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There's one quote that has stuck with me, and I think it's one of the more profound things Pterry has written. I just can't remember exactly how it went or in which book it is, but it goes something like: "When things become more important than people - that's when you know things are starting to go wrong." Anyone know the quote? Was it Vimes or Granny or someone else? Anyway, I think that's an excellent moral guideline all in all. Money becomes more important than people? A red light should go off in your head. Principles more important than people? Same. Religion, geography or ideas become more important than people? Bad things are likely to happen. And so on. Also, his point about the torturers in Small Gods has stuck with me: They're just ordinary people with families and mugs that say "worlds greatest dad" or something, who happen to have a job where they horribly torture others. The point being that ordinary people can do terrible things to others if it's made into a part of whats "usual", "ordinary" or "expected". I think that's a pretty important thing to remember.
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Mar 13, 2015 10:08
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| # ? Jun 11, 2024 13:18 |
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RIP Terry. One of my biggest influences as a writer and a human being. Been reading Discworld books since before I was ten. I still remember when my mum pressed her copy of The Colour of Magic into my hands. Terry Pratchett taught me to really love literature. I think he may have taught me a few things about loving my fellow human beings as well. Sad to see him go 
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Mar 13, 2015 10:21
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Oh precious katana posted:There's one quote that has stuck with me, and I think it's one of the more profound things Pterry has written. I just can't remember exactly how it went or in which book it is, but it goes something like: "When things become more important than people - that's when you know things are starting to go wrong." Anyone know the quote? Was it Vimes or Granny or someone else? Carpe Jugulum? I'm pretty sure the speaker is Granny. It seems like her  Possibly Granny Weatherwax posted:"It's not as simple as that. It's not a black-and-white issue. There are so many shades of gray."
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Mar 13, 2015 10:28
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Fat Samurai posted:Do you mean the quote is in Spanish? It doesn't sound like a saying or adage that I know of. Could you give me the original?  And I don't know what "colar" is supposed to do.
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Mar 13, 2015 10:30
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Fat Samurai posted:Carpe Jugulum? I'm pretty sure the speaker is Granny. It seems like her Yep. It's Granny and Oats.
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Mar 13, 2015 10:39
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supermikhail posted:No, the quote has to be from a Discworld book. In fact, I seem to vaguely remember something like that, probably in a footnote. Anyway, in Spanish it goes "La banca es un juego muy viejo que se llama 'A ver hasta dónde cuela'". Oh, it's actually "...a game that's called...". It's the oldest game, called 'what can I get away with?'
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Mar 13, 2015 10:53
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Oh.quote:Dear Mr Bent, it is a game, and it's an old game called “What can we get away with?” Also, another phenomenon is, I think, called "confabulation", because this is from Making Money, and I haven't read that yet.
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Mar 13, 2015 11:10
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Oh no I was dreading this day ever since I heard about his condition. Still, I refuse to believe that he died of complications, I choose instead to believe that he did manage to make his own arrangements. Death liked Terry's portrayal of him so much that he did him a solid.
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Mar 13, 2015 11:58
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Fat Samurai posted:Carpe Jugulum? I'm pretty sure the speaker is Granny. It seems like her Thanks! I think I got the quotes mixed up. There's also this, from Interesting Times: Interesting Times posted:In the foetid sack Rincewind grimaced. He was already beginning to take a dislike to the first speaker, as one naturally does with people urging that you be put to death without delay. But when that sort of person started talking about things being more important than people, you knew you were in big trouble.
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Mar 13, 2015 12:01
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Interesting Times was my first guess, too. Rincewind posted:"I know about people who talk about suffering for the common good. It's never bloody them! When you hear a man shouting "Forward, brave comrades!" you'll see he's the one behind the bloody big rock and the one wearing the only really arrow-proof helmet!" quote:'But there are causes worth dying for,' said Butterfly.
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Mar 13, 2015 12:30
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Lprsti99 posted:Oh no You are literally wishing that he suffered more before he died, you stupid loving twat.
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Mar 13, 2015 12:36
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 How they do rise up.
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Mar 13, 2015 12:54
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My grandma introduced me to Terry Pratchett when I was about 13 and mostly reading rubbish fantasy, and after that it was always 'ours', she'd always get them for me for Christmas  I remember visiting her in the hospice and she was reading Going Postal, unfortunately she never finished it. I inherited her Discworld books and ever since then they've had more meaning to me than any other books. Every time I re-read them I see something new that I didn't before, and I love having books where I know that the older I get, the more I'll find in them. Feet of Clay was the first I ever read, sitting in my grandma's living room, so I think it's due a re-read.
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Mar 13, 2015 12:55
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Jedit posted:You are literally wishing that he suffered more before he died, you stupid loving twat. That's not what he said. He (or she) said that he chooses to believe that the complications of Terry's disease were not the cause of death (i.e. that it was not sudden and unexpected), but that Terry arranged his own death for himself to happen when and where it suited him best. Tac Dibar fucked around with this message at 13:21 on Mar 13, 2015 |
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Mar 13, 2015 13:11
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Oh precious katana posted:That's not what he said. He (or she) said that he chooses to believe that the complications of Terry's disease were not the cause of death (i.e. that it was not sudden and unexpected), but that Terry arranged his own death for himself to happen when and where it suited him best. Yes, and Terry was quite clear that he would only arrange his own death if life became too much to bear. Dying of natural causes meant that it didn't ever become unbearable and he didn't degenerate too far. Dying by his own choice meant that it did. Get it?
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Mar 13, 2015 13:32
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Sorry too see you go Sir Terry, one of my favourite authors from the last 20 years. Strangely enough I'm dog sitting a dog called Igor tonight
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Mar 13, 2015 13:50
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Jedit posted:Yes, and Terry was quite clear that he would only arrange his own death if life became too much to bear. Dying of natural causes meant that it didn't ever become unbearable and he didn't degenerate too far. Dying by his own choice meant that it did. Get it? Oh, now I understand what you meant. No need to be so aggressive about it, though. I don't think anyone here wanted him to suffer, and I hope he had a peaceful death.
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Mar 13, 2015 14:05
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gently caress this hurts more than I thought it would. Thank you for your wit, your charm, your kindness and your worlds.
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Mar 13, 2015 14:26
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Jedit posted:I'm sure the first German translator did. Those translations are by repute pretty dire. He used to mention one old European translator - I think it was in Germany or possibly Russia - that used to insert adverts for soup right in the middle of the text. Which, in typing that, reminded me of those adverts for Discworld miniatures that used to be printed right at the end of the old paperbacks. I've still got my ancient, raggedy copy of Small Gods sitting in my closet, I think I might retrieve it this weekend...
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Mar 13, 2015 15:13
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That was in Germany, but it was the publisher's doing (and Terry actually changed publishers over it) and not as such "in the middle of the text", more like an extra page inserted somewhere that had the ad, although they did make clumsy attempts at integrating it with the current scene ("couldn't our heroes go for a bowl of soup right now"). Here is a more comprehensive account of the whole business, but sadly it seems to have lost its example image.
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Mar 13, 2015 15:45
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I started reading Pterry when I was just starting high school and was a lonely kid who had moved to a totally new area and who knew nobody but the librarian. I started out with Equal Rites, since it had the most colourful cover and I was an easily distracted boy. By 20 pages in I was hooked. When I was in hospital with lupus I was given every single Discworld book and I read them all, drawing strength from them and finding reasons to fight and live in their humour and genius. When I learned of Pterry's struggles and illness I reevaluated my beliefs and became more compassionate towards situations I have no way to directly draw upon. His literature has given me laughs, friends, tears and memories, and I shall always treasure his collected genius and celebrate his wonderful love of life. Much as I don't believe in an afterlife, I hope he's at peace now, and I hope his family is in as good a spirit as one could possibly be in this situation. “Sometimes the only thing you could do for people was to be there.” ― Terry Pratchett, Soul Music You were, and you enriched so many of our lives. Thank you.
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Mar 13, 2015 15:58
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Jedit posted:You are literally wishing that he suffered more before he died, you stupid loving twat. I was operating off of a quote I'd heard that he had already started preparations for his assisted ). Thank you for pointing out my mistake.E: And you ignored the second part, when I added that Death itself was what assisted him because he liked Pterry's portrayal of him. Lprsti99 fucked around with this message at 16:23 on Mar 13, 2015 |
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Mar 13, 2015 16:04
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Warbird posted:If anyone could or would, it would be him. I never got around to reading And Another Thing..., but I'd like to think Colfer did Adams justice. Gaiman was close to Terry and I think he'd do his damnedest to make the best possible book he could if given the chance. Colfer didn't do Adams justice. It was a bad book of basically nothing but callbacks to previous jokes. Usually if a book is even moderately ok I can push through it in a couple of days. It took me a month to read the non Adams hitchhikers book.
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Mar 13, 2015 17:11
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One Cecil Wormsborough St. John Nobbs was caught pilfering from the deceased.
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Mar 13, 2015 17:22
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I couldn't find my copy of Reaper Man anywhere, so I picked it up to re-read this weekend. It's hard to explain, but this feels akin to a personal bereavement... I met Terry Pratchett once when I was about 13. He was at a book signing, and I was running late to get there. He was packing up as I arrived, but he still took the time to sign a copy of a book for me, and asked which was my favourite. I was so awestruck I could barely speak. He just smiled, and wrote 'Boo!' next to his signature. 
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Mar 13, 2015 17:37
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Fat Samurai posted:Interesting Times was my first guess, too. Also, this is seriously the only "celebrity" (he was so much more than just a celebrity) where I actually felt sad. A light has gone out in the world and it we shall not see it lit again.
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Mar 13, 2015 19:05
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This made me laugh and cry at the same time
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Mar 13, 2015 19:24
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drat. This is the first time I've gotten all teary-eyed over the death of a famous person. God, I love his books. I've never read a Discworld books just once. I'm in the middle of a re-read of the Watch books right now, too. I think I'll break it up and read Reaper Man, though. I feel a need for that. He was an amazing writer and the world feels just a little bit smaller, darker and colder now. Time for a flamethrower, I guess. Favorite quote: "Humans need fantasy to be human. To be the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape."
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Mar 13, 2015 19:37
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Heavy sad. I donated a chunk of cash to the UK Alzheimer's Soceity this morning. Too little and too late, but I hope he would have appreciated it.
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Mar 13, 2015 20:16
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Visiting a friend of mine this weekend who has a 12 year old showing strong signs of turning into a well read grown up one day. What's a good starter book that will really get the bit between the teeth? I was thinking Small Gods I've been in a malaise since yesterday so if anything it will be cathartic to introduce someone to these books. March 12 should forever be known as Embuggerance Day.
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Mar 13, 2015 20:39
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Pesmerga posted:I couldn't find my copy of Reaper Man anywhere, so I picked it up to re-read this weekend. It's hard to explain, but this feels akin to a personal bereavement... "WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK?" " 's"
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Mar 13, 2015 20:41
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PJOmega posted:"WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK?" Beautiful.
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Mar 13, 2015 20:43
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Bhaal posted:Visiting a friend of mine this weekend who has a 12 year old showing strong signs of turning into a well read grown up one day. What's a good starter book that will really get the bit between the teeth? I was thinking Small Gods Guards! Guards! might also be a great starting point.
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Mar 13, 2015 20:44
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Bhaal posted:Visiting a friend of mine this weekend who has a 12 year old showing strong signs of turning into a well read grown up one day. What's a good starter book that will really get the bit between the teeth? I was thinking Small Gods I'd go with Guards! Guards! or the Tiffany Aching books (Wee Free Men is the first one, isn't it?). The Tiffany books are made for that age and Guards is a great all-round intro.
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Mar 13, 2015 20:44
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Bhaal posted:Visiting a friend of mine this weekend who has a 12 year old showing strong signs of turning into a well read grown up one day. What's a good starter book that will really get the bit between the teeth? I was thinking Small Gods "Guards! Guards!", " Wee Free Men," or "Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents" would be my suggestions. "Small Gods" is utterly amazing but as a first Pratchett book it's a lot to take in.
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Mar 13, 2015 20:45
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PJOmega posted:"WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK?" Ha! Maybe I did my little bit to inspire Hogfather. With regard to first book, I know it's one of the early ones, but I've always liked Equal Rites. In some ways, it's a good introduction to feminism as much as anything else. Edit: or yeah, the Tiffany Aching books are great for younger readers. Edit 2: Oh man, pre-death Windle Poons in Reaper Man. I'll never consider him annoying again. Pesmerga fucked around with this message at 20:47 on Mar 13, 2015 |
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Mar 13, 2015 20:45
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I've read my first discworld book in my early teens, remembering parts of his sci fi works from more than a decade ago, and just finished Long Mars about 2 weeks ago. I wasn't aware how much of my lifetime can be described in Units Of PTerry until now. Fun Fact: was born a day after Colour Of Magic has been published.
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Mar 13, 2015 22:19
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We can always try and request his return. I'm on my nth tour through the entire series of Discworld, going in main character order at the moment(Started with Watch, then Witches, followed by Tiffany Aching, now on Rincewind, happen to just have started Interesting Times) I'll finish off by re-reading his other works as well. Been a while since I read Strata and Good Omens.
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Mar 13, 2015 23:32
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Wipfmetz posted:
I was born around the same time too. I turned up at a signing when I was 21 or so and with cheerful tactlessness informed him of that fact, which he said made him feel quite incredibly ancient. My copy of Going Postal is dedicated to "Irisi, as old as the Disc".
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Mar 13, 2015 23:47
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Pidmon posted:Shamelessly stolen from Tumblr: Stroth posted:GNU So I stole this from you two and am trying to make it--well, the text of the second quote--a bit of a Thing on twitter. Thank you/sorry. It's probably pointless, all told, but I wanted to do something.
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Mar 14, 2015 04:03
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