Sir Terry Pratchett (Something for people to read) · 7:46pm Mar 30th, 2016
Sir Terry Pratchett
I just spent the last half an hour, explaining to a friend of mine, why he should go read Sir Terry Pratchett’s, Discworld books.
I came up with several points, that I think many need to understand. If you are a reader, and you have not picked up a Discworld book, you are doing yourself a disservice. Now I understand that everyone has their own tastes, and everyone has their own wants and desires from the literary realm, and that book taste is as variable as that of music taste.
But to not even TRY to listen to Sir Terry Pratchett… would be like a musician of any style of music, never even attempting to listen to Mozart or Beethoven.
They don’t have to like it. But there is a level of respect and expectation for their profession. As a musician, I feel it is something they would need to take the time to actively attempt. If only for the sake of doing so, because of what those musicians mean to music itself.
Sir Pratchett is like that. If you read, you must pick up a Discworld book, and give it a try. Even if you don’t like fantasy, or comedy, or any of that. Even if you find you dislike his books… I feel it is still needed to be done, out of respect.
Why do I feel this?
Because Sir Terry Pratchett was one of the greatest writers to ever grace this earth, and he was taken from us far too soon.
Sir Terry Pratchett could be funny: “Ankh-Morpork! Pearl of cities! This is not a completely accurate description, of course — it was not round and shiny — but even its worst enemies would agree that if you had to liken Ankh-Morpork to anything, then it might as well be a piece of rubbish covered with the diseased secretions of a dying mollusc.”
― Terry Pratchett, The Light Fantastic
He could be poignant: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”
― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky
He could say beautiful things: “It’s an inconvenience, true enough, and I don’t like it at all, but I know that you do it for everyone, Mister Death. Is there any other way?’
NO, THERE ISN’T, I’M AFRAID. WE ARE ALL FLOATING IN THE WINDS OF TIME. BUT YOUR CANDLE, MISTRESS WEATHERWAX, WILL FLICKER FOR SOME TIME BEFORE IT GOES OUT – A LITTLE REWARD FOR A LIFE WELL LIVED. FOR I CAN SEE THE BALANCE AND YOU HAVE LEFT THE WORLD MUCH BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT, AND IF YOU ASK ME, said Death, NOBODY COULD DO ANY BETTER THAN THAT …”
― Terry Pratchett, The Shepherd’s Crown
And he could be sombre: “For a witch stands on the very edge of everything, between the light and the dark, between life and death, making choices, making decisions so that others may pretend no decisions have even been needed. Sometimes they need to help some poor soul through the final hours, help them to find the door, not to get lost in the dark.”
― Terry Pratchett, The Shepherd’s Crown
But whatever he was, his words were beautiful.
So to those that read, I ask you to try a Discworld book. You may do this via ebooks, a nook, reading it online or audiobook, but the best that I can recommend… is to simply get a book. Pick one down from the shelf of a library, and start reading. You’ll thank me for it later.
But to those of you that do art, whether it be sculpting, drawing, or writing. Sir Terry Pratchett has words for you. They are words he speaks about Witchcraft, but they can be applied to all art forms. And I believe he meant them that way. So remember this, on the days that you doubt yourself, on the days you wonder if your art is worth it, on the days people say you have ‘talent’ or ‘skill’ and those words just make your teeth grit, your fingers clench, and your temper flare as they seemingly dismiss the long hours of effort, and work it took to achieve what you have. On such days… remember these words:
“[Y]ou weren’t born with a talent for witchcraft: it didn’t come easily; you worked hard at it because you wanted it. You forced the world to give it to you, no matter the price, and the price is and always will be high… People say you don’t find witchcraft; witchcraft finds you. But you’ve found it, even if at the time you didn’t know what it was you were finding, and you grabbed it by its scrawny neck and made it work for you.”
― Terry Pratchett, I Shall Wear Midnight
I´ve wanted to for awhile now, but sadly, I do not have the funds currently to do so. There are also some other series I wanna read, like Jack Vance´s books, and the Throne of Glass series
3837222 Out of all series you might try, Please consider Sir Terry Pratchett before any others. I cannot stress his books enough. :) If you must download them then do so, but they are best experienced by a book in your hands. ^-^
3837354 I have read....ahh, what was it, one of his books off ITunes. I believe it was The Color of Magic, awesome
3837400 Thats the first one. Majority of the discworld series are self contained adventures. you dont need to read them in order. but make sure you check online first, because some of them are. The tiffany aching series for example, which encompasses, Wee Free Man, A Hat full of Sky, Wintersmith, I Shall Wear Midnight, and Shepherds Crown are one of those you must read in order.
3837467 Thank you good sir or madam
3837470 sir. lol.