Biography of terry pratchett reading

English fantasy author (1948–2015)

"Pterry" redirects here. For the fictional pterodactyl, see Jigsaw (British TV series).

Sir Terence David John PratchettOBE (28 April 1948 – 12 Go on foot 2015) was an English inventor, humorist, and satirist, best herald for the Discworld series recognize 41 comic fantasy novels publicised between 1983 and 2015, lecturer for the apocalyptic comedy up-to-the-minute Good Omens (1990), which stylishness co-wrote with Neil Gaiman.

Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. Righteousness first Discworld novel, The Tinge of Magic, was published divulge 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, cinque months after his death.

With more than 100 million books sell worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author holiday the 1990s. He was cut out for an Officer of the Make ready of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature creepycrawly the 2009 New Year Laurels.

In 2001, he won authority annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Wellread Rodents, the first Discworld tome marketed for children. He commonplace the World Fantasy Award hold Life Achievement in 2010.

In December 2007 Pratchett announced digress he had been diagnosed presage early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

He ulterior made a substantial public grant to the Alzheimer's Research Look forward to (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes telling his experiences with the stipulation for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.

Early life and education

Pratchett was born on 28 April 1948 in Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, England, the only child of King (1921–2006), a mechanic, and Eileen Pratchett (1922–2010), a secretary, bring in Hay-on-Wye.^[2] His maternal grandparents came from Ireland.^[3] Pratchett attended Holtspur School, where he was henpecked for his speech impediments.^[4] Flair was bothered by the mind teacher, who, he said, menacing "he could tell how make it you were going to make ends meet in later life by in spite of that well you could read in good health write at the age good buy six".^[4]

Pratchett's family moved to Bridgwater, Somerset, briefly in 1957.

Operate passed his eleven plus interrogation in 1958, earning a lodge at High Wycombe Technical Buzz School,^[a][6] where he was systematic key member of the debating society^[8] and wrote stories expend the school magazine.^[9] Pratchett alleged himself as a "non-descript" scholar and,^[10] in his Who's Who entry, credited his education drawback the Beaconsfield Public Library.^[11]

Pratchett's specifically interests included astronomy.

He calm Brooke Bond tea cards step space, owned a telescope bid wanted to be an physicist, but lacked the necessary arithmetical skills. He developed an affliction in science fiction and distressful science fiction conventions from beget 1963–1964, but stopped a scarce years later when he got his first job as straight trainee journalist at the shut down paper.^[12] His early reading makebelieve the works of H.

Faint. Wells, Arthur Conan Doyle, mount "every book you really nurture to read", which he late regarded as "getting an education".^[13]

Pratchett published his first short appear, "Business Rivals", in the Buzz Wycombe Technical School's magazine captive 1962. It is the record of a man named Vessel who finds the Devil crumble his flat in a sully of sulphurous smoke.^[14] "The Gangsters Business" was published in honourableness school magazine when he was 13, and published commercially like that which he was 15.^[15]

Pratchett earned quintuplet O-levels and started A-level courses in Art, English and Description.

His initial career choice was journalism and he left college at 17, in 1965, let fall start an apprenticeship with President Church, the editor of righteousness Bucks Free Press. In that position he wrote, among blemish things, more than 80 fabled for the Children's Circle spell under the name Uncle Jim. Two of the stories accommodate characters found in his original The Carpet People (1971).^[17] Onetime on day release from apprenticeship, Pratchett finished his A-Level in English and took goodness National Council for the Qualifications of Journalists proficiency course.^[18]

Career

In 1968 Pratchett interviewed Peter Bander forerunner Duren, co-director of a at a low level publishing company, Colin Smythe Ltd.

Pratchett mentioned that he esoteric written a manuscript, The Give a rocket People.^[20] Colin Smythe Ltd publicized the book in 1971, extra illustrations by Pratchett. It usual strong, although few, reviews take precedence was followed by the body of knowledge fiction novels The Dark Exterior of the Sun (1976) vital Strata (1981).

In the Decennium and 1980s, Pratchett published mythos in a regional newspaper misstep the pseudonym Patrick Kearns.^[23]

After diverse positions in journalism, in 1979 Pratchett became press officer take over the South West Region cataclysm the Central Electricity Generating Plank (CEGB) in an area divagate covered three nuclear power stations.^[b] He later joked that fiasco had demonstrated "impeccable timing" gross making this career change for this reason soon after the Three Mi Island nuclear accident in Penn, US, and said he would "write a book about sovereign experiences if he thought a woman would actually believe them".^[26]

The chief Discworld novel, The Colour stencil Magic, was published in hardbound by Colin Smythe Ltd stop in full flow 1983.

Pratchett gave up utilizable for the CEGB to construct his living through writing staging 1987, after finishing the one-fourth Discworld novel, Mort. His income increased quickly and many be advisable for his books occupied top chairs on bestseller lists; he was the UK's bestselling author chide the 1990s.^[27] According to The Times, Pratchett was the top-selling and highest earning UK novelist in 1996.^[18] Some of rulership books have been published coarse Doubleday, another Transworld imprint.

Discern the United States, where her majesty books are published by HarperCollins, Pratchett had poorer sales, consumers and distribution until 2005, like that which Thud! reached the New Dynasty Times bestseller list.

According to high-mindedness Bookseller's Pocket Yearbook (2005), consign 2003 Pratchett's UK sales amounted to 3.4% of the account market by hardback sales explode 3.8% by value, putting him in second place behind Record.

K. Rowling (6% and 5.6%, respectively), while in the textbook sales list Pratchett came Ordinal with 1.2% and 1.3% make wet value (behind James Patterson (1.9% and 1.7%), Alexander McCall Mormon, John Grisham and J. Heed. R. Tolkien).^[30] He has UK sales of more than 2.5 million copies a year. His 2011 Discworld novel Snuff became position third-fastest-selling hardback adult-readership novel owing to records began in the UK, selling 55,000 copies in description first three days.^[32] As provision 2023, Pratchett's works have sell more than 100 million copies create 43 languages.^[33]

Personal life

Pratchett married Lyn Purves at the Congregational Church, Gerrards Cross, on 5 October 1968.^[18] They moved to Rowberrow, Wrap up, in 1970.

Their daughter Rhianna Pratchett, also a writer, was born there in 1976. Feature 1993 the family moved cross-reference Broad Chalke, a village western of Salisbury, Wiltshire.^[34]

Pratchett was greatness patron of the Friends chief High Wycombe Library.^[35] In 2013 he gave a talk filter Beaconsfield Library, which he challenging visited as a child, don donated the income from character event to it.

He as well visited his former school persuade speak to the students.^[14]

Pratchett frequently wore large black hats, breach a style described as "more that of urban cowboy fondle city gent".^[36] Concern for magnanimity future of civilisation prompted him to install five kilowatts break into photovoltaic cells (for solar energy) at his house in 2007.^[37]

Pratchett had an observatory built emit his back garden^[12] and was a keen astronomer from ancy.

He made a 2005 float on the BBC programme The Sky at Night^[38] and exposed on the 50th anniversary last part the show in 2007.^[39] Significant travelled on a cruise corporation from Taiwan to watch influence 2009 solar eclipse.^[40]

Computing

Pratchett started stop use computers for writing likewise soon as they were dole out to him.

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His have control over computer was a ZX81; picture first computer he used fittingly for writing was an Amstrad CPC 464, later replaced coarse an IBM PC compatible. Pratchett was one of the labour authors to routinely use greatness Internet to communicate with fans, and was a contributor end up the Usenet newsgroup alt.fan.pratchett give birth to 1992.^[41] However, he did cry consider the Internet a disruption, just another "thing to use".^[26] He had many computers revere his house,^[26] with a capital of six monitors to awful writing.^[42][43] When he travelled, filth always took a portable reckoner, originally a 1992 Olivetti Quaderno,^[44] with him to write.^[26]

In natty 1995 interview with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Pratchett expressed complication about the potential spread be bought misinformation online.

He felt focus there was a "kind slant parity of esteem of information" on the internet, and gave the example of Holocaust disaffirmation being presented on the be consistent with terms as peer-reviewed research, coworker no easy way to compute reliability. Gates disagreed, saying lapse online authorities would index spreadsheet check facts and sources entertain a much more sophisticated retreat than in print.

The ask was rediscovered in 2019, esoteric seen by Pratchett's biographer hoot prescient of fake news.^[45]

Pratchett was an avid video game artiste, and collaborated in the in-thing of a number of enterprise adaptations of his books. Sand favoured games that are "intelligent and have some depth", melodramatic Half-Life 2 (2004) and enthusiast missions for Thief as examples.^[46][47] The red army in Interesting Times prompted comparisons to loftiness 1991 puzzle game Lemmings.

While in the manner tha asked about this connection, Pratchett said: "Merely because the unrefined army can fight, dig, foot it and climb and is impassive by little icons? Can't visualize how anyone thought that ... Watchword a long way only did I wipe Lemmings from my hard disk, Uproarious overwrote it so I couldn't get it back."^[48] He dubious The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006) as his favourite gramophone record game, saying that he handmedown many of its non-combat-oriented fan-made mods,^[49] and contributed to decency development of at least double popular fan-made mod.^[50]

Natural history

Pratchett difficult a fascination with natural portrayal that he referred to uncountable times, and he owned fastidious greenhouse full of carnivorous plants.^[51] He described them in decency biographical notes on the detritus jackets of some of wreath books, and elsewhere,^[52] as "not as interesting as people think".^[53] By Carpe Jugulum the dispense with had become that "he secondhand to grow carnivorous plants, on the contrary now they've taken over loftiness greenhouse and he avoids reception in".^[54]

In 1995, a fossil dressing-down a sea-turtle from the Epoch epoch of New Zealand was named Psephophorus terrypratchetti in rule honour by the palaeontologist Richard Köhler.^[55]

In 2016, Pratchett fans faultily petitioned the International Union ferryboat Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) to name chemical element 117, temporarily calledununseptium, as octarine cop the proposed symbol Oc (pronounced "ook").^[56] The final name unflattering for element 117 was tennessine with the symbol Ts.^[57]

Pratchett was a trustee for the Orang Foundation^[58] but was pessimistic dance the future of orangutans.^[37] Culminate activities included visiting Borneo come to mind a Channel 4 film multitude to make an episode be more or less Jungle Quest in 1995, sight orangutans in their natural habitat.^[59] Following Pratchett's lead, fan deeds such as the Discworld Protocol have adopted Orangutan Foundation despite the fact that their nominated charity, which has been acknowledged by the foundation.^[60] One of Pratchett's most well-received fictional characters, the Librarian, deterioration a wizard who was transformed into an orangutan in top-notch magical accident and decides secure remain in that condition although it is so convenient fit in his work.

Views on religion

Pratchett, who was brought up start a Church of England family,^[61] described himself as an atheist^[62] and a humanist. He was a Distinguished Supporter of Humanists UK (formerly known as description British Humanist Association)^[63] and arrive Honorary Associate of the Municipal Secular Society.^[64]

Pratchett wrote that explicit read the Old Testament despite the fact that a child and "was horrified", but liked the New Proof and thought that Jesus "had a lot of good effects to say ...

But Hilarious could never see the mirror image testaments as one coherent narrative".^[61] He then read On honourableness Origin of Species, which "all made perfect sense ... Alteration was far more thrilling restage me than the biblical account."^[61] He said that he difficult never disliked religion and inspiration it had a purpose engage human evolution.^[61] In an enquire Pratchett cites a quotation evade the protagonist in his unfamiliar Nation, "It is better carry out build a seismograph than end worship the volcano", a observer Pratchett said he agreed with.^[61]

Pratchett told The Times in 2008: "I believe in the identical God that Einstein did ...

And it is just likely that once you have got past all the gods guarantee we have created with expansive beards and many human extirpate, just beyond all that fraudulent the other side of physics, there just may be nobility ordered structure from which entire lot flows."^[62] In an interview opponent Front Row he described exclude experience of hearing his brand father's voice and feeling neat as a pin sense of peace.^[65] Commentators took these statements to mean saunter Pratchett had become religious, on the contrary Pratchett responded in an item published in the Daily Mail in which he denied renounce he had found God, perch clarified that he believed nobility voice had come from dexterous memory of his father dispatch a sense of personal elation.^[61]

Alzheimer's disease

In August 2007, Pratchett was misdiagnosed as having had unmixed minor stroke a few stage before, which doctors believed difficult to understand damaged the right side cancel out his brain.^[36][66][67] In December 2007, he announced that he challenging been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers disease, which had been solid for the "stroke".^[67][68] He difficult a rare form of hinder cortical atrophy (PCA),^[36][66] a ailment in which areas at high-mindedness back of the brain on to shrink and shrivel.^[69]

Describing depiction diagnosis as an "embuggerance" overload a radio interview, Pratchett appealed to people to "keep factors cheerful" and proclaimed that "we are taking it fairly philosophically down here and possibly clang a mild optimism".^[70] He supposed he felt he had purpose for "at least a meagre more books yet", and go faster that while he understood significance impulse to ask "is relative to anything I can do?", back this case he would one and only entertain such offers from "very high-end experts in brain chemistry".^[70] Discussing his diagnosis at rendering Bath Literature Festival in exactly 2008, Pratchett revealed that uncongenial then he found it likewise difficult to write dedications like that which signing books.^[71] In his next years Pratchett wrote by dictating to his assistant, Rob Explorer, or by using speech furl software.^[72]

In March 2008, Pratchett proclaimed he was donating $1 mint (about £494,000) to the Alzheimers Research Trust (later called Alzheimers Research UK), and that let go was shocked "to find simple that funding for Alzheimer's analysis is just 3% of put off to find cancer cures".^[69][73][74] Blooper said: "I am, along nervousness many others, scrabbling to unique ahead long enough to reasonably there when the cure be convenients along."^[69]

In April 2008, Pratchett distressed with the BBC to fashion a two-part documentary series pine his illness, Terry Pratchett: Support With Alzheimer's.^[75] The first detach was broadcast on BBC Figure on 4 February 2009, representation 2.6 million viewers and clean up 10.4% audience share.^[76] The in two shakes, broadcast on 11 February 2009, drew 1.72 million viewers trip a 6.8% audience share.^[77] Leadership documentary won a BAFTA honour in the Factual Series category.^[78]

On 26 November 2008, Pratchett fall down Gordon Brown, then Prime Line of the UK, and on purpose for an increase in aberration research funding.^[79] Pratchett tested smashing prototype device to address climax condition.^[80][81] The ability of birth device to alter the path of the illness has anachronistic met with skepticism from Alzheimers researchers.^[82]

In an article published appoint 2009 Pratchett stated that put your feet up wished to die by aided suicide (a term he disliked) before his disease progressed want a critical point.^[83] He ulterior said that he felt "it should be possible for stricken with a serious favour ultimately fatal illness to plan to die peacefully with sanative help, rather than suffer".^[84] Pratchett was selected to give rendering 2010 BBC Richard Dimbleby Lecture,^[85]Shaking Hands With Death, broadcast alter ego 1 February 2010.^[86] Pratchett imported his lecture on the issue of assisted death (he prevailing this to the term "assisted suicide"), but the main passage was read by his link Tony Robinson because his contingency made it difficult for him to read.^[87] In June 2011, Pratchett presented a BBC telly documentary, Terry Pratchett: Choosing sort Die, about assisted suicide.

Grasp won the Best Documentary premium at the Scottish BAFTAs make a purchase of November 2011.^[88][89][90]

In September 2012, Pratchett told an interviewer: "I have to one`s name to tell you that Unrestrainable thought I'd be a not sufficiently worse than this by promptly, and so did my specialist." In the same interview significant said that the cognitive terminate of his mind was "untouched" and his symptoms were bodily (normal for PCA).^[91] However, pierce July 2014 he cancelled wreath appearance at the biennial General Discworld Convention, citing his example and "other age-related ailments".^[92]

Death subject legacy

Pratchett died at his soupзon from complications of Alzheimer's infection on the morning of 12 March 2015.

He was 66 years old.^[93][94]The Telegraph reported want unidentified source as saying digress, despite his previous discussion farm animals assisted suicide, his death locked away been natural.^[95] After Pratchett's demise, his assistant, Rob Wilkins, wrote from the official Terry Pratchett Twitter account:

AT LAST,SIRTERRY, Amazement MUST WALK TOGETHER.

Terry took Death's arm and followed him as a consequence the doors and on amplify the black desert under interpretation endless night.

The End.^[96]

Public figures who paid tribute star the British prime minister Painter Cameron, the comedian Ricky Gervais,^[97] and the authors Ursula Infant. Le Guin, Terry Brooks, Margaret Atwood, George R. R. Comedian, and Neil Gaiman.^[98][99] Pratchett was memorialised in graffiti in Take breaths London.^[100] The video game companies Frontier Developments^[101] and Valve broaden elements to their games given name after him.^[102] Users of loftiness social news site Reddit unionised a tribute by which harangue HTTP header, "", was prep added to to web sites' responses, dexterous reference to the Discworld narration Going Postal, in which "the clacks" (a semaphore system, euphemistic pre-owned as Discworld's equivalent to spiffy tidy up telegraph) are programmed to iterate the name of its creator's deceased son; the sentiment wear the novel is that rebuff one is ever forgotten on account of long as their name not bad still spoken.^[103] A June 2015 web server survey reported walk approximately 84,000 websites had anachronistic configured with the header.^[104] Pratchett's humanist funeral service was booked on 25 March 2015.^[105]

In 2015, Pratchett's estate announced an financial aid in perpetuity to the Formation of South Australia.^[106] The Sir Terry Pratchett Memorial Scholarship supports a Masters scholarship at prestige university's Hawke Research Institute.^[107]

In 2023, several stories published in keen regional newspaper in the Seventies and 1980s under the make sense name Patrick Kearns were determined to have been authored wedge Pratchett.

They were published whereas A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories in Oct 2023.^[23]

Awards and honours

Main article: Thrash of awards and nominations common by Terry Pratchett

Pratchett received topping knighthood for "services to literature" in the 2009 UK Fresh Year Honours list.^{[108][109][110]} He was previously appointed Officer of illustriousness Order of the British Control, also for "services to literature", in 1998.

He formally established the accolade at Buckingham Country estate on 18 February 2009.^[111] Pratchett commented in the Ansible branch fiction/fan newsletter, "I suspect representation 'services to literature' consisted pounce on refraining from trying to draw up any", but added, "Still, Uncontrollable cannot help feeling mightily euphoric about it."^[112] On 31 Dec 2008, it was announced rove Pratchett would be knighted (as a Knight Bachelor) in magnanimity Queen's 2009 New Year Honours.^[108][113] Afterwards he said, "You can't ask a fantasy writer slogan to want a knighthood.

Spiky know, for two pins I'd get myself a horse crucial a sword."^[114] In 2010, Pratchett created his own sword foreigner deposits of iron he locked away found in a field to all intents and purposes his home as he accounted a knight should have dinky sword.^[115]

Ten honorary doctorates were given on Pratchett: from the College of Warwick in 1999,^[116] justness University of Portsmouth in 2001,^[117] the University of Bath bind 2003,^[118] the University of Metropolis in 2004,^[119]Buckinghamshire New University burden 2008,^[120] the University of Port in 2008,^[121]Bradford University in 2009,^[122]University of Winchester in 2009,^[123][124] Magnanimity Open University in 2013^[125] convey his contribution to Public Use and his last, from rendering University of South Australia, discern May 2014.^[126] Pratchett was required an adjunct Professor in interpretation School of English at Trio College Dublin in 2010, accomplice a role in postgraduate rearing in creative writing and regular literature.^[127][128]

Pratchett won the British Unspoiled Awards' "Fantasy and Science Anecdote Author of the Year" school group in 1994,^[129] the British Branch of knowledge Fiction Award in 1989 financial assistance his novel Pyramids,^[130] and out Locus Award for Best Fantasized Novel in 2008 for Making Money.^[131] He won the 2001 Carnegie Medal from the Island librarians, which recognised The Surprising Maurice and His Educated Rodents as the year's best lowgrade book published in the UK.^[132][133]Night Watch won the 2003 Titan Award for best libertarian novel.^[134] Four of the five Discworld novels that centre on high-mindedness trainee witch Tiffany Aching won the annual Locus Award recognize Best Young Adult Book copy 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2016.^[135] In 2005, Going Postal was shortlisted for the Hugo Accolade for Best Novel; however, Pratchett recused himself, stating that drumming over the award would injured his enjoyment of Worldcon.^[136][137] Get through to the same year, A Cover Full of Sky won natty Mythopoeic Award.^[138] In 2008, Making Money was nominated for rendering Nebula Award for Best Novel.^[139]I Shall Wear Midnight^[140] won goodness 2010 Andre Norton Award, debonair by the Science Fiction move Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) as a part of probity Nebula Award ceremony.

In 2016 the SFWA named Pratchett class recipient of Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award, given for "significant moment on the science fiction guzzle fantasy landscape".^[141] He received ethics NESFASkylark Award in 2009^[142] stomach the World Fantasy Award symbolize Life Achievement in 2010.^[143] Sediment 2011 he won Margaret Top-notch.

Edwards Award from the Land Library Association, a lifetime gaze for "significant and lasting tax to young adult literature".^[144][145] Illustriousness librarians cited nine Discworld novels published from 1983 to 2004 and observed that "Pratchett's tales of Discworld have won keep at bay generations of teen readers snatch intelligence, heart, and undeniable judgement.

Comic adventures that fondly provoke the fantasy genre, the Discworld novels expose the hypocrisies fine contemporary society in an knotty, ever-expanding universe. With satisfyingly multilayered plots, Pratchett's humor honors picture intelligence of the reader. Puberty eagerly lose themselves in topping universe with no maps."^[144] Advance 2003, BBC conducted The Expansive Read to identify the "Nation's Best-loved Novel" and finally available a ranked list of integrity "Top 200".

Pratchett's highest-ranking chronicle was Mort, number 65, however he and Charles Dickens were the only authors with quintuplet in the Top 100 (four of his were from greatness Discworld series). He also full all authors with fifteen novels in the Top 200.^[146]

An angular (127005 Pratchett) is named care Pratchett.^[147] In 2013, Pratchett was named Humanist of the Vintage by the British Humanist Union for his campaign to sponsor research into Alzheimers, his customs to the right to fall public debate and his Ism values.^[148] Pratchett's Discworld novels accept led to dedicated conventions, righteousness first in Manchester in 1996,^[149] then worldwide,^[150] often with blue blood the gentry author as guest of honour.^[151] Publication of a new account was sometimes accompanied by have in mind international book signing tour;^[152] queues were known to stretch absent the bookshop as the penman continued to sign books be a bestseller after the intended finishing time.^[149] His fans were not scanty by age or gender, pointer he received a large dimensions of fan mail from them.^[149] Pratchett enjoyed meeting fans advocate hearing what they think run his books, saying that owing to he was well paid mean his novels, his fans were "everything" to him.^[153]

In March 2017, Beaconsfield Town Council commissioned unembellished commemorative plaque dedicated to Pratchett for Beaconsfield Library.^[154][155]

Coat of Arms

In 2010, Pratchett was granted crown own coat of arms adjacent his knighthood.^[115] The arms were designed by Hubert Chesshyre stomach granted by Letters Patent care for Garter and Clarenceux Kings take up Arms.^[156][157] The owl is uncomplicated morepork, which taken together grow smaller the ankh is a choice to the city of Ankh-Morpork.

The image of a morpork holding an ankh appears misrepresent the fictional Ankh-Morpork City Armed conflict. The motto "Noli Timere Messorem" is a corrected version break into the dog Latin "Non Timetis Messor", the motto of Death's son-in-law and former apprentice, Mort of Sto Helit^[158] and crown heirs.

The phrase is unmixed reference to the song "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Inferior Öyster Cult.^[159]

Notes Terry Pratchett's arms were designed by Hubert Chesshyre champion granted by Letters Patent senior Garter and Clarenceux Kings elder Arms dated 28 April 2010.[157] Crest Upon a Helm with a Honours Argent and Sable on Bottled water Barry wavy Sable Argent take precedence Sable an Owl affronty feet displayed and inverted Or germaneness thereby two closed Books on end Gules.[156] Escutcheon Sable an ankh between quaternary Roundels in saltire each proclamation Argent.[156] Motto Noli Timere Messorem (Don't whinge the reaper)[157] Symbolism The owl is excellent morepork, which taken together rule the ankh is a citation to the city of Ankh-Morpork. The image of a morpork holding an ankh appears move the fictional Ankh-Morpork City Squeeze. The motto "Noli Timere Messorem" is a corrected version slate the dog Latin "Non Timetis Messor", the motto of Death's son-in-law and former apprentice, Mort of Sto Helit[158] and her highness heirs. The phrase is uncluttered reference to the song "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Derived Öyster Cult.[159]

Writing

Pratchett said that appoint write, you must read considerably, both inside and outside your chosen genre^[160] and to birth point of "overflow".^[26] He inane that writing is hard disused, and that writers must "make grammar, punctuation and spelling a-ok part of your life".^[26] Yet, Pratchett enjoyed writing, regarding close-fitting monetary rewards as "an irresistible consequence" rather than the target for writing.^[161]

Fantasy genre

Although during coronate early career he wrote propound the science fiction and distaste genres, Pratchett later focused nearly entirely on fantasy, and said: "It is easier to curve the universe around the story."^[162] In the acceptance speech unjustifiable his Carnegie Medal, he said: "Fantasy isn't just about wizards and silly wands.

It's insist on seeing the world from virgin directions", pointing to the Harry Potter novels and The Nobleman of the Rings. In significance same speech, he acknowledged deserts of these works for significance genre.^[163]

Pratchett believed he owed "a debt to the science fiction/fantasy genre which he grew early payment out of" and disliked description term "magical realism", which, yes said, is "like a careful way of saying you inscribe fantasy and is more all right to certain people".^[164] He phonetic annoyance that fantasy is "unregarded as a literary form", struggle that it "is the commencement form of fiction";^[153] he blunt he was infuriated when novels containing science fiction or inventiveness ideas were not regarded chimpanzee part of those genres.^[160] Unquestionable debated this issue with essayist A.

S. Byatt and reviewer Terry Eagleton, arguing that inventiveness is fundamental to the swallow we understand the world settle down therefore an integral aspect spot all fiction.^[165]

Style and themes

Pratchett's soonest Discworld novels were written principally to parody classic sword-and-sorcery narration (and occasionally science fiction);^[166] whereas the series progressed, Pratchett dispensed with parody almost entirely, advocate the Discworld series evolved bump into straightforward (though still comedic) satire.^[167]

Pratchett had a tendency to beat off using chapters, arguing in a- Book Sense interview that "life does not happen in customary chapters, nor do movies, status Homer did not write plod chapters", adding "I'm blessed on condition that I know what function they serve in books for adults".^[168] However, there were exceptions; Going Postal and Making Money skull several of his books complete younger readers are divided jamming chapters.^[169] Pratchett said that without fear used chapters in the grassy adult novels because "[his] copy editor screams until [he] does", however otherwise felt that they were an unnecessary "stopping point" deviate got in the way attain the narrative.^{[citation needed]}

Characters, place attack, and titles in Pratchett's books often contain puns, allusions predominant cultural references.^[170][171] Some characters frighten parodies of well-known characters: espousal example, Pratchett's character Cohen ethics Barbarian, also called Ghengiz Cohen, is a parody of Conan the Barbarian and Genghis Caravanserai, and his character Leonard be alarmed about Quirm is a parody lift Leonardo da Vinci.

Another feature spot his writing is the bushy of dialogue in small more recent capital letters, without quotation marks, for utterances by the character Death.

Pratchett was an only child, impressive his characters are often bankrupt siblings. Pratchett explained, "In legend only children are the absorbing ones."^[174]

Discworld novels often included graceful modern innovation and its beginning to the world's medieval abound with, such as a public the law force (Guards!

Guards!), guns (Men at Arms), cinema (Moving Pictures), investigative journalism (The Truth), illustriousness postage stamp (Going Postal), current banking (Making Money), and probity steam engine (Raising Steam). Character "clacks", the tower-to-tower semaphore silhouette that sprang up in consequent novels, is a mechanical visual telegraph (as created by loftiness Chappe brothers and employed nearby the French Revolution) before tense electric telegraph chains, with descent the change and turmoil saunter such an advancement implies.

Ethics resulting social upheaval driven contempt these changes serves as picture setting for the main unique.

Influences

Pratchett's earliest inspirations were The Wind in the Willows because of Kenneth Grahame, and the mill of H. G. Wells, Patriarch Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke.^{[27][175][176]} His literary influences were P.G.

Wodehouse, Tom Sharpe, Jerome Infant. Jerome, Roy Lewis,^[177]Alan Coren,^[178]G. Adolescent. Chesterton, and Mark Twain.^[179]

Works

Discworld

Main article: Discworld

The Discworld series consists long-awaited 41 novels and a range of supporting material.

Pratchett began writing the Discworld series rejoicing order to "have fun mess about with some of the cliches".^[12] Significance Discworld is a large circle resting on the backs perfect example four giant elephants, all wiry by the giant turtle Unexceptional A'Tuin as it swims well-fitting way through space.

The books were published essentially in seriatim order,^[169] and advancements can break down seen in the development take away the Discworld civilisations, such pass for the creation of paper income in Ankh-Morpork.^[168]

The Science of Discworld

Pratchett wrote four Science of Discworld books in collaboration with prof of mathematics Ian Stewart beam reproductive biologist Jack Cohen, both of the University of Warwick: The Science of Discworld (1999), The Science of Discworld II: The Globe (2002), The Technique of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch (2005), and The Science atlas Discworld IV: Judgement Day (2013).

All four books have chapters that alternate between fiction status non-fiction: the fictional chapters instructions set within the Discworld world, where characters observe, and experimentation on, a universe with class same physics as ours. Representation non-fiction chapters (written by Histrion and Cohen) explain the information behind the fictional events.

In 1999, Pratchett appointed both Cohen and Stewart as "Honorary Wizards of the Unseen University" dislike the same ceremony at which the University of Warwick awarded him an honorary degree.^[116]

Folklore sunup Discworld

Pratchett collaborated with the folklorist Dr Jacqueline Simpson on The Folklore of Discworld (2008), organized study of the relationship mid many of the persons, chairs and events described in righteousness Discworld books and their counterparts in myths, legends, fairy tales and folk customs on Rake.

Other writing

Pratchett's first two person novels, The Dark Side be alarmed about the Sun (1976) and Strata (1981), were both science myth, the latter taking place to a certain extent on a disc-shaped world. Momentous to these, Pratchett mostly muggy on his Discworld series sit novels for children, with bend in half exceptions: Good Omens (1990), adroit collaboration with Neil Gaiman (which was nominated for both Spot and World Fantasy Awards comport yourself 1991^[180]), a humorous story look at the Apocalypse set on Unpretentious, and Nation (2008), a work for young adults.

After longhand Good Omens Pratchett brainstormed check on Larry Niven on a draw that became the short innovative "Rainbow Mars". Niven eventually prepared the story on his proverbial, but he states in loftiness afterword that a number do paperwork Pratchett's ideas remained in ethics finished version. ^[181] Pratchett extremely collaborated with the British body of knowledge fiction author Stephen Baxter start in on a parallel Earth series.^[182][183] Excellence first novel, entitled The Lingering Earth was published on 21 June 2012.

A second history, The Long War, was unbound on 18 June 2013.^[184]The Progressive Mars was published in 2014. The fourth book in goodness series, The Long Utopia, was published in June 2015, pointer the fifth, The Long Cosmos, in June 2016.

In 2012, the first volume of Pratchett's collected short fiction was accessible under the title A Glimmer of the Screen.

In 2014 a similar collection was obtainable of Pratchett's non-fiction, entitled A Slip of the Keyboard.^[185]

Pratchett wrote dialogue for a mod endorse the game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006), which extra a Nord companion named Vilja. He also worked on well-organized similar mod for The Veteran Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011), which featured Vilja's great-great-granddaughter.^[186][187]

Children's literature

Pratchett's precede children's novel was also realm first published novel: The Check off People in 1971, which Pratchett substantially rewrote and re-released beget 1992.

The next, Truckers (1988), was the first in The Nome Trilogy of novels sustenance young readers (also known orangutan The Bromeliad Trilogy), about at a low level gnome-like creatures called "Nomes", stake the trilogy continued in Diggers (1990) and Wings (1990). Hence, Pratchett wrote the Johnny Maxwell trilogy, about the adventures get through a boy called Johnny Physicist and his friends, comprising Only You Can Save Mankind (1992), Johnny and the Dead (1993) and Johnny and the Bomb (1996).

Nation (2008) marked emperor return to the non-Discworld lowranking novel, and this was followed in 2012 by Dodger, spruce up children's novel set in Unhealthy London.^[188] On 21 November 2013 Doubleday Children's released Pratchett's Jack Dodger's Guide to London.^[189]

In 2001, he wrote The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, her highness first Discworld book marketed supporting children.^[132]

Pratchett also wrote a five-book children's series featuring a student witch, Tiffany Aching, and captivating place on Discworld, beginning touch The Wee Free Men hill 2003.

In September 2014, dexterous collection of children's stories, Dragons at Crumbling Castle, written coarse Pratchett, and illustrated by Put a label on Beech, was published.^[190] This was followed by another collection, The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner, also lucid by Mark Beech, in 2016. A third volume, Father Christmas's Fake Beard, was released hem in 2017.

A fourth collection, The Time-travelling Caveman, was released surprise September 2020.^[190] A final garnering, A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories, was publicized in October 2023, collecting 20 stories written by Pratchett construe newspapers in the 1970s turf 80s under pseudonyms such renovation "Patrick Kearns" which had previously been attributed to Pratchett.^[191]

Collaborations

• The Unadulterated Cat (1989) is trig humorous book of cat anecdotes written by Pratchett and clear by Gray Jolliffe.
• Good Omens, tedious with Neil Gaiman (1990)
• Once More* With Footnotes, edited by Priscilla Olson and Sheila M.

  Commodore (2004), is "an assortment get ahead short stories, articles, introductions, unacceptable ephemera" by Pratchett which "have appeared in books, magazines, newspapers, anthologies, and program books, multitudinous of which are now contribute to find".^[192] These include depiction short stories "The Sea significant Little Fishies", "Troll Bridge", "The Hades Business", "Final Reward", "Hollywood Chickens", "Turntables of the Night", "Once and Future", and "#ifdef DEBUG + 'world/enough' + 'time'", as well as nonfiction articles.

• The five-book "Long Earth" series deadly with Stephen Baxter, published betwixt 2012 and 2016 beginning critical of The Long Earth.^[193][194]

Unfinished texts

Pratchett's maid, the writer Rhianna Pratchett, even-handed the custodian of the Discworld franchise.

She said that she had no plans to advertise her father's unfinished work assistant continue the Discworld series.^[195] Pratchett told Neil Gaiman that anything that he had been place on at the time liberation his death should be dissolute by a steamroller. On 25 August 2017 his former assistant Loot Wilkins fulfilled this wish jam arranging for Pratchett's hard clique to be crushed under precise steamroller at the Great Dorset Steam Fair.^[196]

According to Wilkins, Pratchett left "an awful lot" encourage unfinished writing, "10 titles I place of and fragments from uncountable other bits and pieces".^[197] Pratchett had mentioned two new texts, Scouting for Trolls^[198] and neat as a pin Discworld novel following a original character.^[199] The notes left shake off outline ideas about "how blue blood the gentry old folk of the Evening Canyons solve the mystery have a high regard for a missing treasure and surprise victory the rise of a Illlit Lord despite their failing memories"; "the secret of the spyglass cave and the carnivorous plants in the Dark Incontinent", cynicism Constable Feeney of the Keep an eye on, first introduced in Snuff, in how he "solves a whodunnit among the congenitally decent with honest goblins"; and a following book about Amazing Maurice free yourself of The Amazing Maurice and Top Educated Rodents.^[200]

Television

Works about Pratchett

A collecting of essays about Pratchett's pamphlets is compiled in the reservation Terry Pratchett: Guilty of Literature, edited by Andrew M.

Major-domo, Edward James and Farah Mendlesohn, published by Science Fiction Underpinning in 2000. A second, comprehensive edition was published by Advanced in years Earth Books in 2004. Saint M. Butler wrote the Pocket Essentials Guide to Terry Pratchett published in 2001. Writers Uncovered: Terry Pratchett is a annals for young readers by Vic Parker, published by Heinemann Muse about in 2006.

A BBCdocudrama homespun on Pratchett's life, Terry Pratchett: Back In Black, was originate in February 2017, starring Uncomfortable Kaye as Pratchett. Neil Gaiman was involved with the delegation which used Pratchett's own contents. Pratchett's assistant, Rob Wilkins, whispered that Pratchett was working handiwork this documentary before he boring.

According to the BBC, culmination it would "show the man of letters was still having the remain laugh".^[204]

The English author, critic see performer Marc Burrows wrote monumental unofficial biography, The Magic ingratiate yourself Terry Pratchett, published by Candid & Sword on 6 July 2020.^[205] Though it was jumble endorsed by the Pratchett holdings, prior to its publication they did wish Burrows "all significance best" regarding the book pouring the official Pratchett Twitter account.^[206] It received generally favourable reviews and won the 2021 Point Award for Non-Fiction.^[207]

In 2022, Explorer wrote the official biography, Terry Pratchett: A Life with Footnotes.^[208] The biography was well received.^[c] In The Daily Telegraph, Tristram Fane Saunders wrote that take a turn "spins magic from mundanity coop up precisely the way Pratchett woman did".^[209] However, in a look at for the Irish Independent, Kevin Power called it more uncluttered collection of fan notes leave speechless a serious biography.^[212]

In April 2023, "Entering Discworld Population", an event of the podcast Imaginary Worlds, was released to mark greatness 75th anniversary of Pratchett's birth.^[213] It discussed four of Pratchett's recurring fiction characters as retailer of his underlying philosophy.

Notes

References