Terry Pratchett diagnosed with Alzheimers

[solicitr]

The Death books are not perhaps the funniest in a laff-a-minute sense (not that they don't have their great comic scenes), but they do tend to be the most thought-provoking.

I haven't read the last one yet, but I have hopes, since Going Postal on a *second* reading proved to be one of TP's best. (A nice exception, since on the whole I think a some of his more recent efforts like Fifth Elephant, Monstrous Regiment and Thud! have been rather weak).

[Impenitent]

soli, I agree that Monstrous Regiment was somewhat of a disappointment - and yes, the Death books are very good! Wry, dry wit and thought-provoking. But then, the Witches books are quite thought provoking too, and all the ones about religion - Small Gods is wonderful!

[Pearly Di]

I've never read any Terry Pratchett!

But I listened to a very touching interview with him a couple of weeks ago on Radio 4, he was being interviewed by John Humphreys. What a nice guy he is. And a brave one.

He talked honestly and movingly about his fight with Alzheimers, reflecting on his mortality, living day by day with his wife, and his writing.

On that subject, he said: "Of course, we [meaning all fantasy writers] all stand behind Tolkien."

[Frelga]

Pratchett (Pterry to fans) is genuinely a good guy. His courage in illness, which he calls "an embuggerance" is one of honesty rather than bravado. And he is still funny when talking about his fear and his support to Alzeheimer research foundation. He said he'd "eat an arse of a dead mole" if he thought it would help him. The way he deals with illness is the same way his unlikely heroes deal with their adventures. Not "bring it on" but "oh bugger, I really don't want to be here, but I am and I have to see it through." Oh wait, that was Tolkien. Pratchett calls it "doing the job that's in front of you."

I'm glad he voiced his respect for Tolkien,especially since he is the rare fantasy writer who honors Tolkien by writing in a completely un-Tolkien-like way.

[Primula Baggins]

Not "bring it on" but "oh bugger, I really don't want to be here, but I am and I have to see it through." Oh wait, that was Tolkien. Pratchett calls it "doing the job that's in front of you."

Frelga, that's the very essence of what I love about Tolkien—and I think I'm going to love it about Pratchett, too. It's a way of handling things that seems more typical of women: no histrionics, no "but this isn't fair!," just put your head down and get on with what has to be done. Waste as little time and energy as possible.

(Not that men aren't brave; it's just that ones I know best seem to handle adversity by first complaining that things really should be different if the universe were a logical place, and here's why they had every reason to think this could never happen to them, and here's how the universe bungled it. Then they get down to it. )

[Inanna]

Funny, I like the witches best. Closely followed by Watch books. As soli said elsewhere, Night Watch is Pratchett's masterpiece. Rincewind can be hysterical (in both senses) but I don't have the attachment to him the way I do to Granny Weatherwax or Vimes.

:Iagree:

completely and totally.

Him having Alzheimer's is really sad. I had looked forward to love and grow with his books. Today, there is frankly, nothing better for me than to curl up with a pratchett book and just float away.

[Inanna]

(Not that men aren't brave; it's just that ones I know best seem to handle adversity by first complaining that things really should be different if the universe were a logical place, and here's why they had every reason to think this could never happen to them, and here's how the universe bungled it. Then they get down to it. )

Once again, words of wisdom from Primmeh. you are SO right.

[solicitr]

Interesting:

Alzheimer’s leads atheist Terry Pratchett to appreciate God

TERRY PRATCHETT, the fantasy writer suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, has suggested he may have found God after years of atheism.

[Inanna]

I saw his interview with Al Jazeera english posted on You-Tube. He said, that he has always believed there is a "force", but on that day, that 'force' spoke to him.

Cool.

[Frelga]

Here's the story in Terry's own words.

I don't think I've found God, but I may have seen where gods come from (link posted on TOB by Hobbituk)

There is a rumour 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.

But it is true that in an interview I gave recently I did describe a sudden, distinct feeling I had one hectic day that everything I was doing was right and things were happening as they should.

That's the beginning of the article and there's a lot of good, quotable Terry in the middle, like when he says "I was too smart for my own God." He winds up with this:

More accurately, it was a memory of a voice in my head, and it told me that everything was OK and things were happening as they should. For a moment, the world had felt at peace. Where did it come from?

Me, actually - the part of all of us that, in my case, caused me to stand in awe the first time I heard Thomas Tallis's 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's what Abraham felt on the mountain and Einstein did when it turned out that E=mc2.

It's 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 Stephen Hawking. It doesn't require worship, but, I think, rewards intelligence, observation and enquiring minds.

I don't think I've found God, but I may have seen where gods come from.

[Impenitent]

I feel a synchronicity with Terry.

[WampusCat]

I finally have been Prachetted. It is good.

"Guards! Guards!" accompanied me on my trip to Nova Scotia, reducing me to laughter in airplane, ferry and rocking chair.

It did, however, corrupt my mind.

I arrived home and excitedly tore open the box from Amazon with my much-anticipated copy of "The Cold Minds." The cover blurb: "No emotions. No mercy. No chance."

And all I could think of was: No chance? Why, it's a million-to-one chance. But it just might work...

Which won't sound bizarre unless you've read the discussion by Pratchett's dimwitted guards on the subject. In which case it's hilarious.

Sorry, Prim. I started reading your book while giggling.

[Frelga]

Colon: "So it'd only work if it's your actual million-to-one chance."
Nobby: "I suppose that's right."
Colon: "So 999,943-to-one, for example--"
Carrot: "Wouldn't have a hope. No-one ever said 'It's a 999,943-to-one chance but it might just work.'"

I'm so glad you liked it! All I can say is, Men-at-Arms is funnier than Guards! Guards! And if you follow the Watch books, you will, in no time at all, wind up with Night Watch which is almost inarguably PTerry's masterpiece.

[WampusCat]

Books to look forward to ... aaaaaaaah.

[Aravar]

Fred Colon and Nobby aren't dimwits, they're, well, differently intelligent.

[WampusCat]

If you say so ...

I assumed dimwittedness based on their efforts to make the task harder so as to make sure the odds were bad enough to lead to success. I will attempt to wrap my mind around this different sort of intelligence -- and avoid such disparaging remarks in the future.

[Frelga]

As PTerry points out later, Carrot is simple. Which is not at all the same thing as stupid.

Colon... is another story.

[WampusCat]

I enjoyed "Men at Arms" just as much as "Guards! Guards!" What should I read next?

I already have copies of "The Last Continent" and "Good Omens," but I think I'd like to continue the books in some sort of proper order. So what's the next in line?

[Frelga]

I'm glad you asked. Because, look what I found. The L-space presents:

The Discworld Reading Order Guide v.1.5

You could work through all Watch books or mix them up with, say, Witch or Death books.

That said, Good Omens is not a Discworld book. If you've got a copy, I would suggest not postponing the pleasure.

P.S.: What I mean is, it is preferable to read the books in the "series" in order, so as to follow the character development. One exception - I think Wyrd Sisters is a better entrance into the Witch book, IMO. Equal Rites is still an "early" book, and I enjoyed it more for the look at how Granny Weatherwax character started out than for its place in the sequence of the stories.

P.P.S.: The books marked "Industrial Revolution" are in fact standalone novels and don't need to be read in order. The exception is Making Money, the sequel to Going Postal, which has been published after this chart was made.

[WampusCat]

I am in your debt. That is just what I needed.