kar艧谋m谋za 莽谋k谋yor. Alzheimer hastal谋臒谋na yakaland谋臒谋n谋 枚臒rendikten sonra hem hastal谋kla hem de 陌ngiltere鈥檇eki sa臒l谋k hizmetlerinin s谋n谋rlar谋yla m眉cadelesi takip etmeye de臒erdi. 陌lac谋n temini i莽in konan ya艧 s谋n谋r谋yla ba艧layan bu sava艧 枚tenazi hakk谋yla ilgili payla艧谋mlarla devam etti. Daha 枚nce 眉zerine uzun uzun d眉艧眉nmedi臒im bu konuda bana da d眉艧眉necek bir莽ok 艧ey verdi yazar. Yazacak, d眉艧眉necek ve 眉zerine konu艧acak bir莽ok 枚neriyle bu kitab谋 tamamlamaktan mutluyum.
Muhte艧em bir hayal g眉c眉ne sahip ars谋z bir hayalperestten bahsediyoruz. 陌nsanl谋臒谋n g枚rd眉臒眉n眉 ba艧ka bir forma sokmak konusunda 眉zerine yok. Yazd谋klar谋n谋 okumay谋 bu y眉zden 莽ok istiyorum. Bununla birlikte iyi bir okur olmas谋 sebebiyle 枚nerileri ve etraf谋na dair g枚zlemleri de hayli i艧levli gibi duruyor. Kat谋ld谋臒谋 fuarlar, gazete yaz谋lar谋 bu kitapta 莽ok daha fazlas谋 mevcut.
脰l眉me dair kaleme ald谋klar谋 脰fkeli G眉nler ba艧l谋臒谋 alt谋nda kar艧谋m谋za 莽谋k谋yor. Alzheimer hastal谋臒谋na yakaland谋臒谋n谋 枚臒rendikten sonra hem hastal谋kla hem de 陌ngiltere鈥檇eki sa臒l谋k hizmetlerinin s谋n谋rlar谋yla m眉cadelesi takip etmeye de臒erdi. 陌lac谋n temini i莽in konan ya艧 s谋n谋r谋yla ba艧layan bu sava艧 枚tenazi hakk谋yla ilgili payla艧谋mlarla devam etti. Daha 枚nce 眉zerine uzun uzun d眉艧眉nmedi臒im bu konuda bana da d眉艧眉necek bir莽ok 艧ey verdi yazar. Yazacak, d眉艧眉necek ve 眉zerine konu艧acak bir莽ok 枚neriyle bu kitab谋 tamamlamaktan mutluyum.
August 21, 2021
Quite simply, I loved every minute I was reading this book and 'hearing' Terry Pratchett's voice in my head. Sometimes it was downright funny such as, reading about airport food being all "lard balls and salt licks," then, there were the very engaging chapters on fantasy, reading and/or writing it, and then there were serious end-of-life discussions, about which, Pratchett surmises: "Life is easy and cheap to make. But the things we add to it, such as pride, self-respect, and human dignity, are worthy of preservation, too, and these can be lost in a fetish for life at any cost."
I loved the story that illustrates a "loyalist arrangement," as a "dynamic accord." The local shepherds where Pratchett lived used to be buried with a piece of wool to remind God that those times they couldn't attend church were due to their commitment to their ewes. They were acting as good shepherds and taking care of their flock and they believed God, as the Good Shepherd, would understand and pardon them. As Pratchett wrote, "So much of Discworld has come from odd serendipitous discoveries like that."
Pratchett wrote about receiving a response to his letter to J.R.R. Tolkien: "For a moment, it achieved the most basic and treasured of human communications: you are real, and therefore so am I." Pondering this thought helped him to gain perspective on the value of corresponding with people that wrote to him in response to his books.
I enjoyed the chapter on how to write fantasy and learned that "G.K. Chesterton summed up fantasy as the art of taking that which is humdrum and everyday (and therefore unseen) and picking it up and showing it to us from an unfamiliar direction, so that we see it anew with fresh eyes." As children, we take everything literally and believe what we are told, however as we learn to question, we can imagine further and develop our ideas into new stories, or twists on old ones.
"It [fantasy] is the compost for a healthy mind. It stimulates the inquisitive nodes [...] there is some evidence that a rich internal fantasy life is as good and necessary for a child as healthy soil is for a plant, for much the same reasons."
As every reader knows and has experienced during their lifetime of reading, "sometimes things all come together at the right time in the right place - book, author, style, subject, and reader." For Pratchett, this book was The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien and "The moment was magic."
I love that Pratchett "can remember exactly where and when [he] was when [he] first read J.R.R. Tolkien." Without a doubt, Tolkien's writing was incredibly important to him, as he writes, "The Lord of the Rings was a step-change in my reading. I was already enjoying it, but The Lord of the Rings opened me up to the rest of the library."
Finally, I loved that Pratchett loved libraries. It was a librarian at his local library that first handed him the life-changing The Lord of the Rings to read, and he suggests that librarians are "Shining Acolytes of the Sacred Flame of Literacy in a Dark and Encroaching Universe."
"It's all been done in fun, folks." Yes, really, he wrote for the sheer fun of it.
I loved the story that illustrates a "loyalist arrangement," as a "dynamic accord." The local shepherds where Pratchett lived used to be buried with a piece of wool to remind God that those times they couldn't attend church were due to their commitment to their ewes. They were acting as good shepherds and taking care of their flock and they believed God, as the Good Shepherd, would understand and pardon them. As Pratchett wrote, "So much of Discworld has come from odd serendipitous discoveries like that."
Pratchett wrote about receiving a response to his letter to J.R.R. Tolkien: "For a moment, it achieved the most basic and treasured of human communications: you are real, and therefore so am I." Pondering this thought helped him to gain perspective on the value of corresponding with people that wrote to him in response to his books.
I enjoyed the chapter on how to write fantasy and learned that "G.K. Chesterton summed up fantasy as the art of taking that which is humdrum and everyday (and therefore unseen) and picking it up and showing it to us from an unfamiliar direction, so that we see it anew with fresh eyes." As children, we take everything literally and believe what we are told, however as we learn to question, we can imagine further and develop our ideas into new stories, or twists on old ones.
"It [fantasy] is the compost for a healthy mind. It stimulates the inquisitive nodes [...] there is some evidence that a rich internal fantasy life is as good and necessary for a child as healthy soil is for a plant, for much the same reasons."
As every reader knows and has experienced during their lifetime of reading, "sometimes things all come together at the right time in the right place - book, author, style, subject, and reader." For Pratchett, this book was The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien and "The moment was magic."
I love that Pratchett "can remember exactly where and when [he] was when [he] first read J.R.R. Tolkien." Without a doubt, Tolkien's writing was incredibly important to him, as he writes, "The Lord of the Rings was a step-change in my reading. I was already enjoying it, but The Lord of the Rings opened me up to the rest of the library."
Finally, I loved that Pratchett loved libraries. It was a librarian at his local library that first handed him the life-changing The Lord of the Rings to read, and he suggests that librarians are "Shining Acolytes of the Sacred Flame of Literacy in a Dark and Encroaching Universe."
"It's all been done in fun, folks." Yes, really, he wrote for the sheer fun of it.
November 23, 2014
Terry Pratchett is a treasure and this collection of his newspaper articles, speeches, letters-to-the-editor and the like just reinforces his status. While there is humor throughout, from his early newspaper articles as a journalist in the late 60's & 70's to his stint doing PR for various nuclear power stations in England in the 80's - the 'Discworld' series is represented too, of course - but Pratchett really shines with discussions from 2007 onward about his early-onset Alzheimer's, the stigma some associate with the disease and Pratchett's fight in seeing that those who need care for Alzheimer's are able to find it. And I still haven't mentioned his thoughtful pieces on "assisted dying" for those with terminal illnesses.
A must-read.
A must-read.
November 30, 2015
I guess something I've known about Terry Pratchett for years is that he is an outstanding wordsmith. He simply writes so well. Equally he is a wonderful observer of humans and the "human condition" rather more widely. This books offers some wonderfully acerbic humour - the Australian book signing tour and the attack of the Uzi is marvellous. However this book also ranges widely on writing, what fantasy actually is, books and their readers and death both the Discworld variety and actual death.
I simply loved it - even the less riveting articles were short enough to not bother me - and I'd recommend it to anyone with an interest in Pratchett, humour, fantasy, Discworld or the lives we lead (that's everyone then.
I simply loved it - even the less riveting articles were short enough to not bother me - and I'd recommend it to anyone with an interest in Pratchett, humour, fantasy, Discworld or the lives we lead (that's everyone then.
June 16, 2016
This beautfiul book hurts. Why? Because I spoke with Terry on Numerous occasions and helped to organise and set up some signing sessions. He recognised my brother at an event although they had never met before and I wasn't there!
The end of this book hurt and I miss the old sod...
BLESS YOU TERRY YOU ARE SORELY MISSED.
PEACE
The end of this book hurt and I miss the old sod...
BLESS YOU TERRY YOU ARE SORELY MISSED.
PEACE
February 17, 2019
鈥濧 slip of the keyboard鈥� is a collection of speeches of Mr. Pratchett, usually on writing and how people perceive his work; however a large portion of this book is not dedicated to the jolly old man Pratchett might feel like if you read his work, but to his fight with Alzheimer's and his fight for the right to assisted death.
The more fun you have with the first part of the collection, the harder the hammer will fall with the articles from the final part. It's a topic hard to swallow, and it feels so... unfair, I guess.
The first part of the book is somewhat repetitive - the book feels more like a not-so-well-thought collection of random artifacts from the past, but the discourse of Mr. Pratchett is worth it. There is no concept, I feel, and no author involvement in the collection, and that makes the whole collection somewhat dry. However, it's a must-have for any fan of Mr. Pratchett's work and inspiring attitude.
The more fun you have with the first part of the collection, the harder the hammer will fall with the articles from the final part. It's a topic hard to swallow, and it feels so... unfair, I guess.
The first part of the book is somewhat repetitive - the book feels more like a not-so-well-thought collection of random artifacts from the past, but the discourse of Mr. Pratchett is worth it. There is no concept, I feel, and no author involvement in the collection, and that makes the whole collection somewhat dry. However, it's a must-have for any fan of Mr. Pratchett's work and inspiring attitude.
October 4, 2017
First of all, this was a fantastic read. When I started it, it was really hard to put down. I ended up putting it down for a bit, partly because I didn't want to finish it. I suppose it's perhaps the fact that this will probably be the last Terry Pratchett book I read. Yes, I read but it wasn't a pure Pratchett book and though I WILL read on, I'm in no major rush to.
I've always admired Terry Pratchett's writing. was really the seed my second wind of 'love of reading'. When I was much younger I read a lot of I also read lots of random things, but he was the first author I really followed. was the second, but when I started reading the Discworld, I more or less stopped reading anything else if there was a Discworld Novel to be read. I can remember buying several Discworld novels and reading them cover to cover in one night. Starting when I got home from school and finishing in the middle of the night, possibly part way through Doctor Terror's Vault of Horror, which was on a Friday Night when I was about 13 and a mad-keen Discworld reader.
Reading in some ways has made me sad. Not for the late Sir Terry Pratchett, but for me. I know Stephen King, I've read a lot of what he has to say on writing and on life in general. I like him! However reading this, has allowed me to get to know Sir Terry Pratchett much better. You get to know him quite intimately reading this book. Having read it, I really wish I'd known him. We have a very similar attitude to certain aspects of life, a similar philosophy and a similar sense of humour - though I certainly don't have the wit or intellect of Pratchett. Perhaps one of the reasons I DO share his sense of humour is the fact that I read so much of his humour during my formative years. Nonetheless, irrespective of his fame, wealth or the fact that he's written some of my favourite books, he was a guy who I would have really enjoyed getting to know.
He starts the book talking about how he got into writing and how much harder it was in those days TO get into writing and I think he was right. When he later goes into his early reading habits you start to understand how he cultivated such a refined sense of humour and boundless intellect. I think his suggestion that Discworld was so popular because it was essentially Anti-fantasy, at least in the normal sense, was probably true too.
What you get from reading this book is a picture of Sir Terry's deep, deep understanding of people and unshakable groundedness. His views on wealth and becoming rich could serve a lesson to any successful person. He seems to have always remained grounded to his roots and to have kept his feet firmly on the floor. He doesn't talk much about his family, but you can read in between the lines - he understood the importance of family.
His many tales of giving speeches and receiving awards are as illuminating as the speeches he gave. This is a very human book. He takes you along with him to some major events in his life and lays his soul bare. There is also a steady trickle of the subtle, yet sharp 'Pratchett Wit' throughout.
Despite the light-hearted humour and wise advice, this book DOES have a dark side. It would have been impossible to write a book about the life of Sir Terry Pratchett (even FOR Sir Terry Pratchett), without addressing his PCA, his early death and his attitude towards the right to die.
It's a sadder part of the book, because we see in HIS battles with the onset of PCA, or Early Onset Azheimer's - our own mortality. Our own frailty. He prolongs diagnosis by making excuses because of his age. He assumes his growing failings are simply due to age and he learns to cope. When he does fully appreciate what is happening he thinks about his father's death - at the hands of pancreatic cancer. I often struggle to appreciate humanist writing on the meaning of life and the acceptance of death. Personally I like living and would give my soul (if I believed I had one) to be able to live in good health indefinitely. Of course we all die, it's how we live that matters, and I don't think any lived bette than Sir Terry Prattchett. Even to the end he was writing and working on his passion. I even wonder, if after all the talk of assisted suicide he chose to end his own life at the point where he could no longer write. That's only my speculation, but I completely agree with his viewpoint on assisted suicide.
During the later parts of the book he talks about the challenges of living with PCA and makes an impassioned plea to consider a fair and structured way to legally allow assisted suicide in the UK. I completely agree with him too. We put our pets down to end their suffering, but we force our relatives to live in agony? Is that humane?
I've long agreed with Sir Terry Pratchett on the assisted suicide debate. The law needs to change and it needs to change NOW. We're getting better and better at keeping people technically alive, but we seem to have forgotten to slow down and ask ourselves whether we SHOULD be keeping people alive? Many brits cut their lives short by making the trip to Dignitas while they are still able to make the journey, because they don't trust the legal system in the UK. That is WRONG. We should be able to trust the legal system not to prosecute our relatives for carrying out our wishes.
Throughout this sad, later part of the book, Sir Terry often talks about dying in his favourite chair, in the garden, with a glass of brandy in his hand. (Or in the library if it's raining.) He doesn't fear death, he fears the horrible state he might end up in if he is forced to endure life as long as possible. You can tell, he doesn't want to die, but he accepts it. He wants a good death. I think he's had a good life, I sincerely hope he got his wish and had a good death too.
Right now, I would say this is one of my favourite books of all time. I will read it again. I've never felt like I missed someone I'd never met as much as I did after reading this. I wish I'd known Sir Terry Pratchett, but reading this book is as close as I will ever get.
Paperback:-
Kindle Edition:-
Author of:-
(Free to download)
I've always admired Terry Pratchett's writing. was really the seed my second wind of 'love of reading'. When I was much younger I read a lot of I also read lots of random things, but he was the first author I really followed. was the second, but when I started reading the Discworld, I more or less stopped reading anything else if there was a Discworld Novel to be read. I can remember buying several Discworld novels and reading them cover to cover in one night. Starting when I got home from school and finishing in the middle of the night, possibly part way through Doctor Terror's Vault of Horror, which was on a Friday Night when I was about 13 and a mad-keen Discworld reader.
Reading in some ways has made me sad. Not for the late Sir Terry Pratchett, but for me. I know Stephen King, I've read a lot of what he has to say on writing and on life in general. I like him! However reading this, has allowed me to get to know Sir Terry Pratchett much better. You get to know him quite intimately reading this book. Having read it, I really wish I'd known him. We have a very similar attitude to certain aspects of life, a similar philosophy and a similar sense of humour - though I certainly don't have the wit or intellect of Pratchett. Perhaps one of the reasons I DO share his sense of humour is the fact that I read so much of his humour during my formative years. Nonetheless, irrespective of his fame, wealth or the fact that he's written some of my favourite books, he was a guy who I would have really enjoyed getting to know.
He starts the book talking about how he got into writing and how much harder it was in those days TO get into writing and I think he was right. When he later goes into his early reading habits you start to understand how he cultivated such a refined sense of humour and boundless intellect. I think his suggestion that Discworld was so popular because it was essentially Anti-fantasy, at least in the normal sense, was probably true too.
What you get from reading this book is a picture of Sir Terry's deep, deep understanding of people and unshakable groundedness. His views on wealth and becoming rich could serve a lesson to any successful person. He seems to have always remained grounded to his roots and to have kept his feet firmly on the floor. He doesn't talk much about his family, but you can read in between the lines - he understood the importance of family.
His many tales of giving speeches and receiving awards are as illuminating as the speeches he gave. This is a very human book. He takes you along with him to some major events in his life and lays his soul bare. There is also a steady trickle of the subtle, yet sharp 'Pratchett Wit' throughout.
Despite the light-hearted humour and wise advice, this book DOES have a dark side. It would have been impossible to write a book about the life of Sir Terry Pratchett (even FOR Sir Terry Pratchett), without addressing his PCA, his early death and his attitude towards the right to die.
It's a sadder part of the book, because we see in HIS battles with the onset of PCA, or Early Onset Azheimer's - our own mortality. Our own frailty. He prolongs diagnosis by making excuses because of his age. He assumes his growing failings are simply due to age and he learns to cope. When he does fully appreciate what is happening he thinks about his father's death - at the hands of pancreatic cancer. I often struggle to appreciate humanist writing on the meaning of life and the acceptance of death. Personally I like living and would give my soul (if I believed I had one) to be able to live in good health indefinitely. Of course we all die, it's how we live that matters, and I don't think any lived bette than Sir Terry Prattchett. Even to the end he was writing and working on his passion. I even wonder, if after all the talk of assisted suicide he chose to end his own life at the point where he could no longer write. That's only my speculation, but I completely agree with his viewpoint on assisted suicide.
During the later parts of the book he talks about the challenges of living with PCA and makes an impassioned plea to consider a fair and structured way to legally allow assisted suicide in the UK. I completely agree with him too. We put our pets down to end their suffering, but we force our relatives to live in agony? Is that humane?
I've long agreed with Sir Terry Pratchett on the assisted suicide debate. The law needs to change and it needs to change NOW. We're getting better and better at keeping people technically alive, but we seem to have forgotten to slow down and ask ourselves whether we SHOULD be keeping people alive? Many brits cut their lives short by making the trip to Dignitas while they are still able to make the journey, because they don't trust the legal system in the UK. That is WRONG. We should be able to trust the legal system not to prosecute our relatives for carrying out our wishes.
Throughout this sad, later part of the book, Sir Terry often talks about dying in his favourite chair, in the garden, with a glass of brandy in his hand. (Or in the library if it's raining.) He doesn't fear death, he fears the horrible state he might end up in if he is forced to endure life as long as possible. You can tell, he doesn't want to die, but he accepts it. He wants a good death. I think he's had a good life, I sincerely hope he got his wish and had a good death too.
Right now, I would say this is one of my favourite books of all time. I will read it again. I've never felt like I missed someone I'd never met as much as I did after reading this. I wish I'd known Sir Terry Pratchett, but reading this book is as close as I will ever get.
Paperback:-
Kindle Edition:-
Author of:-
(Free to download)
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