The Fantasy of Terry Patchett

A previous boyfriend had introduced me to this writer. Having studied in Oxford, I imagined any book my ex recommending me as being an exercise in mental gymnastics. It was a pleasant surprise to find such a gifted writer in Terry Pratchett who had the wit and creativity to combine philosophy with humor.

A couple of excerpts from one of his books:

"Alone of all the creatures in the world, trolls believe that all living things go through Time backwards. If the past is visible and the future is hidden, they say, then it means you must be facing the wrong way. Everything alive is going through life back to front. And this is a very interesting idea, considering it was invented by a race who spend most of their time hitting one another on the head with rocks."

Note: This excerpt is from a scene where a wizard wakes up to find himself in a coffin.

"Windle lay in the darkness, listening to the hammering. There was a thump and a muffled imprecation against the Dean for not holding the end properly. And then the patter of soil on the lid, getting fainter and more distant.

After a while a distant rumbling suggested that the commerce of the city was being resumed. He could even hear muffled voices.

He banged on the coffin lid.

'Can you keep it down?' he demanded. 'There's people down here trying to be dead!'

- * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Sulphurous light filled his tiny oblong world.

There was a tiny scrap of cardboard pinned to the inside of the lid.

He read it.

He read it again.

The match went out.

He lit another one, just to check that what he had read really did exist.

The message was still as strange, even third time round:

Dead? Depressed? Feel like starting it all again?
Then why not come along to the FRESH START CLUB
Thursdays, 12 pm, 668 Elm Street
EVERY BODY WELCOME"

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