Terry Pratchett

Infobox Writer
name = Terry Pratchett


caption = Terry Pratchett
birthdate = Birth date and age|1948|4|28|df=yes
birthplace = Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, Englandcite book
editor = Priscilla Olsen and Sheila Perry
title = Once More* *With Footnotes
publisher = NESFA Press
id = ISBN 1-886778-57-4cite book
last = Pratchett
first = Terry
authorlink = Terry Pratchett
title = Sourcery
publisher = Corgi Books
id = ISBN 0-552-513107-5]
nationality =
deathdate =
deathplace =
occupation = Novelist
genre = Comic fantasy
movement =
notableworks =
influences =
influenced =
website =

---

Terence David John Pratchett, OBE (born 28 April 1948) is an English [cite web|url=http://www.moremoose.com/Pratchett-Interview.htm|title=www.moremoose.com/Pratchett-Interview.htm ] fantasy, science fiction, and children's author. He is best known for his popular and long-running "Discworld" series of comic fantasy novels. Pratchett's first novel, "The Carpet People", was published in 1971, and since his first "Discworld" novel "(The Colour of Magic)" was published in 1983, he has written two books a year on average. Pratchett is also known for close collaboration on adaptations of his books but has held back from "Discworld" feature films so far. [cite web
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/2993972.stm
title = BBC article on Pratchett film adaptations
date = 16 June 2003
accessdate = 18 February
accessyear = 2008]

Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s,cite web
publisher = Guardian Unlimited
url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,835862,00.html
title = Life on planet Pratchett
date = 8 November 2002
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] cite web
publisher = BBC Wiltshire
url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/going_out/theatre/pratchett.shtml
title = Terry Pratchett in conversation
date = no date
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] and as of December 2007 has sold more than 55 million books worldwide, [cite web
work = BBC News Online
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7141458.stm
title = Pratchett has Alzheimer's disease
date = 12 December 2007
accessdate = 13 December
accessyear = 2007] with translations made in 33 languages.He is currently the second most-read writer in the UK, and seventh most-read non-US author in the UScite web
publisher = Sky One
url = http://www.skyone.co.uk/hogfather/terrypratchett.htm
title = Terry Pratchett: Biography
year = 2006 |accessdate = June 8
accessyear = 2007] In 2001 he won the Carnegie Medal for his children's novel "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents". [cite web
publisher = carnegiegreenaway.org.uk
url = http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/carnegie/recent_winners.php
title = The Carnegie Medal - Recent Winners
date = no date
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007]

Despite his popularity, Pratchett is often described as having a ‘cult following’ - a factor seen as having, in the past, hindered his literary recognition.cite web
publisher = Karen McVeigh and Lesley Walker, The Scotsman
url = http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=99&id=754152002
title = Pratchett casts a bitter spell on rivals
date = 13 July 2002
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] [cite web
publisher = BBC
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/breakfast/3698158.stm
title = Terry Pratchett | date = 29 September 2004 |accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] Pratchett was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire "for services to literature" in 1998.cite web
publisher = TerryPratchettbooks.com, HarperCollins
url = http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/terry/
title = Meet Terry
date = no date |accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] In December 2007, Pratchett publicly announced that he was suffering from early-onset Alzheimer's disease, subsequently making a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust.cite web
publisher = BBC News
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7291315.stm
title = Pratchett funds Alzheimer's study
date = 13 March 2008
accessdate = March 13
accessyear = 2008]

Background

Early life

Terry Pratchett was born in 1948 in Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, England, the only child of David and Eileen Pratchett, of Hay-on-Wye. He passed his eleven plus exam in 1959, earning him a place in a technical school (High Wycombe Technical High School). Pratchett described himself as a "nondescript student", and in his "Who's Who" entry, credits his education to the Beaconsfield Public Library.

His early interests included astronomy;cite web
publisher = terrypratchettbooks.com
url = http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/terry/talk.html
title = Talking with Terry Pratchett
date = no date
accessdate = June 8
accessyear = 2007] he collected Brooke Bond tea cards about space, owned a telescopecite web
publisher = www.scifi.com
url = http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue449/interview.html
title = Terry Pratchett on the origins of Discworld, his Order of the British Empire and everything in between
date = no date
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008] and desired to be an astronomer, but was no good at mathematics. However, this led to an interest in reading British and American science fiction. In turn, this led to attending science fiction conventions from about 1963/4, which stopped when he got his first job. His early reading included the works of H. G. Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle and "every book you really ought to read" which he now regards as "getting an education".cite web
publisher = Bill Peschell
url = http://www.planetpeschel.com/index?/site/comments/interview_with_terry_pratchett/
title = Interview with Terry Pratchett
date = 14 September 2006
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008]

At the age of 13, Pratchett published his first short story "The Hades Business" in the school magazine. It was published commercially when he was 15. [cite web
publisher = Kevin P. Smith, Sheffield Hallam University, The Literary Encyclopedia
url = http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5185
title = Terry Pratchett
date = 20 September 2002
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] Pratchett earned 5 O-levels and started 3 A-level courses, in Art, English and History. Pratchett's first career choice was journalism and he left school at 17 in 1965 to start working for the "Bucks Free Press". However, he finished his A-Level in English, and took a proficiency course for journalists.cite web
publisher = Colin Smythe
url = http://www.colinsmythe.co.uk/terrypages/tpabout.htm | title = About Terry | date = no date |accessdate = June 8
accessyear = 2007]

Early career

Pratchett got his first 'break' in 1968, when working as a journalist. He came to interview Peter Bander van Duren, co-director of a small publishing company. During the meeting, Pratchett mentioned he had written a manuscript, "The Carpet People". [cite web
title=Welcome to the world of Terry
work=The Scotsman online
url=http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=99&id=1145042003
date=2007-03-26] Bander van Duren and his business partner, Colin Smythe (of Colin Smythe Ltd Publishers) published the book in 1971, with illustrations by Pratchett himself. [cite web
title=Sandra Kidby's PJSM Prints Pratchett biography
url=http://www.pjsmprints.com/biography/terrypratchett.html] The book received strong, if few reviews. [cite web
title=Colin Smythe's Pratchett biography in Voidspace
url=http://www.voidspace.org.uk/cyberpunk/pratchett_biog.shtml] The book was followed by the science fiction novels "The Dark Side of the Sun" and "Strata", published in 1976 and 1981, respectively.

After various positions in journalism, in 1983 Pratchett became Press Officer for the Central Electricity Generating Board in an area which covered three nuclear power stations. He later joked that he had demonstrated "impeccable timing" by making this career change so soon after the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in Pennsylvania, USA, and said he would "write a book about his experiences, if he thought anyone would believe it".cite news
title=A conversation with Terry Pratchett
work=Writerswrite.com
url=http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/apr00/pratchett.htm
date=2007-03-26]

The first "Discworld" novel "The Colour of Magic" was published in 1983 by Colin Smythe in hardback. The publishing rights for paperback were soon taken by Corgi, an imprint of Transworld, the current publisher. Pratchett received further popularity after the BBC's "Woman's Hour" broadcast "The Colour of Magic" as a serial in six parts, after it was published by Corgi in 1985 and later "Equal Rites". Subsequently, rights for hardback were taken by the publishing house Victor Gollancz, which remained Pratchett's publisher until 1997, and Smythe became Pratchett's agent. Pratchett was the first fantasy author published by Gollancz.

Pratchett gave up working for the CEGB in 1987 after finishing the fourth "Discworld" novel "Mort", to fully focus on and make his living through writing. His sales increased quickly and many of his books occupied top places of the best-seller list. According to "The Times", Pratchett was the top selling and highest earning UK author in 1996.Some of his books have been published by Doubleday, another Transworld imprint. In the US, Pratchett is published by HarperCollins.

According to the "Bookseller's Pocket Yearbook" from 2005, in 2003 Pratchett's UK sales amounted to 3.4% of the fiction market by hardback sales and 3.8% by value, putting him in 2nd place behind J. K. Rowling (6% and 5.6% respectively), while in the paperback sales list Pratchett came 5th with 1.2% by sales and 1.3% by value (behind James Patterson (1.9% and 1.7%), Alexander McCall Smith, John Grisham and J. R. R. Tolkien). [cite web
publisher = Jason Anthony, DiscworldMonthly.co.uk
url = http://www.discworldmonthly.co.uk/dwm0100.php
title = Discworld Monthly - Issue 100: August 2005 - New from Colin Smythe (Pratchett's agent)
month = August | year = 2005
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] His sales in the UK alone are more than 2.5 million copies a year.

Current life

Terry Pratchett married his wife Lyn in 1968 and they moved to Rowberrow, Somerset in 1970. Their daughter Rhianna Pratchett, who is also a writer, was born there in 1976. In 1993, the family moved to Broadchalke, a village south west of Salisbury, Wiltshire, where they currently live. He lists his recreations as "writing, walking, computers, life". [cite news
title=Terry Pratchett Biography
work=The Terry Pratchett Unseen Library
url=http://www.terrypratchettbooks.co.uk/pratchett-biography.html
date=2007-03-26] He describes himself as a humanist and is a Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association. [cite news
title=Distinguished Supporters of Humanism
work=British Humanist Association website
url=http://www.humanism.org.uk/site/cms/contentViewArticle.asp?article=1162
date=2006-09-02]

Pratchett is well known for his penchant for wearing large, black hats, as seen on the inside back covers of most of his books. His style has been described as "more that of urban cowboy than city gent."cite web
publisher = "Daily Mail"
url = http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=490576&in_page_id=1774
title = Terry Pratchett: 'I had a stroke - and I did not even notice'
date = 29 October 2007
accessdate = November 2
accessyear = 2007]

Concern for the future of civilisation has prompted him to install five kilowatts of photovoltaic cells (for solar energy) at his house.cite web
publisher = The Age
url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/books/meeting-mr-pratchett/2007/02/15/1171405371862.html?page=fullpage
title = Meeting Mr Pratchett
date = 17 February 2007
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008] In addition, his interest in astronomy since childhood has led him to build an observatory in his garden.

Alzheimer's disease

In August 2007, Pratchett was misdiagnosed as having had a minor stroke in 2004 or 2005, which was believed to have damaged the right side of his brain. While his motor skills had been affected, the observed damage had not impaired his ability to write (or at least no one noticed the difference).On 11 December 2007, Pratchett posted online that he had been newly diagnosed with a very rare form of early-onset Alzheimer's disease, which he said "lay behind this year's phantom 'stroke'." He has a rare form of the disease called posterior cortical atrophy, in which areas at the back of the brain begin to shrink and shrivel. Pratchett appealed to people to "keep things cheerful", and proclaimed that "we are taking it fairly philosophically down here and possibly with a mild optimism."cite web
publisher = Terry Pratchett, PJSMPrints.com
url = http://www.pjsmprints.com/news/embuggerance.html
title = An Embuggerance
date = 11 December 2007
accessdate = February 1
accessyear = 2008] Leading the way, Pratchett stated that he feels he has time for "at least a few more books yet", and added that while he understands the impulse to ask 'is there anything I can do?', in this particular case he will only entertain such offers from "very high-end experts in brain chemistry."Discussing his diagnosis at the Bath Literature Festival, Pratchett revealed that he now found it too difficult to write dedications when signing books. [cite web
publisher = www.timesonline.co.uk
url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3440821.ece
title = People: Sienna Miller, Terry Pratchett, Javier Bardem
date = 27 February 2008
accessdate = March 4
accessyear = 2008]

In March 2008, Pratchett announced he was donating one million US dollars (about £494,000) to the Alzheimer's Research Trust, claiming he had spoken to at least 3 brain tumour (cancer) survivors whilst he had spoken to no survivors of Alzheimer's disease, and that he was shocked "to find out that funding for Alzheimer's research is just 3% of that to find cancer cures."cite web
publisher = Alzheimer's Research Trust
url = http://www.alzheimers-research.org.uk/news/article.php?type=News&archive=0&id=205
title = Terry Pratchett pledges $1 million to Alzheimer’s Research Trust
date = 13 March 2008
accessdate = March 13
accessyear = 2008] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7291315.stm Pratchett funds Alzheimer's study] Of his donation Mr. Pratchett said: "I am, along with many others, scrabbling to stay ahead long enough to be there when the Cure comes along.” [cite web
publisher = Charities Aid Foundation
url = http://www.cafonline.org/default.aspx?page=15293
title = Terry Pratchett supports Alzheimer’s Research Trust
date = 14 March 2008
accessdate = March 25
accessyear = 2008] Pratchett's donation inspired an internet campaign where fans hope to 'Match it for Pratchett', by raising another $1 million. [cite web
url = http://www.matchitforpratchett.org/
title = Match It For Pratchett
accessdate = 2008-04-20]

In April 2008, the BBC began working with Pratchett to make a documentary series based on his illness. [cite web
url = http://www.pjsmprints.com/news/apr2008.html
title = BBC Documentary
accessdate = 2008-04-20
date = 15 April 2008
work = Discworld News] He also made an appearance on "The One Show" on 15 May 2008, talking about his condition. He was the subject and interviewee of the 20 May 2008 edition of "On the Ropes" (Radio 4), discussing Alzheimer's and how it had affected his life.

On 8 June 2008, news reports indicated that Pratchett had an experience, which he described as: "It is just possible that once you have got past all the gods that we have created with big beards and many human traits, just beyond all that, on the other side of physics, there just may be the ordered structure from which everything flows" and "I don’t actually believe in anyone who could have put that in my head". [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2094509/Terry-Pratchett-hints-he-may-have-found-God.html Daily Telegraph] ; [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article4087520.ece Times Online] ] He went into further detail on "Front Row", in which he was asked if this was a shift in his beliefs: "A shift in me in the sense I heard my father talk to me when I was in the garden one day. But I'm absolutely certain that what I heard was my memories of my father. An engram, or something in my head."..."This is not about God, but somewhere around there is where gods come from." ["Front Row", BBC Radio 4, 2008-09-01]

Interests

Computers and the Internet

Pratchett started to use computers for writing as soon as they were available to him. His first computer was a Sinclair ZX81, the first computer he properly used for writing was an Amstrad CPC 464, later replaced by a PC. Pratchett was one of the first authors to routinely use the Internet to communicate with fans, and has been a contributor to the Usenet newsgroup alt.fan.pratchett since 1992. [cite web
publisher = Terry Pratchett, groups.google.com
url = http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.pratchett/browse_frm/thread/6d66f88060364dbb
title = alt.fan.pratchett
date = 5 July 1992
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] However, he does not consider the Internet as a hobby, just another "thing to use". He now has many computers in his house. When he travels, he always takes a portable computer with him to write. His experiments with computer upgrades are reflected in Hex. [cite web
publisher = Mike Richardson, lspace.org
url = http://www.lspace.org/about-terry/interviews/palmpilot.html
title = PalmPilot. Private interview carried out by Mike Richardson.
date = 5 July 1992
accessdate = June 8
accessyear = 2007]

Pratchett is also an avid computer game player, and he has collaborated in the creation of a number of game adaptations of his books. He favours games that are 'intelligent and have some depth', and has used "Half-Life 2" and fan missions from "Thief" as examples. [cite web
publisher = PC Zone Staff
url = http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=143656
title = PC Interviews - Terry Pratchett
date = 1 August 2006
accessdate = June 8
accessyear = 2007]

Natural history

Pratchett has a fascination with natural history that he has referred to many times. Pratchett owns a greenhouse full of carnivorous plants. He has often mentioned this on his book biographies and they have appeared in his novels.

Orangutans

Pratchett is a trustee for the Orangutan Foundation UK [cite web
publisher = Orangutan Foundation UK
url = http://www.orangutan.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=24&limit=1&limitstart=1
title = Accomplishments and Achievements - 2. Media and Publicity
date = no date
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] but is pessimistic about the animal's future. His activities include visiting Borneo with a Channel 4 film crew to make an episode of "Jungle Quest" in 1995, seeing orangutans in their natural habitat.cite web
publisher = BFI Film & TV Database
url = http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/530147
title = Short Stories: Terry Pratchett's Jungle Quest
date = no date
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] Following Pratchett's lead, fan events such as the Discworld Conventions have adopted the Orangutan Foundation as their nominated charity, which has been acknowledged by the foundation. [cite web
publisher = Orangutan Foundation UK
url = http://www.orangutan.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=80&Itemid=7
title = Discworld Convention 2004
date = 9 September 2004
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] One of Pratchett's most popular fictional characters, the Librarian of the Unseen University's Library, is an orangutan.

Writing career

Awards

Pratchett was the British Book Awards' 'Fantasy and Science Fiction Author of the Year' for 1994. [cite web | publisher = BritishBookAwards.co.uk | url = http://www.britishbookawards.co.uk/bba/pnbb_previouswinners.asp? | title = Previous Winners & Shortlists - The Fantasy and Science Fiction Author of the Year | month = August | year = 2005 |accessdate = June 6 | accessyear = 2007]

After being awarded his OBE for 'services to literature' in 1998, Pratchett commented in the Ansible SF/fan newsletter, "I suspect the 'services to literature' consisted of refraining from trying to write any" (suggesting the title was more a recognition of success, than an acknowledgement of the fantasy genre). But then added, "Still, I cannot help feeling mightily chuffed about it." [cite news
title=Ansible 132, July 1998
work=Ansible online
url=http://news.ansible.co.uk/a132.html
date=2007-03-26]

Pratchett has been awarded five honorary Doctorates; University of Warwick in 1999,cite news
title=Terry Pratchett Receives Honorary Degree from University of Warwick
work=University of Warwick web site
url=http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/NE1000000081565/
date=2006-10-06] the University of Portsmouth in 2001, [cite news
title=Honorary Awardees of the University of Portsmouth
work=University of Portsmouth web site
url=http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/scafm/honoraryawardsandvisitors/
date=2006-10-06] the University of Bath in 2003 [cite news
title=Discworld author's doctor honour
work=BBC News
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/3291087.stm
date=2006-10-06] , the University of Bristol in 2004. [cite news
title=Honorary Degrees awarded at Bristol University today
work=Bristol University web site
url=http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2004/474
date=2006-10-06] and Buckinghamshire New University 2008Fact|date=September 2008.

"The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents" won the 2001 Carnegie Medal for best children's novel (awarded in 2002).cite web
title = The CILIP Carnegie Medal - Full List of Winners
publisher = Carnegie
url = http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/carnegie/full_list_of_winners.php
format = php
accessdate = 2008-02-18]

In 2003 Pratchett firmly reinforced his credentials as one of Britain's most loved authors, by joining Charles Dickens as one of the only two authors with five books in the BBC's Big Read 'Top 100' (four of which were "Discworld" novels). Pratchett was also the author with the most novels in the 'Top 200' (fifteen). [cite web
publisher = BBC
url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/
title = The Big Read | date = no date
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007]

The first three "Discworld" novels that centred on the character Tiffany Aching 'trainee witch' have each received the Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book (in 2004, 2005 and 2007). [cite web
publisher = Locus Publications
url = http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Locus.html
title = Locus Awards Winners By Year
year = 2007
accessdate = June 21
accessyear = 2007]

Fandom

Pratchett's "Discworld" novels have led to dedicated conventions, the first in Manchester in 1996,cite web
publisher = www.lspace.org
url = http://www.lspace.org/about-terry/interviews/Arena.html
title = Arena interview
date = 22 November 1997
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008] then worldwide,cite web
publisher = www.lspace.org
url = http://www.lspace.org/fandom/events/conventions/dwcon.html
title = Discworld Conventions
date = no date
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008] often with the author as guest of honour.cite web
publisher = www.dwcon.org
url = http://www.dwcon.org/past-events/
title = Past Events
date = no date
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008] Publication of a new novel may also be accompanied by an international book signing tour;cite web
publisher = www.funny.co.uk
url = http://www.funny.co.uk/news/art_167-3708-Pratchett-Book-Signing-Dates.html
title = Pratchett Book Signing Dates
date = 13 September 2005
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008] queues have been known to stretch outside the bookshop and the author has continued to sign books well after the intended finishing time. His fans are not restricted by age or gender, and he receives a large amount of fan mail from them. Pratchett enjoys meeting fans and hearing what they think about his books; he says that since he is well paid for his novels, then his fans "are everything to me."cite web
publisher = januarymagazine.com
url = http://januarymagazine.com/profiles/pratchett.html
title = Terry Pratchett's Discworld
year = 1997
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008]

Writing

Pratchett has said that to write, you must read extensively, both inside and outside your chosen genrecite web
publisher = Locus Online
url = http://www.locusmag.com/2004/Issues/05Pratchett.html
title = Terry Pratchett: 21 Years of Discworld
month = May | year = 2004
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008] and to the point of "overflow". He advises that writing is hard work, and that writers must "make grammar, punctuation and spelling a part of your life." However, Pratchett enjoys writing, regarding its monetary rewards as "an unavoidable consequence" rather than the reason for writing.cite web
publisher = www.sffworld.com
url = http://www.sffworld.com/interview/52p1.html
title = Interview with Terry Pratchett
date = 18 December 2002
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008]

The fantasy genre

Although in the past he has written in the sci-fi and horror genres, Pratchett now focuses almost entirely on fantasy, explaining "it is easier to bend the universe around the story".cite web
publisher = Terry Pratchett, www.scifi.com and www.lspace.org
url = http://www.lspace.org/about-terry/interviews/WFC.html
title = Transcript of IRC interview with Terry Pratchett at the World Fantasy Convention by James Webley
date = no date
accessdate = June 8
accessyear = 2007] In the acceptance speech for his Carnegie Medal he said: 'Fantasy isn’t just about wizards and silly wands. It’s about seeing the world from new directions', pointing to J. K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" novels and "The Lord of the Rings". In the same speech, he also acknowledged benefits of these works for the genre. [cite news
title=Pratchett wins first major award
work=BBC News
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2124520.stm
accessmonthday=January 28
accessyear=2008
date=12 July 2002]

He "believes he owes a debt to the science fiction/fantasy genre which he grew up out of" and dislikes the term "magical realism" which is "like a polite way of saying you write fantasy and is more acceptable to certain people — and who, on the whole do not care that much."cite web
publisher = januarymagazine.com
url = http://januarymagazine.com/profiles/tpratchett2002.html
title = Terry Pratchett by Linda Richards
year = 2002
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008] He is annoyed that fantasy is "unregarded as a literary form" because it "is the oldest form of fiction" and he is "infuriated" when novels containing science fiction or fantasy ideas are not regarded as part of those genres.

On 31 July 2005, Pratchett criticised media coverage of "Harry Potter" author J. K. Rowling, commenting that certain members of the media seemed to think that "the continued elevation of J. K. Rowling can only be achieved at the expense of other writers".cite news
title=Pratchett takes swipe at Rowling
work=BBC News
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4732385.stm
accessmonthday=January 28
accessyear=2008
date=31 July 2005] Pratchett has refuted claims that this was a swipe at Rowling, and said that he was not making claims of plagiarism, but was pointing out the "shared heritage" of the fantasy genre.cite web
publisher = Alternative Nation
url = http://www.alternativenation.net/forums/articles-features/87270-interview-terry-pratchett.html
title = Interview: Terry Pratchett
date = 10 October 2005
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008] Pratchett has also posted on the "Harry Potter" newsgroup about a media-covered exchange of views with her. [cite newsgroup
title = Re: Pratchett comments on Rowling
author = Terry Pratchett
date = 1 August 2005
newsgroup = alt.fan.harry-potter
url = http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.harry-potter/msg/c4d91c122d8d07f1
accessdate = 2008-01-27]

tyle and major themes

Pratchett is known for a distinctive writing style that includes a number of characteristic hallmarks. One example is his use of footnotes, [cite web
publisher = William Denton, Miskatonic.org
url = http://www.miskatonic.org/footnotes.html
title = Fictional Footnotes and Indexes - Fiction with Footnotes
date = 22 March 2007
accessdate = June 7
accessyear = 2007] which usually involve a comic departure from the narrative or a commentary on the narrative. [cite web
publisher = Robert Neumann, The L-Space Web
url = http://www.lspace.org/books/analysis/statistics.html#footnotes
title = Statistics - Footnotes
date = no date
accessdate = June 9
accessyear = 2007]

Pratchett has a tendency to avoid using chapters, arguing in a Book Sense interview that "life does not happen in regular chapters, nor do movies, and Homer did not write in chapters", adding "I'm blessed if I know what function they serve in books for adults." [cite web
publisher = Gavin J. Grant, BookSense.com
url = http://www.booksense.com/people/archive/pratchettterry.jsp
title = Terry Pratchett
date = no date
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] However, there have been exceptions; "Going Postal" and "Making Money" are divided into chapters, as are the young adult books about Tiffany Aching.cite web
publisher = Terry Pratchett, The L-Space Web
url = http://www.lspace.org/books/apf/words-from-the-master.html
title = Words from the Master
date = no date
accessdate = December 16
accessyear = 2007]

Characters, place names and titles in Pratchett's books often contain puns, allusions and culture references. [cite web
publisher = William T. Abbott
url =http://www.lspace.org/books/analysis/bill-abbott.html
title = White Knowledge and the Cauldron of Story: The Use of Allusion in Terry Pratchett's Discworld
month = May | year = 2002
accessdate = June 7
accessyear = 2007] [cite web
publisher = David Bapst
url = http://www.lspace.org/books/analysis/david-bapst.html
title = The Literary Evolution of Terry Pratchett
date = 1 June 2002
accessdate = June 7
accessyear = 2007] Some characters are parodies of well-known characters: for example, Pratchett's character Cohen the Barbarian is a parody of Conan the Barbarian and Genghis Khan, and his character Leonard of Quirm is a parody of Leonardo da Vinci.

Another hallmark of his writing is the use of capitalised dialogue without quotation marks, used to indicate the character of Death communicating telepathically into a character's mind. Pratchett also made up a new colour, octarine, a 'fluorescent greenish-yellow-purple', which is the eighth colour in the "Discworld" spectrum - the colour of magic. [cite book
last = Pratchett
first = Terry
coauthors = Stephen Briggs
title = The New Discworld Companion
publisher = Victor Gollancz Ltd
year = 2003
location = London
pages = 301
url = http://www.orionbooks.co.uk/PB-25621/The-New-Discworld-Companion.htm
isbn10 = 0575074671
isbn13 = 9780575074675]

Influences

Pratchett makes no secret of outside influences on his work: they are a major source of his humour. He imports numerous characters from classic literature, popular culture and ancient history, [cite episode
title = [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub/ram/bookclub_20040704.ram Terry Pratchett - Mort]
series = Bookclub
airdate = 2004-07-07
season = 7th
number = 7] always adding an unexpected twist. Pratchett is a crime novel fan, which is reflected in frequent appearances of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch in the "Discworld" series.Pratchett was an only child, and his characters are often without siblings. Pratchett explains "in fiction, only-children are the interesting ones." [cite web
publisher = Times Online
url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article552415.ece
title = Parenting: Only need not mean lonely
date = 7 August 2005 |accessdate = June 8
accessyear = 2007] An example is the character Susan Sto Helit.

Pratchett's earliest inspirations were "The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame, and the works of Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke. His literary influences have been P.G. Wodehouse, Tom Sharpe, Jerome K. Jerome, Larry Niven, Roy Lewis, [cite web
publisher = Guardian Unlimited
url = http://books.guardian.co.uk/authors/author/0,,-117,00.html
title = Terry Pratchett (1948-)
date = no date |accessdate = June 8
accessyear = 2007]
G. K. Chesterton, and Mark Twain. [cite web
publisher = Nathalie Ruas, ActuSF
url = http://www.actusf.com/spip/?article3025
title = Interview de Terry Pratchett (en Anglais) Interview with Terry Pratchett (in English)
month = June | year = 2002
accessdate = June 19
accessyear = 2007]

Publishing history

While Pratchett's UK publishing history has remained quite stable, his relationships with international publishers have been turbulent (especially in America). He changed German publishers after an advertisement for Maggi soup appeared in the middle of the German-language version of "Pyramids".cite web
publisher = laideafija.com.ar
url = http://www.laideafija.com.ar/especiales/pratchett/prateng.html
title = Saurio interviews Terry Pratchett
date = no date
accessdate = March 15
accessyear = 2008] cite web
publisher = colinsmythe.co.uk
url = http://www.colinsmythe.co.uk/terrypages/heynecovers.htm
title = Heyne Covers
date = 25 May 2005
accessdate = March 15
accessyear = 2008]

Bibliography

The "Discworld" series

Pratchett's "Discworld" series is a humorous and often satirical sequence of stories set in the colourful fantasy world of "Discworld". The series contains various 'story arcs' (or 'sub-series'), and a number of free-standing stories. All are set in an abundance of locations in the same detailed and unified world, such as the Unseen University and 'The Mended Drum' pub in the twin city Ankh-Morpork, or places in the various continents, regions and countries on the Disc. Characters and locations reappear throughout the series, variously taking major and minor roles.

The Discworld itself is described as a large disc resting on the backs of four giant elephants, all supported by the giant turtle Great A'Tuin as it swims its way through space. The books are essentially in chronological order, and advancements can be seen in the development of the "Discworld" civilisations, such as the creation of paper money in Ankh-Morpork.cite media
publisher = Book Zone
url = http://www.booksense.com/people/archive/pratchettterry.jsp
title = Book Zone interview at signing.
date = no date
accessdate =
accessyear = 2007]

The subject of many of the novels in Pratchett's "Discworld" series is a parody of a real-world subject such as film making, newspaper publishing, rock and roll music, religion, philosophy, Ancient Greece, Egyptian history, Australia, university politics, trade unions, and the financial world. Pratchett has also included further parody as a feature within the stories, including such subjects as Ingmar Bergman films, numerous fiction, science fiction and fantasy characters, and various bureaucratic and ruling systems.

Other "Discworld" books

Pratchett has written or collaborated on a number of "Discworld" books that are not novels in themselves but serve to accompany the series.

"The Discworld Companion", written with Stephen Briggs, is an encyclopedic guide to "Discworld". The third (and latest) edition was renamed "The New Discworld Companion", and was published in 2003. Briggs also collaborated with Pratchett on a series of fictional "Discworld" "mapps". The first, "The Discworld Mapp" (1995), illustrated by Stephen Player, comprises a large, comprehensive map of the "Discworld" itself with a small booklet that contains short biographies of the Disc's prominent explorers and their discoveries. Three further "mapps", have been released, focusing on particular regions of the Disc: Ankh-Morpork, Lancre, and Death's Domain. Briggs and Pratchett have also released several "Discworld" diaries and, with Tina Hannan, "Nanny Ogg's Cookbook" (1999). The design of this cookbook, illustrated by Paul Kidby, was based on the traditional "Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management", but with humorous recipes.

Collections of "Discworld"-related art have also been released in book form. "The Pratchett Portfolio" (1996) and "The Art of Discworld" (2004) are collections of paintings of major "Discworld" characters by Paul Kidby, with details added by Pratchett on the character's origins.

In 2005, Pratchett's first book for very young children was "Where's My Cow?". Illustrated by Melvyn Grant, this is a realisation of the short story Sam Vimes reads to his child in "Thud!".

"Science of Discworld"

Pratchett has written three "Science of Discworld" books in collaboration with Professor of mathematics Ian Stewart and reproductive biologist Jack Cohen, both of Warwick University: "The Science of Discworld" (1999), ' (2002), and ' (2005).

All three books have chapters that alternate between fiction and non-fiction: the fictional chapters are set within the Discworld, where its characters observe, and experiment on, a universe with the same physics as ours. The non-fiction chapters (written by Stewart and Cohen) explain the science behind the fictional events.

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

Other novels

Pratchett's first two adult novels, "The Dark Side of the Sun" (1976) and "Strata" (1981), were both science-fiction, the latter being set on a disc-shaped world. Subsequent to these, Pratchett has mostly concentrated on his "Discworld" series and novels for children, with one exception: "Good Omens" (1990), a collaboration with Neil Gaiman, a humorous story about the Apocalypse set on Earth.

After writing "Good Omens", Pratchett began to work with Larry Niven on a book that would become "Rainbow Mars"; Niven eventually completed the book on his own, but states in the afterword that a number of Pratchett's ideas remained in the finished version.

In September 2008, Doubleday published Pratchett's young adult novel "Nation", an alternate-reality novel which is not part of the "Discworld" or any of his other series.

Children's novels

Pratchet's first children's novel was also his first published novel: "The Carpet People" in 1971, which Pratchett substantially rewrote and re-released in 1992. The next, "Truckers" (1988), was the first in "The Bromeliad" trilogy of novels for young readers, about small gnome-like creatures called "Nomes", and the trilogy continued in "Diggers" (1990) and "Wings" (1990). Subsequently, Pratchett wrote the "Johnny Maxwell" trilogy, about the adventures of a boy called Johnny Maxwell and his friends, comprising "Only You Can Save Mankind" (1992), "Johnny and the Dead" (1993) and "Johnny and the Bomb" (1996)."Nation" (2008) marks his return to the non-Discworld children's novel.

Collaborations and contributions

* "The Unadulterated Cat" is a humorous book of cat anecdotes written by Pratchett and illustrated by Gray Jolliffe.
* "After the King: Stories In Honour of J.R.R. Tolkien" edited by Martin H. Greenberg (1992) contains "Troll Bridge", a short story featuring Cohen the Barbarian. This story was also published in the compilations "Knights of Madness" (1998, edited by Peter Haining) and "The Mammoth Book of Comic Fantasy" (2001, edited by Mike Ashley).
* "The Wizards of Odd", a short-story compilation edited by Peter Haining (1996), includes a "Discworld" short story called "Theatre of Cruelty".
* "The Flying Sorcerers", another short-story compilation edited by Peter Haining (1997), starts off with a Pratchett story called "Turntables of the Night", featuring Death.
* "Legends", edited by Robert Silverberg (1998), contains a "Discworld" short story called "The Sea and Little Fishes".
* "Digital Dreams", edited by David V Barrett (1990), contains the science fiction short story "# ifdefDEBUG + “world/enough” + “time”.
* "Meditations on Middle-Earth" (2002)
* "The Leaky Establishment", written by David Langford (1984), has a foreword by Pratchett in later reissues (from 2001).
* "Once More* With Footnotes", edited by Priscilla Olson and Sheila M. Perry (2004), is "an assortment of short stories, articles, introductions, and ephemera" by Pratchett which "have appeared in books, magazines, newspapers, anthologies, and program books, many of which are now hard to find." [ cite book
last=Pratchett
first=Terry
editor=Priscilla Olson and Sheila M. Perry
title=Once More* *with footnotes
publisher=NESFA Press
id=ISBN 1-886778-57-4 ]
* "Now We Are Sick", written by Neil Gaiman and Stephen Jones (1994), includes the poem called "The Secret Book of the Dead" by Pratchett.
* "The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2007" includes an article by Pratchett about the process of writing fantasy.

Adaptations

Radio

Pratchett has had a number of radio adaptations on BBC Radio 4: "The Colour of Magic", "Equal Rites" (on "Woman's Hour"), "Only You Can Save Mankind", "Guards! Guards!", "Wyrd Sisters", "Mort" and "Small Gods" have all been dramatised as serials as was Night Watch in early 2008, and "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents" as a 90-minute play. [cite web
publisher = BBC
url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/newsletter/newsletter_thisweek.shtml#6
title = 7 Drama | date = 1 June 2007
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007]

Theatre

"Johnny and the Dead" and 14 "Discworld" novels have been adapted as plays by Stephen Briggs and published in book form. [cite web
publisher = Stephen Briggs
url = http://www.cmotdibbler.com/theplays.html
title = Discworld Plays
date = no date
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] In addition, "Lords & Ladies" has been adapted for the stage by Irana Brown, and "Pyramids" was adapted for the stage by Suzi Holyoake in 1999 and had a week-long theatre run in the UK. [cite web
publisher = Jason Anthony
url = http://www.discworldmonthly.co.uk/dwm0019.php
title = Discworld Monthly - Issue 19
month = November | year = 1998
accessdate = August 18
accessyear = 2007] In 2002, an adaptation of "Truckers" was produced as a co-production between Harrogate Theatre, the Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Theatre Royal, Bury St. Edmunds. It was adapted by Bob Eaton, and directed by Rob Swain. The play toured to many venues in the UK between 15 March and 29 June 2002. [cite web
publisher = www.lspace.org
url = http://www.lspace.org/fandom/events/plays/truckers/2002/spring-uktour.html
title = Plays : Truckers : 2002
month = January | year = 2002
accessdate = May 08
accessyear = 2008] In 2004, an adaptation of "Only You Can Save Mankind", a musical with music by Leighton James House and lyrics by Shaun McKenna, premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. [cite web
publisher = www.lspace.org
url = http://www.lspace.org/fandom/events/plays/only-you-can-save-mankind/2004/august-edinburgh.html
title = Plays : Only You Can Save Mankind : 2004
date = no date
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008]

Television

"Johnny and the Dead" was made into a TV serial for Children's ITV on ITV, in 1995. In January 2006, BBC One aired a three-part adaptation of "Johnny and the Bomb".

A two-part, feature-length version of "Hogfather" starring David Jason and the voice of Ian Richardson was first aired on Sky One in the United Kingdom in December 2006, and on ION Television in the USA in 2007. Pratchett was opposed to live action films about "Discworld" before because of his negative experience with Hollywood film makers. [cite book
last = Pratchett
first = Terry
authorlink = Terry Pratchett
title = The New Discworld Companion
publisher = Gollancz
date = 31 January 2004
pages = 466-67
isbn = 0575075554] He changed his opinion when he saw that the director Vadim Jean and producer Rod Brown were very enthusiastic and cooperative.cite web
publisher = Sky One
url = http://www.skyone.co.uk/hogfather/tp_int.htm
title = Terry Pratchett: Interview | year = 2006 |accessdate = June 8
accessyear = 2007] A two-part, feature-length adaptation of "The Colour of Magic" and its sequel "The Light Fantastic" aired during Easter 2008 on Sky One. [cite web
publisher = The Sun Online
url = http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001320029-2007180838,00.html
title = Del's spells as David lands role
date = 24 April 2007
accessdate = June 8
accessyear = 2007]

"Truckers" was adapted as a stop motion animation series for Thames Television by Cosgrove Hall Films. "Wyrd Sisters" and "Soul Music" were adapted as two animated cartoon series by Cosgrove Hall Films for Channel 4 in 1996; illustrated screenplays of these were published in 1998 and 1997 respectively.

Feature films

Pratchett has sold a number of his book rights, but so far no films have been made. "The Wee Free Men" is set to be directed by Sam Raimi but has not started filming. [cite web
publisher = BBC
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4590000/newsid_4598600/4598672.stm
title = Pratchett book set for big screen
date = 10 January 2006
accessdate = June 6
accessyear = 2007] Director Terry Gilliam has announced in an interview with "Empire" magazine that he plans to adapt "Good Omens" [cite web
publisher = Empire Online
url = http://www.empireonline.com/News/story.asp?nid=14717
title = Gilliam's Good Omen
date = 7 December 1999
accessdate = January 28 | accessyear = 2008] but as of 2007 this still needed funding. [cite web
publisher = Empire Online
url = http://www.empireonline.com/News/story.asp?nid=21196
title = You Can Make Good Omens!
date = 4 October 2007
accessdate = January 28
accessyear = 2008] In 2001, DreamWorks also commissioned an adaptation of "Truckers" by Andrew Adamson and Joe Stillman [cite web
publisher = DreamWorks Animation fansite
url = http://animation.dreamworksfansite.com/shrek2/makers.php
title = Shrek 2 Makers
date = no date
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008] but Pratchett believes that it will not be made until after "Shrek 17". [cite web
publisher = SFX
url = http://www.sfx.co.uk/page/sfx?entry=terry_pratchett_interview
title = Terry Pratchett interview
date = 17 October 2006
accessdate = February 17
accessyear = 2008] However, in 2008 Danny Boyle revealed that he hoped to direct a "Truckers" adaptation by Frank Cottrell Boyce. [cite web
publisher = Digital Spy
url = http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a130041/boyle-plots-animated-truckers-movie.html
title = Boyle plots animated 'Truckers' movie
date = 11 September 2008
accessdate = September 11
accessyear = 2008]

Comic books and graphic novels

Four graphic novels of Pratchett's work have been released. The first two, originally published in the US, were adaptations of "The Colour of Magic" and "The Light Fantastic" and illustrated by Steven Ross (with Joe Bennett on the latter). The second two, published in the UK, were adaptations of "Mort" (subtitled "A Discworld Big Comic") and "Guards! Guards!", both illustrated by Graham Higgins and adapted by Stephen Briggs. The Discworld Graphic Novels, The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic were republished by Doubleday on the 2nd June 2008.

Role-playing games

"GURPS Discworld" (Steve Jackson Games, 1998) and "GURPS Discworld Also" (Steve Jackson Games, 2001) are role-playing source books which were written by Terry Pratchett and Phil Masters, which also offer insights into the workings of the Discworld. The first of these two books was re-released in September 2002 under the name of "The Discworld Roleplaying Game", with art by Paul Kidby.

PC and console games

The "Discworld" universe has also been used as a basis for a number of "Discworld" video games on a range of formats, such as the Sega Saturn, the Sony Playstation, the Philips CD-i and the 3DO, as well as DOS and Windows-based PCs. The following are the more notable games:
*"The Colour of Magic", the first game based on the series, and so far the only one directly adapted from a "Discworld" novel. It was released in 1986 for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64.
*"Discworld", an animated "point-and-click" adventure game made by Teeny Weeny Games and Perfect 10 Productions in 1995.
*"", a sequel to "Discworld" developed by Perfect Entertainment in 1996. It was subtitled "Mortality Bytes!" in North America.
*"Discworld Noir" is the first 3D game based on the "Discworld" series, and is both a parody of the "film noir" genre and an example of it. The game was created by Perfect Entertainment and published by GT Interactive for both the PC and PlayStation in 1999. It was released only in Europe and Australia.

Internet games

The world of Discworld is also featured in a fan created online MUD, multi-user dungeon, and can be found at discworld.atuin.net. This game allows players to play humans in various guilds within the universe that Terry Pratchett has created.

Works about Pratchett

A collection of essays about his writings is compiled in the book "Terry Pratchett: Guilty of Literature", edited by Andrew M. Butler, Edward James and Farah Mendlesohn, published by Science Fiction Foundation in 2000 (ISBN 0903007010). A second, expanded edition was published by Old Earth Books in 2004 (ISBN 188296831X). Andrew M. Butler also wrote the "Pocket Essentials Guide to Terry Pratchett" published in 2001 (ISBN 1903047390). "Writers Uncovered: Terry Pratchett" is a biography for young readers by Vic Parker, published by Heinemann Library in 2006 (ISBN 0431906335).

References

External links

* [http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com Terry Pratchett's official site at HarperCollins (US publisher)]
* [http://www.terrypratchett.co.uk Terry Pratchett site by Transworld (UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada publisher)]
* [http://www.lspace.org/ The L-Space Web: A Terry Pratchett / Discworld Web Site]
** [http://wiki.lspace.org/ Discworld & Pratchett Wiki]
* [http://www.discworldmonthly.co.uk Discworld Monthly] : free monthly newsletter about Terry Pratchett and his works
* [http://www.fromrimtohub.com/ From Rim To Hub: Discworld/Terry Pratchett fan site] Includes a character list, quotes, frequently updated news, and information on the books and films.
*
* [http://www.electric-escape.net/pratchett/ Terry Pratchett Quotes archive] : a searchable database of quotes from Terry Pratchett's novels
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub/ram/bookclub_20040704.ram Bookclub] : BBC’s James Naughtie and a group of readers talk to Terry Pratchett about his book "Mort" (audio)
* [http://www.pjsmprints.com/news/index.html Regular updates from Terry and his PA at Sandra Kidby's site]
* [http://www.randomhouse.com.au/Authors/Default.aspx?Page=Author&ID=Pratchett,%20Terry Terry Pratchett at Random House Australia]
* [http://www.alzheimers-research.org.uk Alzheimer's Research Trust]

Interviews

* [http://www.douglasadams.se/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12162 May 2, 2007 Live Webchat] transcript at Douglas Adams Continuum
* [http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/authors/ram/tpratchett.ram September 29, 2007 Live Webcast] : Terry Pratchett speaks and answers questions at the 2007 National Book Festival in Washington DC (audio)Articles:
* [http://www.theage.com.au/news/books/meeting-mr-pratchett/2007/02/15/1171405371862.html Meeting Mr Pratchett] at "The Age"
* [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1070673/Terry-Pratchett-Im-slipping-away-bit-time--I-watch-happen.html] Pratchett talks about his diagnosis with Alzheimer's, from the Daily Mail (UK)

Persondata
NAME= Pratchett, Terry
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Pratchett, Terence David John
SHORT DESCRIPTION= English novelist
DATE OF BIRTH= 28 April 1948
PLACE OF BIRTH= Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=