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Sir Terry Pratchett has died

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121–130 of 234 posts

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#121
post #13

Read http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/24/terry-pratchett... if you want to understand him. Read http://www.lspace.org/books/pqf/ if you want a quick reminder of what we have lost. Goodbye Terry, you will be remembered fondly.

I don't think we have lost anything. I think we gained something incredible over a short time. Nobody lives forever. What Terry Pratchett has given to us will live longer than any person. I'm not sad that he has died. Everyone who is born dies, and there's an infinite number of potential people who are never born. What is important is that we live, and while we live some of us do extraordinary things. I'm reading Gua…

This is beautiful. Thank you.

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#123

‘Goodbye,’ Mort said, and was surprised to find a lump in his throat. ‘It’s such an unpleasant word, isn’t it?’ QUITE SO. Death grinned because, as has so often been remarked, he didn’t have much option. But possibly he meant it, this time. I PREFER AU REVOIR, he said. So, goodbye, Sir Terry; or at least let's hope it's just au revoir.

Interesting, etymologically. "Good bye" is a contraction of "God be with ye (you)", which isn't quite so abrupt. "Au revoir", literally, "until (we) see again". Similar to "Hasta manyana" (until later), or "bis später" (same), Spanish and German, or "zài jiàn" ("see (you) again", Mandarin Chinese) . Farewells (literally, "fare thee well", be well) in many languages share similar attributes.

Never mind "bis später", what about "auf wiedersehen"... and "à bientôt" - see you soon.

Strangely, I don't really say "goodbye" all that often - it's either "later" or "'til next time.".

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#124
It's interesting how the last few major deaths I remember on here have been of people that discussed death publicly. Hal Finney, some time ago, discussed cryopreservation after his diagnosis of ALS, and Terry Pratchett discussed his views on assisted suicide publicly.

He had also previously said [0] that he wanted to hear "Spem in Alium" [1] play as he died. I wonder if he was able to do this.

I'm also curious what people would think of a black bar.

[0] http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/willheaven/100025158/sir-t...

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cn7ZW8ts3Y

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the nice things about working from home is no one notices you crying at your desk. :-( ==== LORD, WE KNOW THERE IS NO GOOD ORDER EXCEPT THAT WHICH WE CREATE... Azrael's expression did not change. AND THERE IS NO HOPE BUT US. THERE IS NO MERCY BUT US. THERE IS NO JUSTICE. THERE IS JUST US. The dark, sad face filled the sky. ALL THINGS THAT ARE, ARE OURS. BUT WE MUST CARE. FOR IF WE DO NOT CARE, WE DO NOT EXIST.…

I'm sorry, I think I accidentally downvoted your comment as the tap targets are so small. Now Its slightly grey and the triangles have gone, what do I do??

I've upvoted it on your (and my) behalf :)

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#127
post #61

Words to live by: "There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who, when presented with a glass that is exactly half full, say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs , however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was f…

This rathr sems to miss the point of Patchett's body of work as a selection.

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#128
post #119

I was introduced to Terry Prachett by watching Terry Pratchett's Hogfather as done by Sky One. Really late to get into his stories, but since then I had started with book 1 of Discworld. Are there authors who write similarly?

Neil Gaiman; Douglas Adams; Jasper Fforde.

FForde is a good recommendation. The Thursday Next books are absolutely wonderful.

(And my daughter has been reading Chris Riddell's Goth Girl books, which are like Fforde for younger readers.)

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sorry, I think I accidentally downvoted your comment as the tap targets are so small. Now Its slightly grey and the triangles have gone, what do I do??

I've upvoted it on your (and my) behalf :)

Thanks!

Re: Sir Terry Pratchett has died

#130

‘Goodbye,’ Mort said, and was surprised to find a lump in his throat. ‘It’s such an unpleasant word, isn’t it?’ QUITE SO. Death grinned because, as has so often been remarked, he didn’t have much option. But possibly he meant it, this time. I PREFER AU REVOIR, he said. So, goodbye, Sir Terry; or at least let's hope it's just au revoir.

Interesting, etymologically. "Good bye" is a contraction of "God be with ye (you)", which isn't quite so abrupt. "Au revoir", literally, "until (we) see again". Similar to "Hasta manyana" (until later), or "bis später" (same), Spanish and German, or "zài jiàn" ("see (you) again", Mandarin Chinese) . Farewells (literally, "fare thee well", be well) in many languages share similar attributes.

Mort is Death in french. Mort says goodbye in english, while death prefers goodbye in french.
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