What do you think?
Rate this book
Discworld #39.5
Светът на акото
„Светът на акото“ е история с главен герой г-ца Педагогия О’Майна, която е водещ автор на детски книги в Света на диска. Това е и любимата книга на сина на командир Сам Ваймс от анкх-морпоркската Градска стража, който непременно всеки ден чете от книжката.
118 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2012
123 people are currently reading
8683 people want to read
About the author
Terry Pratchett
680 books46.2k followersSir Terence David John Pratchett was an English author, humorist, and satirist, best known for the Discworld series of 41 comic fantasy novels published between 1983–2015, and for the apocalyptic comedy novel Good Omens (1990), which he co-wrote with Neil Gaiman.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
Pratchett's first novel, The Carpet People, was published in 1971. The first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983, after which Pratchett wrote an average of two books a year. The final Discworld novel, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in August 2015, five months after his death.
With more than 100 million books sold worldwide in 43 languages, Pratchett was the UK's best-selling author of the 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1998 and was knighted for services to literature in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2001 he won the annual Carnegie Medal for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, the first Discworld book marketed for children. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2010.
In December 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He later made a substantial public donation to the Alzheimer's Research Trust (now Alzheimer's Research UK, ARUK), filmed three television programmes chronicling his experiences with the condition for the BBC, and became a patron of ARUK. Pratchett died on 12 March 2015, at the age of 66.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 427 reviews
September 19, 2024
This is a companion book to Terry Pratchett’s Snuff, in which Sam Vimes’s son reads this book by Miss Felicity Beedle, she’s an author in the Discworld series and she was also a character in Snuff.
Young Geoffrey goes to his grandmother’s house in Ankh Morpork. While taking a walk in his grandmother’s garden, a bird poops on his head. And it’s explained to him that this is a sign of good luck. Thus begins young Geoffrey’s fascination with poo.
It’s a funny little book, with of course mostly poo-related jokes and trivia. Like one man’s poo is another man’s compost. How poo can say something about a person’s or an animals’s health. Things like that. Nothing to go out of your way for. But it’s an amusing, lighthearted and silly little read to accompany the darker and bigger book that is Snuff.
Young Geoffrey goes to his grandmother’s house in Ankh Morpork. While taking a walk in his grandmother’s garden, a bird poops on his head. And it’s explained to him that this is a sign of good luck. Thus begins young Geoffrey’s fascination with poo.
It’s a funny little book, with of course mostly poo-related jokes and trivia. Like one man’s poo is another man’s compost. How poo can say something about a person’s or an animals’s health. Things like that. Nothing to go out of your way for. But it’s an amusing, lighthearted and silly little read to accompany the darker and bigger book that is Snuff.
July 8, 2015
When young Geoffrey goes to Ankh Morpork to stay with his grandmother, he quickly develops a fascination with poo. Hilarity ensues.
The World of Poo started out as a book Sam Vimes was reading his son in Snuff. Smelling an opportunity, Old Pratch squeezed out this nugget before his final days. When it popped up on Netgalley, I had to pinch it.
The World of Poo is the tale of one young man's poo obsession, leading to him visiting various Ankh Morpork locales and collecting fragrant specimens for his poo museum. As well as being amusing, The World of Poo contains many interesting poo facts, the straight shit on feces, as it were.
In addition to real life poo, Geoffrey also collects specimens from gargoyles, dragons, and various other creatures. I think it would be a lot of fun to read to kids or any adult you know with a fixation on feces.
In conclusion, The World of Poo is not the slightest bit crappy. Four out of five stars.
The World of Poo started out as a book Sam Vimes was reading his son in Snuff. Smelling an opportunity, Old Pratch squeezed out this nugget before his final days. When it popped up on Netgalley, I had to pinch it.
The World of Poo is the tale of one young man's poo obsession, leading to him visiting various Ankh Morpork locales and collecting fragrant specimens for his poo museum. As well as being amusing, The World of Poo contains many interesting poo facts, the straight shit on feces, as it were.
In addition to real life poo, Geoffrey also collects specimens from gargoyles, dragons, and various other creatures. I think it would be a lot of fun to read to kids or any adult you know with a fixation on feces.
In conclusion, The World of Poo is not the slightest bit crappy. Four out of five stars.
September 3, 2018
This story of a boy who develops a scatological obsession in a merry ol' England setting was a delight! Thus my first foray into Terry Pratchett's world was a resounding success!
May 8, 2018
I'm not a big Pratchett or Discworld fan. I vaguely remember reading a couple when they first came out but they're British humor which tends to miss my funny bone. Then there were so many that it was plain crazy & confusing. This is #39.5, I believe. Thankfully, it is short & stands well on its own. It was well narrated which made it a fun diversion, but most of all the blurb hit one of my (many) sore points - the big deal people make about poo.
Everything does it, but people make such a big, disgusting, secretive deal out of it. Ridiculous, but there you have it & Pratchett poking fun at the secrecy plus getting it into conversation had to be a good thing. It was & also vaguely amusing at times. The economics & usefulness were well done. Urine has been used throughout history for a number of things from tanning to washing hair.
(Peter Freuchen's account of his first dance with his soon-to-be wife in Arctic Adventure: My Life in the Frozen North had me laughing out loud. He was tall, the ceiling was low, & the woman he lusted after washed her hair to a gorgeous, lustrous shine in baby pee which made the slow dances tough since he had his face buried in her hair. She felt good, but the smell!)
Still, Pratchett could have done better. He didn't get much into what is really fascinating about poo even though the boy was collecting it. Scientists can tell a lot about an animal from its waste. As a farmer & a father, I've spent a lot of my life dealing with it & using it as an indicator of how an animal or baby is doing despite their inability to tell me in words. I know how well the spring grass is coming into the fields by the texture, color, & sloppiness of the horse poo. When my pony colicked, I rejoiced when he delivered a steaming pile & knew that he was better. We look at the dogs' to see if they have worms or why they aren't eating & often find the answer by feathers or something else that shows they're scrounging snacks. We used to examine the kids' diapers to see how they were handling the change in diet as they grew.
Anyway, I applaud his effort to bring the subject out of the closet.
Everything does it, but people make such a big, disgusting, secretive deal out of it. Ridiculous, but there you have it & Pratchett poking fun at the secrecy plus getting it into conversation had to be a good thing. It was & also vaguely amusing at times. The economics & usefulness were well done. Urine has been used throughout history for a number of things from tanning to washing hair.
(Peter Freuchen's account of his first dance with his soon-to-be wife in Arctic Adventure: My Life in the Frozen North had me laughing out loud. He was tall, the ceiling was low, & the woman he lusted after washed her hair to a gorgeous, lustrous shine in baby pee which made the slow dances tough since he had his face buried in her hair. She felt good, but the smell!)
Still, Pratchett could have done better. He didn't get much into what is really fascinating about poo even though the boy was collecting it. Scientists can tell a lot about an animal from its waste. As a farmer & a father, I've spent a lot of my life dealing with it & using it as an indicator of how an animal or baby is doing despite their inability to tell me in words. I know how well the spring grass is coming into the fields by the texture, color, & sloppiness of the horse poo. When my pony colicked, I rejoiced when he delivered a steaming pile & knew that he was better. We look at the dogs' to see if they have worms or why they aren't eating & often find the answer by feathers or something else that shows they're scrounging snacks. We used to examine the kids' diapers to see how they were handling the change in diet as they grew.
Anyway, I applaud his effort to bring the subject out of the closet.
June 11, 2012
A scatological pearl from Ankh Morpork, stemming from Young Sam Vimes' infatuation with all things faecal (ref. Snuff). The protagonist, a young boy urbanned out to his granny during the birth of his sister, finds his interest in poo is aroused when a passing bird dumps on his head. With the exception of his maid, his interest is nurtured and encouraged by all concerned. His highly placed and well connected granny arranges trips to the Dragon Sanctuary, the Patrician's menagerie and, eventually, a day out with the King of the Golden River. He learns about the gastro-enterology of the gargoyle in a practical fashion.
Not detailed enough to be considered a veterinary text book, this can only be seen as a light hearted attempt to depict the class struggle, of the enthusiastic amateur infringing on the rights and practices of the working person, the thoughtlessness of privilege, literally and metaphorically, defecating on the proletariat. What is considered the harmless peccadillo of a moneyed child actively deprives the worker of bread or, at least, its end product. If this situation is allowed to continue the hard pressed, huddled masses of Ankh Morpork will rise and take positive action to prevent the situation continuing. Ironically, we can only hope that the arrival of yet another child with a silver spoon in its mouth prevents a further deterioration in this crossing of clearly negotiated lines of demarcation. OUT, BROTHERS and SISTERS, OUT; FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS, after appropriate and transparent balloting of all members of the union in keeping with Ankh Morpork law, overseen by those excellent solicitors Morecombe, Slant and Honeycase.
I am so sorry, I am not quite sure who wrote that last paragraph. The story is delightful, the illustrations excellent and the footnotes are as much fun as the main narrative. If Harry King is the King of the Golden River, Terry Pratchett is the King of the Golden Spin-off.
Not detailed enough to be considered a veterinary text book, this can only be seen as a light hearted attempt to depict the class struggle, of the enthusiastic amateur infringing on the rights and practices of the working person, the thoughtlessness of privilege, literally and metaphorically, defecating on the proletariat. What is considered the harmless peccadillo of a moneyed child actively deprives the worker of bread or, at least, its end product. If this situation is allowed to continue the hard pressed, huddled masses of Ankh Morpork will rise and take positive action to prevent the situation continuing. Ironically, we can only hope that the arrival of yet another child with a silver spoon in its mouth prevents a further deterioration in this crossing of clearly negotiated lines of demarcation. OUT, BROTHERS and SISTERS, OUT; FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS, after appropriate and transparent balloting of all members of the union in keeping with Ankh Morpork law, overseen by those excellent solicitors Morecombe, Slant and Honeycase.
I am so sorry, I am not quite sure who wrote that last paragraph. The story is delightful, the illustrations excellent and the footnotes are as much fun as the main narrative. If Harry King is the King of the Golden River, Terry Pratchett is the King of the Golden Spin-off.
July 8, 2015
Disclaimer: ARC for the American Edition via Netgalley.
This is a book about poop (or poo) or whatever other term you wish to use to describe what ends up after we digest things. Some people call it other things (I’m looking at you Count Dookie, sorry, Count Dooku).
This is a book about poo for children so at no point is the s word used (in case you were wondering).
If you are a fan of Terry Pratchett and have kept up with the Discworld books, you will know that the World of Poo by Miss Biddle is a favorite book of young Sam Vimes, the son of the elder Sam Vimes and Lady Sybil.
This means, for those of you who don’t know, that World of Poo is like the books that Rowling put out that were used by the students in her Potter books. Or, if you prefer PBS, it’s like a cook on Downton Abbey or Upstairs, Downstairs putting out a cookbook.
If you are not familiar with Pratchett, Harry Potter, Downton Abbey or Upstairs, Downstairs, I don’t think I want to talk to you. No offense.
Whoever designed this book with Pratchett, or if it was Pratchett himself deserves - I don’t know what. Something. The design is impressive because it even has signed message for Sam Vimes from Biddle as well as a list of other works by Biddle. All the titles are rather well . . . one book is called the Wee Wee Men for crying out loud. The illustrations are quite lovely as well.
The story is about Geoffrey who discovers that he is quite interested in poo and wants to start a Museum of Poo. He then goes around collecting poo from all sorts of things. That’s the basic plot.
But since this Pratchett, you know that the book is far more than that. Pratchett was the man who took a story about a god being a turtle and turned into a wonderful look at tolerance. Pratchett takes a werewolf and dwarf and deals with racism and other isms. He doesn’t do sparkly vampire stalker tales.
And so packed into this book is an elephant patty’s worth of information about the history of waste disposable. While Geoffrey gets poo from swamp dragons, the facts about poo (like night soil) are real world. It’s a sly, gross, jokey way to actually teach about history and science.
Seriously, every science classroom should have this book.
And, more importantly, beside a book about poo and history of its uses and disposal (as well as all sorts information about different species’ poos), it is also a book about supporting a desire to learn. While his grandmother is not overly thrilled at Geoffrey’s interest in poo, she does support it. The most moving (and it is moving) aspect of the story is how the adults respond to Geoffrey. They think he is crazy, but since he is willing to learn, since he is in the quest of knowledge, they support him. They don’t suggest he play football instead. They don’t try to interest him in tea. They actually arrange to further his knowledge.
That is so awesome.
If you have never read Pratchett before, this book will give a taste of his style. Because the critics are right – Pratchett writes for everyone. The only difference between a “child’s” Pratchett book and an adult one is the age of the protagonist. The book takes place in the Discworld, but you don’t need to know anything about the Disc to follow the story (you might miss one or two inside jokes, but that’s it). This book illustrates Pratchett (or Biddle’s) depth of knowledge as well as his humanist spirit.
It’s about time it was available in the U.S.
This is a book about poop (or poo) or whatever other term you wish to use to describe what ends up after we digest things. Some people call it other things (I’m looking at you Count Dookie, sorry, Count Dooku).
This is a book about poo for children so at no point is the s word used (in case you were wondering).
If you are a fan of Terry Pratchett and have kept up with the Discworld books, you will know that the World of Poo by Miss Biddle is a favorite book of young Sam Vimes, the son of the elder Sam Vimes and Lady Sybil.
This means, for those of you who don’t know, that World of Poo is like the books that Rowling put out that were used by the students in her Potter books. Or, if you prefer PBS, it’s like a cook on Downton Abbey or Upstairs, Downstairs putting out a cookbook.
If you are not familiar with Pratchett, Harry Potter, Downton Abbey or Upstairs, Downstairs, I don’t think I want to talk to you. No offense.
Whoever designed this book with Pratchett, or if it was Pratchett himself deserves - I don’t know what. Something. The design is impressive because it even has signed message for Sam Vimes from Biddle as well as a list of other works by Biddle. All the titles are rather well . . . one book is called the Wee Wee Men for crying out loud. The illustrations are quite lovely as well.
The story is about Geoffrey who discovers that he is quite interested in poo and wants to start a Museum of Poo. He then goes around collecting poo from all sorts of things. That’s the basic plot.
But since this Pratchett, you know that the book is far more than that. Pratchett was the man who took a story about a god being a turtle and turned into a wonderful look at tolerance. Pratchett takes a werewolf and dwarf and deals with racism and other isms. He doesn’t do sparkly vampire stalker tales.
And so packed into this book is an elephant patty’s worth of information about the history of waste disposable. While Geoffrey gets poo from swamp dragons, the facts about poo (like night soil) are real world. It’s a sly, gross, jokey way to actually teach about history and science.
Seriously, every science classroom should have this book.
And, more importantly, beside a book about poo and history of its uses and disposal (as well as all sorts information about different species’ poos), it is also a book about supporting a desire to learn. While his grandmother is not overly thrilled at Geoffrey’s interest in poo, she does support it. The most moving (and it is moving) aspect of the story is how the adults respond to Geoffrey. They think he is crazy, but since he is willing to learn, since he is in the quest of knowledge, they support him. They don’t suggest he play football instead. They don’t try to interest him in tea. They actually arrange to further his knowledge.
That is so awesome.
If you have never read Pratchett before, this book will give a taste of his style. Because the critics are right – Pratchett writes for everyone. The only difference between a “child’s” Pratchett book and an adult one is the age of the protagonist. The book takes place in the Discworld, but you don’t need to know anything about the Disc to follow the story (you might miss one or two inside jokes, but that’s it). This book illustrates Pratchett (or Biddle’s) depth of knowledge as well as his humanist spirit.
It’s about time it was available in the U.S.
May 13, 2017
This was definitely one of the stranger things I’ve read in recent years. The World of Poo is a Discworld-based children’s book that is referenced quite a bit in the previous Discworld book I just finished, Snuff. The main character, Geoffrey, develops a fascination with poo and starts collecting samples from various creatures he encounters, some of which are fictional Discworld creatures.
The Amazon product page lists it as being geared toward ages 8 through 12. 12 seems a little old to me, but I guess 8 sounds about right in terms of the simplicity of the story and language. On the other hand, there are a few snide comments aimed more at adults that seem likely to raise some questions. I’m also not sure the average younger child would fully appreciate the Discworld setting and be able to confidently sort through the mish-mash of real and fake facts, unless they’ve read some of the novels.
Anyway, it was a cute and very quick read, and it was a fun little tie-in to the main books. I may even have learned a thing or two from it, although I don’t expect those things to have any major impact on my life...
The Amazon product page lists it as being geared toward ages 8 through 12. 12 seems a little old to me, but I guess 8 sounds about right in terms of the simplicity of the story and language. On the other hand, there are a few snide comments aimed more at adults that seem likely to raise some questions. I’m also not sure the average younger child would fully appreciate the Discworld setting and be able to confidently sort through the mish-mash of real and fake facts, unless they’ve read some of the novels.
Anyway, it was a cute and very quick read, and it was a fun little tie-in to the main books. I may even have learned a thing or two from it, although I don’t expect those things to have any major impact on my life...
July 8, 2017
Младият Джефри е на гости в големия град. И му трябва хоби, за да уплътни времето си. А какво може да е по-забавно и момчешко от колекциониране на екскременти. Всякакви. Книгата е пътеводител из необятните дебри на Акото. П.С. Не пропускайте бележките под линия, те са най - образователни.
March 28, 2016
Посмях си се от душа и сърце. Несъмнено книга на Пратчет. А като малкият Джефри кръсти кучето си Пишльо дъъъълго се смях, чак докато стигнах до името Чарлс Нужник. :D Но не само имената са смешни, едва ли не всичко в света на акото може да накара човек да се засмее, навярно защото всеки го прави, но не говори за него, поне не и по такъв уникален начин.
April 14, 2023
'The World of Poo' (City Watch #8.5; Discworld #39.5) by Terry Pratchett.
Rating: 4.0/5.
Review:
Little Sam Vimes has finally moved on from 'Where's My Cow?' and has started exploring the wonderful books written by Miss Felicity Beedle. Commander Vimes, as per the usual six o'clock tradition, now has to read to little Sam his latest favorite book 'The World of Poo'.
If you have read 'Snuff', the final book of the City Watch arc, you may have been curious about the contents of this story. Thankfully, Terry Pratchett has gifted his fans a short story telling the exact contents of the in-world book. Trust Pratchett to keep you interested in a story about a little kid collecting animal excrement in Ankh-Morpork. The illustrations add another layer to this cute little story.
As with 'Where's My Cow?', this story too isn't a must-read for the fans of the City Watch arc, but if you are a hardcore fan of the Discworld series, you might need to check this out.
‘How did all these animals get here?’ asked Geoffrey inquisitively.
‘They were mostly given as presents to his lordship from visiting indignitaries and ambassadors and the like,’ said Mister Pontoon. ‘A bit silly, really, because I reckon he’d prefer a nice book, but it’s become a bit of a tradition, see. You know, heads of state giving each other animals they don’t want. I can still remember the Sultan of Ymitury turning up with half a dozen creatures bound up in black cloth like oversized skittles. He told us to keep them warm and they would hatch out into giant butterflies. It took us a while to work out that they were his less-favoured concubines.’
Rating: 4.0/5.
Review:
Little Sam Vimes has finally moved on from 'Where's My Cow?' and has started exploring the wonderful books written by Miss Felicity Beedle. Commander Vimes, as per the usual six o'clock tradition, now has to read to little Sam his latest favorite book 'The World of Poo'.
If you have read 'Snuff', the final book of the City Watch arc, you may have been curious about the contents of this story. Thankfully, Terry Pratchett has gifted his fans a short story telling the exact contents of the in-world book. Trust Pratchett to keep you interested in a story about a little kid collecting animal excrement in Ankh-Morpork. The illustrations add another layer to this cute little story.
As with 'Where's My Cow?', this story too isn't a must-read for the fans of the City Watch arc, but if you are a hardcore fan of the Discworld series, you might need to check this out.
February 14, 2016
Брилянтна книга! Накара ме да се хиля с глас... Нищо, че някои пишман-моралисти се мръщят на клозетния хумор - в крайна сметка това си остава една от първосигналните шеги на човечеството и немалко хора са успели да монетаризират любовта на народа към тоалетните шегички. Пратчет и жена му тук са в стихията си - особено що се отнася до бележките под линия: там вече е висш пилотаж. С нетърпение очаквам останалите книги от серията и я препоръчвам на всички, които не се мръщят с пуританска лиготия, когато работата опре до бъзици с кенеф. А всъщност я препоръчвам и на тях - кой знае, може бастуните от задниците им съвсем случайно да изчезнат :)
June 22, 2012
In Snuff, Young Sam Vines had moved on from Where’s My Cow? and his new favourite book was The World of Poo. Because Sir Terry Pratchett his awesome, once again he has brought Sam’s fictional book to life in a charming story all about poo!
I’m not sure the plot really matters. Geoffrey is staying with his Grandmother in Ankh-Morpork and he starts up a poo museum in the garden shed after he’s told that being pooed on by a bird is good luck. The story follows his adventures round the city as he collects different types of poo and even visits Sir Harry King, master of all things poo.
I can see this being a huge hit with small children even if parents might want to deter poo collecting as a hobby. Geoffrey is encouraged to wash his hands a lot so there is a positive message in there too. The line drawings by Peter Dennis are charming and add a little extra to the story; I especially liked the ones illustrating his trip to the zoo. And in true Pratchett style, there are plenty of footnotes to keep the adults entertained (though personally, I thought the whole thing was amusing).
There’s a lot of moaning on Amazon about the formatting on the Kindle edition. I can see how it might have been difficult with the illustrations and footnotes but there’s a bit of me that thinks this book deserves to by a physical thing. The hardback has a lovely feel to it and at the very least, it’s an interesting conversation point for visitors to your home.
I’m not sure the plot really matters. Geoffrey is staying with his Grandmother in Ankh-Morpork and he starts up a poo museum in the garden shed after he’s told that being pooed on by a bird is good luck. The story follows his adventures round the city as he collects different types of poo and even visits Sir Harry King, master of all things poo.
I can see this being a huge hit with small children even if parents might want to deter poo collecting as a hobby. Geoffrey is encouraged to wash his hands a lot so there is a positive message in there too. The line drawings by Peter Dennis are charming and add a little extra to the story; I especially liked the ones illustrating his trip to the zoo. And in true Pratchett style, there are plenty of footnotes to keep the adults entertained (though personally, I thought the whole thing was amusing).
There’s a lot of moaning on Amazon about the formatting on the Kindle edition. I can see how it might have been difficult with the illustrations and footnotes but there’s a bit of me that thinks this book deserves to by a physical thing. The hardback has a lovely feel to it and at the very least, it’s an interesting conversation point for visitors to your home.
December 30, 2013
A story about a young boy with an interest in poo. As an accompaniment to Snuff it's quite a fun little book but I'm not quite sure who it's written for with both the young and the old being short changed in an attempt to cover all the bases. I personally found it too basic, actually hoping for more detail into the world of poo - we find out it's used in tanning but not how. I want to know!
Generally it's amusing rather than funny though kids should enjoy it. The footnotes we all love are present and correct (and usually the funniest parts) and it's nice to spend some time exploring Ankh-Morpork (another reviewer mentioned reading it with the map side by side and that sounds like a great/geeky idea). Simplicity aside, as a big Discworld fan it's pretty much essential. The design of the book really does appeal - a fantastic small hardback with cloth bound feel, marbled end pages and lovely inked illustrations throughout, evoking books of old. Wonderful.
Probably most amusing was chatting with the lady in the book shop who said to me, 'oh, I had a flick through that and it looks fun - have you seen the names of some of the other titles? She's written so many but I've not heard of her before...'. Ha ha. I didn't have the heart to tell her.
Fun for the fans and those with kids. Now I need to go and find a book about the use of poo in industry.
Generally it's amusing rather than funny though kids should enjoy it. The footnotes we all love are present and correct (and usually the funniest parts) and it's nice to spend some time exploring Ankh-Morpork (another reviewer mentioned reading it with the map side by side and that sounds like a great/geeky idea). Simplicity aside, as a big Discworld fan it's pretty much essential. The design of the book really does appeal - a fantastic small hardback with cloth bound feel, marbled end pages and lovely inked illustrations throughout, evoking books of old. Wonderful.
Probably most amusing was chatting with the lady in the book shop who said to me, 'oh, I had a flick through that and it looks fun - have you seen the names of some of the other titles? She's written so many but I've not heard of her before...'. Ha ha. I didn't have the heart to tell her.
Fun for the fans and those with kids. Now I need to go and find a book about the use of poo in industry.
November 27, 2019
I'm a 100% sure I'd never visit a poo museum but I appreciate the... educational value. From the safety of my poo-free bedroom ;)
April 3, 2018
"И не забравяйте, че е хубаво да си измиете ръцете".
Само сър Тери Пратчет може да напише книга, която да е пълна с ако и да бъде толкова смешна. Книжка, която те кара да се смееш неудържимо на всяка страница, но освен това и да се замислиш, за нещата, които не си се сещал като дете. Определено е поучителна и за възрастни, и за деца, макар че е пълна с... ако... Тук Пратчет е в стихията си - особено що се отнася до бележките под линия: уникални са!
Само сър Тери Пратчет може да напише книга, която да е пълна с ако и да бъде толкова смешна. Книжка, която те кара да се смееш неудържимо на всяка страница, но освен това и да се замислиш, за нещата, които не си се сещал като дете. Определено е поучителна и за възрастни, и за деца, макар че е пълна с... ако... Тук Пратчет е в стихията си - особено що се отнася до бележките под линия: уникални са!
November 12, 2017
Kupa jaka jest, każdy widzi (choć niektórzy udają, że nie widzą). Zaprzestańmy ignorancji, zbierajmy kupy! Taka refleksja po tym, jak pewien właściciel psa nie posprzątał po nim, a tenże zasrał dwie ulice akurat na mojej trasie, którą codziennie odprowadzam grupkę dzieci do szkół.
https://lolantaczyta.wordpress.com/20...
https://lolantaczyta.wordpress.com/20...
February 20, 2017
I found this one dull, I wasn't interested in all the poo and the humor didn't work with me. On another hand, I enjoyed to see some of the Discworld characters and it was fun to discover some new animals. Because of the Discworld background, I'm not sure who is the target of this book. It seemed aimed at kids, but with all the creatures, having a fantasy knowledge seemed necessary. As a story for adults, people interested in poo would probably enjoy this, but it wasn't the case for me. The art was pleasant to look at and worked well with the story.
May 6, 2016
Това е една от най-очарователно гнусните истории, които съм чувала xD xD Не за хора с гнусливи сърца!
Въпреки че смърдящата тема в Азия има много почитатели, особено ако се доверяваме на голяма част от корейските и японските филми, на запад е почти табу. Но пък какъв ти запад, след като всъщност се намираме в Анкх-Морпорк?!
За такива хора като милионерите в "Светът на акото"... парите не миришат xD
Уникално изтрещяване...
Въпреки че смърдящата тема в Азия има много почитатели, особено ако се доверяваме на голяма част от корейските и японските филми, на запад е почти табу. Но пък какъв ти запад, след като всъщност се намираме в Анкх-Морпорк?!
За такива хора като милионерите в "Светът на акото"... парите не миришат xD
Уникално изтрещяване...
December 27, 2024
Книгата ужким е написана от госпожица Педагогия О'Майна и в Света на диска е новата любима детска книжка на Сам Ваймс и синът му.
Джефри отива при баба си и получава кученце, което кръщават Пишльо. Той разбира, че ако птица се е изцвъкала на главата ти това е на късмет. И решава да си направи колекция от познайте какво- àко. Градинарят позволява той да използва старата барака, за да си направи музей на акото. И Джефри обикаля и посещава места като зоогичеката градина и други и събира ако.
Джефри отива при баба си и получава кученце, което кръщават Пишльо. Той разбира, че ако птица се е изцвъкала на главата ти това е на късмет. И решава да си направи колекция от познайте какво- àко. Градинарят позволява той да използва старата барака, за да си направи музей на акото. И Джефри обикаля и посещава места като зоогичеката градина и други и събира ако.
July 7, 2017
Геният си е гений. Темата е така добре развита, че е интересна и за малки, и за големи. И много бих искал да прочета и "Пиш", но СМЪРТ не дава ръкописа...
December 10, 2020
A story about an inquistive boy with a penchant for poo-fery. The end came suddenly.
September 1, 2022
A Discworld short story about poo, a young man that finds it fascinating and all the good and bad that can be accomplished with it, with the Discworld twists, of course. Not great for me, but I could see it being quite good for a very young person learning to not be grossed out by nature, and how well nature recycles things.
January 5, 2025
Very cute story. Never knew poo could be so interesting.
October 31, 2017
Urocza mała książeczka o tym, że nawet to, co śmierdzące może być pasjonujące ;)
October 29, 2015
http://www.themaineedge.com/buzz/ever...
It’s a big wide world out there, a world filled with wonder and magic and…poo.
That’s the conceit behind “The World of Poo”, a book whose impressive full title reads something like “Terry Pratchett Presents: Miss Felicity Beadle’s The World of Poo – a Discworld Delight for Readers of All Ages.” An impressive title – and an accurate one; an ostensible children’s book this simultaneously sweet and oddly subversive could only come courtesy of the late Sir Terry Pratchett.
“The World of Poo” made its first appearance in Pratchett’s 2011 Discworld novel “Snuff” as a new book for Commander Sam Vimes to read to his young son. It’s addressed briefly, but never fully explored. Of course, with a title like “The World of Poo,” it was likely only a matter of time before Pratchett gave us the real thing.
Young Geoffrey has been sent off on an adventure. His mother is having “great expectations,” and so it was determined that he should head off and spend some time with his grandmother in the big city of Ankh-Morpork. As a curious young man, Geoffrey is struck by the many wonderful sights and sounds of city life, but what he finds most interesting is … the smells.
Specifically – poo.
Geoffrey, struck with that devoted mania of which only young boys of a certain age are capable, becomes fascinated with poo. From the moment that a pigeon poops on his head in the backyard, he is determined to collect samples of poo from every possible animal. Every beast from the mundane (mice, dogs, horses) to the exotic (hippopotami, lions) to the magical (gargoyles, dragons) is subject to Geoffrey’s burgeoning obsession. His plan? Build the world’s very first Museum of Poo.
Luckily for him, his grandmother is both an understanding woman and a particularly well-connected one, allowing Geoffrey access to veritable cornucopias of poo – places such as the Patrician’s menagerie and the Royal College of Heralds. He also gets to meet such luminaries as Sir Harry King, the man known as “King of the Golden River” and in charge of waste disposal for the entire city.
All the while, Geoffrey wanders through Ankh-Morpork, making new friends, having new experiences and always seeking out new and exciting kinds of poo.
One of the reasons that Pratchett is so beloved is his ability to create richly detailed worlds. “The World of Poo” was essentially a throwaway joke in “Snuff,” and yet Pratchett managed to extrapolate that brief bit into something fully formed and – frankly – awfully funny. It is Pratchett all the way down, too, with plenty of winks and nods to various other Discworld properties and even a handful of his usual footnotes.
As for readers of all ages, that is absolutely accurate. Granted, there’s a lot of nuance that one could only pick up if one was familiar with Discworld, what with the sly references and central roles for a couple of Discworld’s tertiary characters. However, while those details will enhance the enjoyment of the more experienced, younger readers will find plenty to delight them. It’s a sweet story about a curious little boy who is fascinated by poo – no doubt there are more than a few kids just like Geoffrey out there in the wide world. Poo is hilarious and no one understands that better than little boys.
“The World of Poo” is a delight, working on multiple levels to engage and entertain young and old alike. It lets the sentimental side of Discworld shine in a way that we don’t always see. It embraces the magic of that world and reflects it through the eyes of a child. For fans of Discworld past, present and future, this will make for an outstanding reading experience.
It’s a big wide world out there, a world filled with wonder and magic and…poo.
That’s the conceit behind “The World of Poo”, a book whose impressive full title reads something like “Terry Pratchett Presents: Miss Felicity Beadle’s The World of Poo – a Discworld Delight for Readers of All Ages.” An impressive title – and an accurate one; an ostensible children’s book this simultaneously sweet and oddly subversive could only come courtesy of the late Sir Terry Pratchett.
“The World of Poo” made its first appearance in Pratchett’s 2011 Discworld novel “Snuff” as a new book for Commander Sam Vimes to read to his young son. It’s addressed briefly, but never fully explored. Of course, with a title like “The World of Poo,” it was likely only a matter of time before Pratchett gave us the real thing.
Young Geoffrey has been sent off on an adventure. His mother is having “great expectations,” and so it was determined that he should head off and spend some time with his grandmother in the big city of Ankh-Morpork. As a curious young man, Geoffrey is struck by the many wonderful sights and sounds of city life, but what he finds most interesting is … the smells.
Specifically – poo.
Geoffrey, struck with that devoted mania of which only young boys of a certain age are capable, becomes fascinated with poo. From the moment that a pigeon poops on his head in the backyard, he is determined to collect samples of poo from every possible animal. Every beast from the mundane (mice, dogs, horses) to the exotic (hippopotami, lions) to the magical (gargoyles, dragons) is subject to Geoffrey’s burgeoning obsession. His plan? Build the world’s very first Museum of Poo.
Luckily for him, his grandmother is both an understanding woman and a particularly well-connected one, allowing Geoffrey access to veritable cornucopias of poo – places such as the Patrician’s menagerie and the Royal College of Heralds. He also gets to meet such luminaries as Sir Harry King, the man known as “King of the Golden River” and in charge of waste disposal for the entire city.
All the while, Geoffrey wanders through Ankh-Morpork, making new friends, having new experiences and always seeking out new and exciting kinds of poo.
One of the reasons that Pratchett is so beloved is his ability to create richly detailed worlds. “The World of Poo” was essentially a throwaway joke in “Snuff,” and yet Pratchett managed to extrapolate that brief bit into something fully formed and – frankly – awfully funny. It is Pratchett all the way down, too, with plenty of winks and nods to various other Discworld properties and even a handful of his usual footnotes.
As for readers of all ages, that is absolutely accurate. Granted, there’s a lot of nuance that one could only pick up if one was familiar with Discworld, what with the sly references and central roles for a couple of Discworld’s tertiary characters. However, while those details will enhance the enjoyment of the more experienced, younger readers will find plenty to delight them. It’s a sweet story about a curious little boy who is fascinated by poo – no doubt there are more than a few kids just like Geoffrey out there in the wide world. Poo is hilarious and no one understands that better than little boys.
“The World of Poo” is a delight, working on multiple levels to engage and entertain young and old alike. It lets the sentimental side of Discworld shine in a way that we don’t always see. It embraces the magic of that world and reflects it through the eyes of a child. For fans of Discworld past, present and future, this will make for an outstanding reading experience.
November 30, 2020
I love Discworld and I’ve read Snuff so it was impossible for me not to buy a copy of The World of Poo when I saw it. After all, how can I pass up a chance to find the book that makes Young Sam laugh and which Vimes finds educational?
To be honest, I don’t know what I expected from The World of Poo so whatever I read was a pleasant surprise. The World of Poo, which follows Geoffrey as he starts his poo collection, has a lot more words and a lot less pictures than I thought it would have. And I’m not sure if the tidbits of information that stuck in my brain (mainly about gargoyle poop) are the same as those that stuck in Vime’s mind.
Still, this was a really fun read. That said, it’s not really for children, even though it features a much younger protagonist and is definitely more child friendly because a lot of the humour and wry remarks feel like it’s for adults. It’s also not for new readers to Discworld – while this functions as a standalone, I think the reading experience will be enhanced if you know who Harry King is.
The World of Poo is definitely aimed at fans of Discworld. If you’re a fan, you’ll probably be thrilled that a book mentioned in the book is now real. If you’re not a fan, you should pick up one of the Discworld novels because they are great!
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
To be honest, I don’t know what I expected from The World of Poo so whatever I read was a pleasant surprise. The World of Poo, which follows Geoffrey as he starts his poo collection, has a lot more words and a lot less pictures than I thought it would have. And I’m not sure if the tidbits of information that stuck in my brain (mainly about gargoyle poop) are the same as those that stuck in Vime’s mind.
Still, this was a really fun read. That said, it’s not really for children, even though it features a much younger protagonist and is definitely more child friendly because a lot of the humour and wry remarks feel like it’s for adults. It’s also not for new readers to Discworld – while this functions as a standalone, I think the reading experience will be enhanced if you know who Harry King is.
The World of Poo is definitely aimed at fans of Discworld. If you’re a fan, you’ll probably be thrilled that a book mentioned in the book is now real. If you’re not a fan, you should pick up one of the Discworld novels because they are great!
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
January 12, 2020
I knew I'd like this book, just because Pratchett wrote it. I didn't expect to find it charming and amusing.
The premise is that it's a book Sam Vimes reads to his son, Young Sam. It's about a Geoffrey, who goes to stay with his Grandmama when his mother gives birth to his baby sister. While there, he develops his fascination with poo, and starts his own poo museum. Grandmama is a great deal more understanding than you'd expect. She takes him several places to indulge his hobby, and even lets him spend the day with Harry King, the excrement king of Ankh-Morpork.
It's funny, and sweet (really) and would be fun to read to the right group of youngsters.
1-12-20 It holds up well rereading, and still makes me laugh.
The premise is that it's a book Sam Vimes reads to his son, Young Sam. It's about a Geoffrey, who goes to stay with his Grandmama when his mother gives birth to his baby sister. While there, he develops his fascination with poo, and starts his own poo museum. Grandmama is a great deal more understanding than you'd expect. She takes him several places to indulge his hobby, and even lets him spend the day with Harry King, the excrement king of Ankh-Morpork.
It's funny, and sweet (really) and would be fun to read to the right group of youngsters.
1-12-20 It holds up well rereading, and still makes me laugh.
December 20, 2015
Another example of Terry Pratchett's boundless creativity. Full of casually mentioned creatures like, oh, the hermit elephant. Kind of like a hermit crab, but it's an elephant. Short and fun to read and a good message for kids to pursue what they're interested in, not to mention the underlying "everyone poops" message. And I really like that everyone in this book except Lily the maid (who is excused because she had eleven younger brothers) is nice and helpful to our hero, Geoffrey. Not a villain in sight.
June 14, 2012
The World of Poo was first mentioned (fictitiously) in Snuff (Discworld #39) -it's Commander Sam Vimes' son's favorite book- and now it has been turned into a reality.
I enjoyed the illustrations (kudos Peter Dennis) and I love the real facts about poo that are worked into the story and footnotes. I think those facts made me laugh more than the bathroom humor (I'm also very glad that I'm not Pratchett's research assistant)!
I enjoyed the illustrations (kudos Peter Dennis) and I love the real facts about poo that are worked into the story and footnotes. I think those facts made me laugh more than the bathroom humor (I'm also very glad that I'm not Pratchett's research assistant)!
March 14, 2016
Geoffrey goes on an adventure and discovers the world of poo. With great (tasteful!) illustrations and the footnotes we've all come to expect and love... a fun read for anyone who still has leanings towards strange puns and wants to learn some actual facts. Hint: gargoyle poo is much more rare than the book suggests :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 427 reviews