Difference between revisions of "Terry Pratchett"

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(April 28, 1948 -- March 12, 2014)
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(April 28, 1948 – March 12, 2015)
  
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His [[Discworld]] comic fantasies began with ''The Colour of Magic'' in 1983 (to his amusement he's been asked in recent years whether he pinched any themes from [[J. K. Rowling]], who started publishing in 1997). They've been such a phenomenal success, and have generated so many spinoffs like maps, games, diaries, quizbooks and even academic studies, that it's getting difficult to count the actual [[Discworld]] novels. Officially, his 2001 publications include the 26th and 27th, ''Thief of Time'' and (with artist [[Paul Kidby]]) ''The Last Hero'', but this count omits the short novel whose chapters alternate with chunks of pop-science explication in ''The Science of Discworld'' (with [[Ian Stewart]] and [[Jack Cohen]]).... Despite having learned to cope with vast UK signing sessions that go on until his wrist screams for mercy, Terry remains cheerful and approachable, with a fund of wry anecdotes about his various lives as famous writer, obscure writer, journalist, and (once upon a time) PR man for a nuclear power station. You have to admire the man who created the bibliophile orangutan of Unseen University, literature's first rugged, muscular and caring role-model for librarians everywhere.
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Sir '''Terence David John Pratchett''', OBE, was an [[English]] author of [[fantasy]] novels, especially [[humor]]ous works, best known for his [[Discworld]] series of 41 [[humor|comic]] [[novels]]. He was affectionately [[nicknamed]] '''PTerry''' by his fans on the [[Usenet]] (the [[P]] is silent, as in his novel ''Pyramids'' and [[P. G. Wodehouse]]’s ''Psmith in the City'').
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Pratchett developed an interest in [[science fiction]] as a young man and attended [[conventions]] from about 1963, but [[gafiated]] when he got his first job as a trainee journalist in ’65.
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Pratchett's first published short story, "Business Rivals," appeared in the High Wycombe Technical School magazine in 1962. His first novel, ''The Carpet People'', was published in 1971. His Discworld [[books]] began with ''The Colour of Magic'' in 1983. They were a phenomenal success, and generated many spinoffs like maps, games, diaries, quizbooks and even academic studies.
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Despite having learned to cope with vast [[UK]] signing sessions that went on until his wrist screamed for mercy, Terry remained cheerful and approachable, with a fund of wry anecdotes about his various lives as famous writer, obscure writer, journalist, and (once upon a time) PR man for a nuclear power station, until his death.
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==Personal Life==
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Pratchett married Lyn Purves at the Congregational Church, Gerrards Cross, on 5 October 1968. Their daughter, [[Rhianna Pratchett]], also a writer, was born in 1976. She now promotes her father’s legacy.
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In December 2007, Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with a rare form of early-onset Alzheimer's disease, which he called '''the [https://worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-emb1.htm embuggerance,]''' and which led to his death. A two-part documentary, ''Terry Pratchett: Living With Alzheimer's'', aired on BBC Two in 2009.  
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You have to admire the man who created the [[bibliophile]] orangutan<ref>Pratchett developed an interest in and concern for orangutans; he became a trustee of the Orangutan Foundation and traveled to Borneo to see them in their native environment. The trip was documented as [https://www.tv6.co.uk/Productions/Science/164-/Terry-Pratchetts-Jungle-Quest ''Terry Pratchett's Jungle Quest''] (1995).</ref> of Unseen University, literature's first rugged, muscular and caring role-model for librarians everywhere.  
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*{{SFE|name=pratchett_terry}}.
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*[https://terrypratchett.co.uk/ Official website.]
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*[https://wiki.lspace.org/Main_Page Discworld & Terry Pratchett Wiki.]
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* ''Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes: The Official Biography'' (2022) by Rob Wilkins.
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* [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/oct/07/terry-pratchett-discworld-author-the-colour-of-magic “Pratchett power: from lost stories to new adaptations, how the late Discworld author lives on”] by Sam Jordison, The Guardian, October 7, 2023.
  
 
{{recognition}}
 
{{recognition}}
 
* 1988 -- [[Picocon 6]], [[Conine]], [[Microcon 8]]
 
* 1988 -- [[Picocon 6]], [[Conine]], [[Microcon 8]]
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* 1989 -- [[Picocon 7]], [[Nicon 89]]
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* 1989 -- [[Picocon 7]], [[Nicon 89]], [[BSFA Award]]
 
* 1990 -- [[Ad Astra 10]], [[Octocon 1990]]
 
* 1990 -- [[Ad Astra 10]], [[Octocon 1990]]
 
* 1992 -- [[ArmadaCon III]], [[Hillcon 3]], [[Keycon 9]]
 
* 1992 -- [[ArmadaCon III]], [[Hillcon 3]], [[Keycon 9]]
 
* 1993 -- [[Capricon 13]], [[OryCon 15]], [[Swancon 18]], [[Finncon '93]]
 
* 1993 -- [[Capricon 13]], [[OryCon 15]], [[Swancon 18]], [[Finncon '93]]
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* 1994 -- [[Nordcon 11]], [[Chattacon XIX]]
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* 1994 -- [[Nordcon 11]], [[Chattacon XIX]],  British Book Awards’ Fantasy and Science Fiction Author of the Year
 
* 1995 -- [[Necronomicon '95]]
 
* 1995 -- [[Necronomicon '95]]
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* 1996 -- [[Lunacon 39]]
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* 1996 -- [[Lunacon 39]], [[Albacon 96]]
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* 1999 -- [[Trinity|Trinity]]
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* 1998 -- Officer of the Order of the British Empire
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* 1999 -- [[Trinity]]
 
* 2000 -- [[AggieCon XXXI]]
 
* 2000 -- [[AggieCon XXXI]]
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* 2004 -- '''[[Noreascon 4]]'''
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* 2001 -- Carnegie Medal
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* 2002 -- [[JerseyDevilCon 2]]
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* 2003 -- [[Prometheus Award]]
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* 2004 -- '''[[Noreascon 4]]''', [[Locus Award]]
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* 2005 -- [[Locus Award]]
 
* 2006 -- [[Discworld Convention 2006]]
 
* 2006 -- [[Discworld Convention 2006]]
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* 2007 -- [[MidSouthCon 25]], [[Nullus Anxietas 1]]
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* 2007 -- [[MidSouthCon 25]], [[Nullus Anxietas 1]], [[Locus Award]]
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* 2009 -- [[Skylark Award]]
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* 2008 -- [[Locus Award]]
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* 2011 -- [[Nullus Anxietas 3]], [[Karl Edward Wagner Award]], ALAs Margaret A. Edwards Award,  [[Andre Norton Award]] for his novel ''I Shall Wear Midnight''
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* 2009 -- Knight Bachelor, [[Skylark Award]]
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* 2010 -- [[World Fantasy Award]] for Life Achievement, [[Andre Norton Award]]
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* 2011 -- [[Nullus Anxietas 3]], [[Karl Edward Wagner Award]], ALA’s Margaret A. Edwards Award,  [[Andre Norton Award]]  
 
* 2012 -- [[Forry Award]]
 
* 2012 -- [[Forry Award]]
 
* 2014 -- [[Satellite 4]]
 
* 2014 -- [[Satellite 4]]
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* 2020 -- [[FOGcon 10]] [[Ghost of Honor]]
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* 10 honorary doctorates
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==Discworld==
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'''Discworld''' is the name and setting of Pratchett's bestselling [[humor|comic]] [[fantasy]] series. The world is a flat planet balanced on the backs of four elephants that stand on the back of a giant space turtle. The 41-[[book]] series began in 1983 with ''The Colour of Magic.''
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''Night Watch'' (2002) depicts '''The People's Revolution of the Glorious Twenty-Fifth of May'''.<ref>Probably an allusion to “The Glorious Revolution” of 1688 — the overthrow of the Catholic King James II of England by the Dutch invasion force under the Protestant William of Orange (husband to James’ daughter Mary).</ref> Its motto: “'''Truth, Justice, Freedom, Reasonably Priced Love, and a Hard-Boiled Egg!'''”
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Sprigs of lilac were used as impromptu insignia by the revolutionary forces, and veterans wear lilacs on its anniversary. After the [[#Personal Life|embuggerance]], Pratchett fans began to [https://web.archive.org/web/20080324133055/http://www.matchitforpratchett.org/2008/03/wear-the-lilac.html wear lilacs] in tribute and as a means of Alzheimer’s awareness and fundraising on that day. As May 25 is also [[Douglas Adams|Towel Day]], some fans had to choose between them, until somebody came up with the [https://arghink.com/2014/05/may-25-wear-the-lilac-towel-day/ lilac towel.]
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There is a [[UK]] [[Discworld Convention]], a [[North American Discworld Convention]], an [[Irish Discworld Convention]], a [[Dutch]] Discworld convention ([[Cabbagecon]]) and two [[Australian]] Discworld conventions ([[Nullus Anxietas]] and [[Unseen University Convivium]]).
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* Discworld {{SFE|name=discworld_series}}.
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____<br>
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<references />
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{{person | website=http://terrypratchett.co.uk | born=1948 | died=2014}}
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{{person | born=1948 | died=2015}}
 
[[Category:pro]]
 
[[Category:pro]]
 
[[Category:UK]]
 
[[Category:UK]]
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[[Category:fan]]

Latest revision as of 12:24, 8 October 2023

(April 28, 1948 – March 12, 2015)

Sir Terence David John Pratchett, OBE, was an English author of fantasy novels, especially humorous works, best known for his Discworld series of 41 comic novels. He was affectionately nicknamed PTerry by his fans on the Usenet (the P is silent, as in his novel Pyramids and P. G. Wodehouse’s Psmith in the City).

Pratchett developed an interest in science fiction as a young man and attended conventions from about 1963, but gafiated when he got his first job as a trainee journalist in ’65.

Pratchett's first published short story, "Business Rivals," appeared in the High Wycombe Technical School magazine in 1962. His first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. His Discworld books began with The Colour of Magic in 1983. They were a phenomenal success, and generated many spinoffs like maps, games, diaries, quizbooks and even academic studies.

Despite having learned to cope with vast UK signing sessions that went on until his wrist screamed for mercy, Terry remained cheerful and approachable, with a fund of wry anecdotes about his various lives as famous writer, obscure writer, journalist, and (once upon a time) PR man for a nuclear power station, until his death.

Personal Life[edit]

Pratchett married Lyn Purves at the Congregational Church, Gerrards Cross, on 5 October 1968. Their daughter, Rhianna Pratchett, also a writer, was born in 1976. She now promotes her father’s legacy.

In December 2007, Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with a rare form of early-onset Alzheimer's disease, which he called the embuggerance, and which led to his death. A two-part documentary, Terry Pratchett: Living With Alzheimer's, aired on BBC Two in 2009.

You have to admire the man who created the bibliophile orangutan[1] of Unseen University, literature's first rugged, muscular and caring role-model for librarians everywhere.

Awards, Honors and GoHships:

Discworld[edit]

Discworld is the name and setting of Pratchett's bestselling comic fantasy series. The world is a flat planet balanced on the backs of four elephants that stand on the back of a giant space turtle. The 41-book series began in 1983 with The Colour of Magic.

Night Watch (2002) depicts The People's Revolution of the Glorious Twenty-Fifth of May.[2] Its motto: “Truth, Justice, Freedom, Reasonably Priced Love, and a Hard-Boiled Egg!”

Sprigs of lilac were used as impromptu insignia by the revolutionary forces, and veterans wear lilacs on its anniversary. After the embuggerance, Pratchett fans began to wear lilacs in tribute and as a means of Alzheimer’s awareness and fundraising on that day. As May 25 is also Towel Day, some fans had to choose between them, until somebody came up with the lilac towel.

There is a UK Discworld Convention, a North American Discworld Convention, an Irish Discworld Convention, a Dutch Discworld convention (Cabbagecon) and two Australian Discworld conventions (Nullus Anxietas and Unseen University Convivium).

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  1. ↑ Pratchett developed an interest in and concern for orangutans; he became a trustee of the Orangutan Foundation and traveled to Borneo to see them in their native environment. The trip was documented as Terry Pratchett's Jungle Quest (1995).
  2. ↑ Probably an allusion to “The Glorious Revolution” of 1688 — the overthrow of the Catholic King James II of England by the Dutch invasion force under the Protestant William of Orange (husband to James’ daughter Mary).


Person 1948—2015
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