Friday 13 March 2015

Sir Terry Pratchett, renowned fantasy author, dies aged 66

Here’s a link to the BBC article.

This is a weird one for me as I avidly devoured his books during my teens and early twenties, they formed part of my development and gave me a sense of how to look at the world with a critical eye. For me he was a person to admire, for want of a better word an everyday bloke that enjoyed satirising modern society, never one to seek the limelight of fame.

He told good stories that were more than generic fantasy comedy but a parody of the real world with real issues described in a fantastical way. I remember sitting a few years ago watching a documentary where he explored the very real issue of assisted suicide, visiting Switzerland where it is a legal option for those suffering from incurable and debilitating afflictions. It was touching and quite disturbing at the same time to watch him agonise over whether he would pursue that option, choosing to end his life at a time of his choosing. It struck a chord with me at the time as my Grandmother was suffering severely with Alzheimers, we (my brothers and I) were never that close to her in fact my family is quite a dysfunctional bunch however it was at the forefront of my mind and thus made me wonder what would I do if I were similarly afflicted.

Something to think about.

70 books
  • Translated into 37 languages
  • In a career spanning 44 years
  • With total sales of 70 million



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