Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes

At the time of his death in 2015, Sir Terry Pratchett was working on his finest story yet - his own. Following his death from Alzheimer's disease, the mantle of completing Terry's memoir passed to Rob Wilkins, his assistant, friend and now head of his literary estate. This is the official biography of the bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett.

''PEOPLE THINK THAT STORIES ARE SHAPED BY PEOPLE. IN FACT, IT''S THE OTHER WAY AROUND.'' At the time of his death in 2015, award-winning and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett was working on his finest story yet - his own. At six years old, Terry was told by his headteacher that he would never amount to anything. He spent the rest of his life proving that teacher wrong. At sixty-six, Terry had lived a life full of achievements: becoming one of the UK''s bestselling writers, winning the Carnegie Medal and being awarded a knighthood for services to literature. Following his untimely death from Alzheimer''s disease, the mantle of completing Terry''s memoir was passed to Rob Wilkins, his former assistant, friend and now head of the author''s literary estate. Drawing on his own extensive memories, along with those of Terry''s family, friends, fans and colleagues, Rob recounts Terry''s extraordinary story - from his early childhood to the literary phenomenon that his Discworld series became; and how he met and coped with the challenges that ''The Embuggerance'' of Alzheimer''s brought with it. ''Of all the dead authors in the world, Terry Pratchett is the most alive.'' - John Lloyd

Auteur

Rob Wilkins

Texte du rabat

The creator of the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series, Terry Pratchett was known and loved around the world for his hugely popular books, his smart satirical humour and the humanity of his campaign work. But that's only part of the picture. Before his untimely death, Terry was writing a memoir: the story of a boy who aged six was told by his teacher that he would never amount to anything and spent the rest of his life proving him wrong. For Terry lived a life full of astonishing achievements: becoming one of the UK's bestselling and most beloved writers, winning the prestigious Carnegie Medal and being awarded a knighthood. Now, the book Terry sadly couldn't finish has been written by Rob Wilkins, his former assistant, friend and now head of the Pratchett literary estate. Drawing on his own extensive memories, along with those of the author's family, friends and colleagues, Rob unveils the full picture of Terry's life - from childhood to his astonishing writing career, and how he met and coped with what he called the 'Embuggerance' of Alzheimer's disease.

Résumé

WINNER OF THE 2023 LOCUS AWARD FOR NON-FICTION
WINNER OF THE BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION ASSOCIATION AWARD FOR BEST NON-FICTION

'Always readable, illuminating and honest. It made me miss the real Terry.' - Neil Gaiman

'Sometimes joyfully, sometimes painfully, intimate . . . it is wonderful to have this closeup picture of the writer's working life.' - Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Observer

At the time of his death in 2015, award-winning and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett was working on his finest story yet - his own.

The creator of the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series, Terry Pratchett was known and loved around the world for his hugely popular books, his smart satirical humour and the humanity of his campaign work. But that's only part of the picture.

Before his untimely death, Terry was writing a memoir: the story of a boy who aged six was told by his teacher that he would never amount to anything and spent the rest of his life proving him wrong. For Terry lived a life full of astonishing achievements: becoming one of the UK's bestselling and most beloved writers, winning the prestigious Carnegie Medal and being awarded a knighthood.

Now, the book Terry sadly couldn't finish has been written by Rob Wilkins, his former assistant, friend and now head of the Pratchett literary estate. Drawing on his own extensive memories, along with those of the author's family, friends and colleagues, Rob unveils the full picture of Terry's life - from childhood to his astonishing writing career, and how he met and coped with what he called the 'Embuggerance' of Alzheimer's disease.

A deeply moving and personal portrait of the extraordinary life of Sir Terry Pratchett, written with unparalleled insight and filled with funny anecdotes, this is the only official biography of one of our finest authors.

'Spins magic from mundanity in precisely the way Pratchett himself did.' - Telegraph

'As frank, funny and unsentimental as anything its subject might have produced himself.' - Mail on Sunday