The baby boomers are getting older, and will stay older for longer. And they will run right into the dementia firing range. How will a society cope? Especially a society that can't so readily rely on those stable family relationships that traditionally provided the backbone of care? Terry Pratchett babybackboneboomer share on social
You can't build a plot out of jokes. You need tragic relief. And you need to let people know that when a lot of frightened people are running around with edged weaponry, there are deaths. Stupid deaths, usually. I'm not writing 'The A-Team' - if there's a fight going on, people will get hurt. Not letting this happen would be a betrayal. Terry Pratchett betrayalbuilddeath share on social
If the government ever imposes a tax on books - and I wouldn't put it past them - I'm in dead trouble. Terry Pratchett bookdeadgovernment Change image and share on social
The pen is mightier than the sword if the sword is very short, and the pen is very sharp. Terry Pratchett mightypensharp Change image and share on social
It is often said that before you die your life passes before your eyes. It is in fact true. It's called living. Terry Pratchett calldieeye Change image and share on social
I became a journalist at 17. A few hours later, I saw my first dead body, which was somewhat... colourful. That's when I learned you can go on throwing up after you run out of things to throw up. Terry Pratchett bodycolourfuldead Change image and share on social
I believe it should be possible for someone stricken with a serious and ultimately fatal illness to choose to die peacefully with medical help, rather than suffer. Terry Pratchett choosediefatal Change image and share on social
The intelligence of the creature known as a crowd, is the square root of the number of people in it. Terry Pratchett creaturecrowdintelligence Change image and share on social
I think when people mean that Discworld books have become darker they really mean the series is growing up. In 'The Colour of Magic' most of the city is set alight. It's a joke, in much the same way that the Earth is destroyed almost at the start of Douglas Adams's 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.' Terry Pratchett adamalightbook share on social
Christ managed to boil down an awful lot of commandments to a few very simple rules for living. It's when you go backwards through the 'begats' and the Garden of Eden, and you start thinking, 'Hang on, that's a big punishment for eating one lousy apple... There's a human-rights issue.' Terry Pratchett appleawfulbackwards share on social