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The Magic of Terry Pratchett
This is the first full biography of Sir Terry Pratchett ever written. Sir Terry was Britain’s best-selling living author, and before his death in 2015 had sold more than 85 million copies of his books worldwide.
The Magic Of Terry Pratchett is the first full biography of Sir Terry Pratchett ever written. Sir Terry was Britain’s best-selling living author*, and before his death in 2015 had sold more than 85 million copies of his books worldwide. Best known for the Discworld series, his work has been translated into 37 languages, and performed as plays on every continent in the world, including Antarctica.
Journalist, comedian and Pratchett fan Marc Burrows delves into the back story of one of UK’s most enduring and beloved authors, from his childhood in the Chiltern Hills, to his time as a journalist, and the journey that would take him – via more than sixty best-selling books – to an OBE, a knighthood and national treasure status.
The Magic Of Terry Pratchett is the result of painstaking archival research alongside interviews with friends and contemporaries who knew the real man under the famous black hat, helping to piece together the full story of one of British literature’s most remarkable and beloved figures for the very first time.
*Now disqualified on both counts.
The Magic Of Terry Pratchett is the first full biography of Sir Terry Pratchett ever written. Sir Terry was Britain’s best-selling living author*, and before his death in 2015 had sold more than 85 million copies of his books worldwide. Best known for the Discworld series, his work has been translated into 37 languages, and performed as plays on every continent in the world, including Antarctica.
Journalist, comedian and Pratchett fan Marc Burrows delves into the back story of one of UK’s most enduring and beloved authors, from his childhood in the Chiltern Hills, to his time as a journalist, and the journey that would take him – via more than sixty best-selling books – to an OBE, a knighthood and national treasure status.
The Magic Of Terry Pratchett is the result of painstaking archival research alongside interviews with friends and contemporaries who knew the real man under the famous black hat, helping to piece together the full story of one of British literature’s most remarkable and beloved figures for the very first time.
*Now disqualified on both counts.
304 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2020
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512 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
April 1, 2023
In brief - Decent overview of Pratchett's life and work.
In full
I’ve been a fan of Terry Pratchett’s work since shortly after the publication of the first Discworld book. The idea of a biography appealed a lot. This starts with a very good foreword by Helen O'Hara. It’s a concise round up of Pratchett in some ways. The author then gives an introduction to his book. He too is a fan and suggests that this book may be an opportunity to "meet" Terry Pratchett or at least "a" version of him.
I found the early chapters a little disappointing. The writing seemed rather basic - rather like an episode of "This is your life". First he did this, then he did that. However the book got going for me properly after that. While I may not have been convinced initially the more I read the more this book grew on me. It makes for a very good overview of Terry Pratchett's work for me. I certainly gained insights into aspects of his life and work that I was not aware of. I also found out things that I had not previously been aware of.
The fact that I generally agree with the author's views may be worth bearing in mind while reading this review. However I do have some slight caveats with this book. I’m not sure I really agree with the footnotes idea as used here - Pratchett did it his way and brilliantly. The author here uses some conventionally and some in Pratchett’s style. Another issue is that this has mostly been gleaned from external sources it seems. This leads to some uncertainty about some of the stories.
A fundamental uncertainly is simply the fact that Pratchett tended to embroider his own version(s!) of events over the years - he was a story teller after all! This was actually quite entertaining to me and was one of those insights that I enjoyed. Definite a book that fans will be interested in reading.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
In full
I’ve been a fan of Terry Pratchett’s work since shortly after the publication of the first Discworld book. The idea of a biography appealed a lot. This starts with a very good foreword by Helen O'Hara. It’s a concise round up of Pratchett in some ways. The author then gives an introduction to his book. He too is a fan and suggests that this book may be an opportunity to "meet" Terry Pratchett or at least "a" version of him.
I found the early chapters a little disappointing. The writing seemed rather basic - rather like an episode of "This is your life". First he did this, then he did that. However the book got going for me properly after that. While I may not have been convinced initially the more I read the more this book grew on me. It makes for a very good overview of Terry Pratchett's work for me. I certainly gained insights into aspects of his life and work that I was not aware of. I also found out things that I had not previously been aware of.
The fact that I generally agree with the author's views may be worth bearing in mind while reading this review. However I do have some slight caveats with this book. I’m not sure I really agree with the footnotes idea as used here - Pratchett did it his way and brilliantly. The author here uses some conventionally and some in Pratchett’s style. Another issue is that this has mostly been gleaned from external sources it seems. This leads to some uncertainty about some of the stories.
A fundamental uncertainly is simply the fact that Pratchett tended to embroider his own version(s!) of events over the years - he was a story teller after all! This was actually quite entertaining to me and was one of those insights that I enjoyed. Definite a book that fans will be interested in reading.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
September 26, 2020
4.5★s
“From the young boy living in a cottage with no electricity to the best-selling author living in a 500-year-old manor house with its own grounds, his approach to money never changed: ‘I’m not a rich man,’ he told The Scotsman in 2012, ‘I’m a poor man with a shitload of money.’”
The Magic of Terry Pratchett, by British journalist and author, Marc Burrows, is a fairly brief (360p) biography of a man who has brought joy to countless readers, Sir Terry Pratchett. Burrows takes the reader on a journey through Pratchett’s life: his early childhood and the sound guidance and unfailing support his parents provided, especially when his school experience was found wanting.
When Burrows describes Pratchett’s schooling during the sixties and seventies, it will likely strike a chord with many of Pratchett’s vintage, but the deficit was amply supplemented by the Beaconsfield library, where he became a volunteer to give him unlimited access to books. He boasted that at one stage he had 143 books on loan at the same time.
Burrows details Pratchett’s early career as a journalist and remarks on how this contributed to his literary skills, and his fairly short-lived position in Public Relations, which also furnished him with material for his writing: “Watching as petty bureaucracy and stubborn adherence to the rules scuppered common sense was a useful crash course in human nature.”
Pratchett’s publishing journey is analysed: from his first novel, published at the age of twenty-three, through to the final books published posthumously, Burrows comments on Pratchett’s writing style and content, and how it reflected his life. He describes the seemingly unlikely but enduring friendship with Neil Gaiman, which led to their collaboration on Good Omens, and his tight control over Discworld merchandising and adaptation to other media: stage, film, TV, games.
His unfailing connection with fans is a constant, even late in his career “His relationship with his fanbase was still that of a genre writer, and at events, including the posh parties thrown for this or that Discworld anniversary, he would always prefer to spend time chatting with fans – a number of whom he insisted should always be invited – than with press or industry types.” Examples of his “pay forward” mindset are given.
Pratchett’s handling of his diagnosis with a variant of Alzheimer’s disease is described, his determination to continue writing, and his role as ambassador for dementia conditions, as well as his strong support for “right to die” legislation. The description of his own death is likely to bring a tear to the eye and, in all, this is a book that will have readers dusting off their Terry Pratchett novels for reading/rereading.
The Magic of Terry Pratchett? Clearly, the secret to Pratchett’s success with his inventive and hugely entertaining books, apart from being endowed with a spectacular imagination, is to be a voracious reader, from an early age, and to read very widely. Working as a journalist doesn’t hurt, either, nor does being brought up by parents who instil a strong work ethic. An interesting, informative and moving read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Pen and Sword.
“From the young boy living in a cottage with no electricity to the best-selling author living in a 500-year-old manor house with its own grounds, his approach to money never changed: ‘I’m not a rich man,’ he told The Scotsman in 2012, ‘I’m a poor man with a shitload of money.’”
The Magic of Terry Pratchett, by British journalist and author, Marc Burrows, is a fairly brief (360p) biography of a man who has brought joy to countless readers, Sir Terry Pratchett. Burrows takes the reader on a journey through Pratchett’s life: his early childhood and the sound guidance and unfailing support his parents provided, especially when his school experience was found wanting.
When Burrows describes Pratchett’s schooling during the sixties and seventies, it will likely strike a chord with many of Pratchett’s vintage, but the deficit was amply supplemented by the Beaconsfield library, where he became a volunteer to give him unlimited access to books. He boasted that at one stage he had 143 books on loan at the same time.
Burrows details Pratchett’s early career as a journalist and remarks on how this contributed to his literary skills, and his fairly short-lived position in Public Relations, which also furnished him with material for his writing: “Watching as petty bureaucracy and stubborn adherence to the rules scuppered common sense was a useful crash course in human nature.”
Pratchett’s publishing journey is analysed: from his first novel, published at the age of twenty-three, through to the final books published posthumously, Burrows comments on Pratchett’s writing style and content, and how it reflected his life. He describes the seemingly unlikely but enduring friendship with Neil Gaiman, which led to their collaboration on Good Omens, and his tight control over Discworld merchandising and adaptation to other media: stage, film, TV, games.
His unfailing connection with fans is a constant, even late in his career “His relationship with his fanbase was still that of a genre writer, and at events, including the posh parties thrown for this or that Discworld anniversary, he would always prefer to spend time chatting with fans – a number of whom he insisted should always be invited – than with press or industry types.” Examples of his “pay forward” mindset are given.
Pratchett’s handling of his diagnosis with a variant of Alzheimer’s disease is described, his determination to continue writing, and his role as ambassador for dementia conditions, as well as his strong support for “right to die” legislation. The description of his own death is likely to bring a tear to the eye and, in all, this is a book that will have readers dusting off their Terry Pratchett novels for reading/rereading.
The Magic of Terry Pratchett? Clearly, the secret to Pratchett’s success with his inventive and hugely entertaining books, apart from being endowed with a spectacular imagination, is to be a voracious reader, from an early age, and to read very widely. Working as a journalist doesn’t hurt, either, nor does being brought up by parents who instil a strong work ethic. An interesting, informative and moving read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Pen and Sword.
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May 11, 2020An immensely readable survey of the great man's life and works, striking a good balance between revisiting old favourites and supplying new information (or new to me, at any rate, as someone who's a big fan but has never really engaged with fandom per se). Burrows has the sense to know that, while you can't necessarily write a 'comic biography' as such (not least because they all end the same way, and this one sadder than some – I still cry at those last tweets), a life of Terry Pratchett without jokes of its own would never do. And yes, some of the best ones are in the footnotes. I was particularly fond of the information that when Pratchett was a child, his mum named the family tortoise Phidippides after the runner of the original marathon: "Terry was raised with a working definition of irony plodding slowly around the back garden eating lettuce." But for all that, and the "summer's day that never ended" aspects of a childhood which would go on to inspire some of the loveliest bits of Good Omens, you also have the sort of brutal and dismissive schooling to which our glorious leaders would doubtless love to return, where "a boy was beaten so hard with his own T-square it actually broke, and he was forced to stay behind for several evenings to make a new one". Where a doctor's note excusing boys from games would see them shovelling coal in the boiler room instead, and where a headteacher would quite happily rely on his instincts to sort boys aged 6 or 7 into 'sheep' and 'goats' – terms he'd use in front of them, unabashed. Pratchett, thanks to the unstinting support of his family, being the only child in his year to confound the predictions by passing the 11+, and then go on to confound them even more thoroughly over the next half-century.
The basic outlines of the story from there are familiar, but Burrows has done a great job of filling it out, and also of pointing out the holes. He acknowledges from the off that Pratchett was prone to polishing his anecdotes, and has put a great deal of work into cross-referencing them with the available facts, noting where they don't seem to stand up in their best-known form, but doing so without it feeling the least bit mean. After all, it's understandable why Pratchett would do this; we all do to some extent, even those of us who aren't storytellers on anything like the same level. And it's not as if Pratchett was one of those writers with a hugely dramatic life, all affairs and addictions; he married young, stayed faithful, had a series of pre-success jobs where he'd always do his best to be at a desk, and only very occasionally end up having to deal with a dead body or radioactive swan. Then, after ticking along as a fairly minor author for a handful of books, Nigel Hawthorne read one on Radio 4 and Pratchett quietly became the country's bestselling writer. One of the most interesting strands of the book is Pratchett as an early example of the now widespread phenomenon where stuff is still treated as cult and infra dig even once it's demonstrably the mainstream and also dead good, the bookshops who still wouldn't shelve him with the 'proper' bestsellers he outsold, the articles which insisted there was still a stigma attached to reading him and in doing so perpetuated it. Pratchett all the while trying not to bite, yet often not entirely succeeding because as many who knew him note, he didn't suffer fools, and that sort of snobbish short-sightedness is a very British type of foolishness, close kin to the other failings he'd skewer in his work.
It's the work that's at the heart of this, obviously. How "Discovering The Lord of the Rings, like discovering extreme music, religious fundamentalism and sex" will always hit hardest in your teens, but how Pratchett would then pick at the genre's conventions in different ways right from his earliest attempt at a long piece, the much-revised Carpet People. Gradually realising "how desperately battles and kings should be avoided", coming up with moral taxonomies that authors far more 'literary' could never hope to match, like the immortal passage about treating people as things. Burrows laments not having more space to address all the books, and if few are likely to regret the relegation of The Unadulterated Cat to a footnote, I was surprised there wasn't more on Jingo, surely a key text in this. Or that, when talking about the very specific and partial softening of some of Pratchett's views on religion, there's no mention of the parallel with one of the bits I always found most impressive in the whole of Pratchett's work, where in Carpe Jugulum Granny Weatherwax questions the reformed Omnian and one of the series' moral centres points out the downside of one of its most agenda-led earlier books, the broadside against fundamentalism in Small Gods, and it feels like a valid continuation of an intellectual inquiry rather than the horrible late Wordsworth flatulence which normally results when an ageing writer gets gentler about religion. Still, for all the limits of space, there is plenty on most of the books, their themes and techniques as much as the surface stuff that first grabbed us, and if I don't agree with all of it (I'm a much bigger fan of Sourcery, for one thing) I can nevertheless see it's all solid analysis.
No writer works in isolation, of course, and Burrows also examines the ecosystem Pratchett came out of, as well as the ones which would grow up around him. There's the influence of the local bookshop selling import SF to cover for their main trade in porn - an ecological niche which survived at least into the noughties, somehow. There's the love of local hero GK Chesterton, who'd prove an important point on which Pratchett would bond with the first person ever to interview him, a young jobbing journalist called Neil Gaiman – who at that point was the one wearing the hat (though there are a surprising number of pictures of a bare-headed Terry Pratchett in here, it must be said). Without whom Pratchett might have stuck with his original plan to put Discworld on the back burner after Equal Rites and get started on what was eventually to become The Long Earth, had Gaiman not said he'd love to read a book about Death... There's the whole side-story of Josh Kirby, whose lively art was such a part in conveying the spirit of early Discworld, for all that it was frequently completely inaccurate in its details, to the extent that Pratchett's bizarre German publisher would basically slap any Josh Kirby picture on any Pratchett book, but who turns out to have also worked in lots of other styles earlier in his career – who knew? It's in the more peripheral stuff that such few errors as I noticed tend to creep in, though they're generally fairly minor ones of emphasis, like using 'sword and sorcery' as a catch-all for fantasy after describing a bunch of high fantasy the young Terry had been reading, or the make-up of a typical issue of Analog. Beyond that I could only point to a few repetitions and homophones, and those classic subbing bugbears 'Revelations' and 'Meatloaf', and hopefully in the interval between my reading the Netgalley ARC and the finished edition coming out, those will have been fixed. And set against those, so many gems, from the Serbian literary empire founded on one fan's desire to get Pratchett translated, to the Pratchett-specific craft terms 'sherbet lemons' and 'cigarettes'. There's the meeting between Terry Pratchett and Roald Dahl when neither was yet a bestselling novelist, to the extent that Pratchett introduces Dahl to readers as "the husband of Oscar-winning actress Patricia Neal". There's the realisation that most people who've read Reaper Man will have read the paperback, and so not got the benefit of its best typographical trick, which apparently was fouled up there. There's Pratchett's 1996 interview with Bill Gates about the future of the Internet, where Gates is the naive optimist and Pratchett, far too familiar with human nature, foresees the present hell of fake news. Above all there's the reminder of just how good Pratchett was, and how missed he is. Maybe it was him going in 2015, not Bowie the next year, that marked our crash into the wrong trouser-leg of time?
(Disclaimer: I do know the author a bit, and his other half better. But I could definitely have got away socially with enthusing less than this if it weren't a dead good read)
The basic outlines of the story from there are familiar, but Burrows has done a great job of filling it out, and also of pointing out the holes. He acknowledges from the off that Pratchett was prone to polishing his anecdotes, and has put a great deal of work into cross-referencing them with the available facts, noting where they don't seem to stand up in their best-known form, but doing so without it feeling the least bit mean. After all, it's understandable why Pratchett would do this; we all do to some extent, even those of us who aren't storytellers on anything like the same level. And it's not as if Pratchett was one of those writers with a hugely dramatic life, all affairs and addictions; he married young, stayed faithful, had a series of pre-success jobs where he'd always do his best to be at a desk, and only very occasionally end up having to deal with a dead body or radioactive swan. Then, after ticking along as a fairly minor author for a handful of books, Nigel Hawthorne read one on Radio 4 and Pratchett quietly became the country's bestselling writer. One of the most interesting strands of the book is Pratchett as an early example of the now widespread phenomenon where stuff is still treated as cult and infra dig even once it's demonstrably the mainstream and also dead good, the bookshops who still wouldn't shelve him with the 'proper' bestsellers he outsold, the articles which insisted there was still a stigma attached to reading him and in doing so perpetuated it. Pratchett all the while trying not to bite, yet often not entirely succeeding because as many who knew him note, he didn't suffer fools, and that sort of snobbish short-sightedness is a very British type of foolishness, close kin to the other failings he'd skewer in his work.
It's the work that's at the heart of this, obviously. How "Discovering The Lord of the Rings, like discovering extreme music, religious fundamentalism and sex" will always hit hardest in your teens, but how Pratchett would then pick at the genre's conventions in different ways right from his earliest attempt at a long piece, the much-revised Carpet People. Gradually realising "how desperately battles and kings should be avoided", coming up with moral taxonomies that authors far more 'literary' could never hope to match, like the immortal passage about treating people as things. Burrows laments not having more space to address all the books, and if few are likely to regret the relegation of The Unadulterated Cat to a footnote, I was surprised there wasn't more on Jingo, surely a key text in this. Or that, when talking about the very specific and partial softening of some of Pratchett's views on religion, there's no mention of the parallel with one of the bits I always found most impressive in the whole of Pratchett's work, where in Carpe Jugulum Granny Weatherwax questions the reformed Omnian and one of the series' moral centres points out the downside of one of its most agenda-led earlier books, the broadside against fundamentalism in Small Gods, and it feels like a valid continuation of an intellectual inquiry rather than the horrible late Wordsworth flatulence which normally results when an ageing writer gets gentler about religion. Still, for all the limits of space, there is plenty on most of the books, their themes and techniques as much as the surface stuff that first grabbed us, and if I don't agree with all of it (I'm a much bigger fan of Sourcery, for one thing) I can nevertheless see it's all solid analysis.
No writer works in isolation, of course, and Burrows also examines the ecosystem Pratchett came out of, as well as the ones which would grow up around him. There's the influence of the local bookshop selling import SF to cover for their main trade in porn - an ecological niche which survived at least into the noughties, somehow. There's the love of local hero GK Chesterton, who'd prove an important point on which Pratchett would bond with the first person ever to interview him, a young jobbing journalist called Neil Gaiman – who at that point was the one wearing the hat (though there are a surprising number of pictures of a bare-headed Terry Pratchett in here, it must be said). Without whom Pratchett might have stuck with his original plan to put Discworld on the back burner after Equal Rites and get started on what was eventually to become The Long Earth, had Gaiman not said he'd love to read a book about Death... There's the whole side-story of Josh Kirby, whose lively art was such a part in conveying the spirit of early Discworld, for all that it was frequently completely inaccurate in its details, to the extent that Pratchett's bizarre German publisher would basically slap any Josh Kirby picture on any Pratchett book, but who turns out to have also worked in lots of other styles earlier in his career – who knew? It's in the more peripheral stuff that such few errors as I noticed tend to creep in, though they're generally fairly minor ones of emphasis, like using 'sword and sorcery' as a catch-all for fantasy after describing a bunch of high fantasy the young Terry had been reading, or the make-up of a typical issue of Analog. Beyond that I could only point to a few repetitions and homophones, and those classic subbing bugbears 'Revelations' and 'Meatloaf', and hopefully in the interval between my reading the Netgalley ARC and the finished edition coming out, those will have been fixed. And set against those, so many gems, from the Serbian literary empire founded on one fan's desire to get Pratchett translated, to the Pratchett-specific craft terms 'sherbet lemons' and 'cigarettes'. There's the meeting between Terry Pratchett and Roald Dahl when neither was yet a bestselling novelist, to the extent that Pratchett introduces Dahl to readers as "the husband of Oscar-winning actress Patricia Neal". There's the realisation that most people who've read Reaper Man will have read the paperback, and so not got the benefit of its best typographical trick, which apparently was fouled up there. There's Pratchett's 1996 interview with Bill Gates about the future of the Internet, where Gates is the naive optimist and Pratchett, far too familiar with human nature, foresees the present hell of fake news. Above all there's the reminder of just how good Pratchett was, and how missed he is. Maybe it was him going in 2015, not Bowie the next year, that marked our crash into the wrong trouser-leg of time?
(Disclaimer: I do know the author a bit, and his other half better. But I could definitely have got away socially with enthusing less than this if it weren't a dead good read)
August 6, 2020
For a subject who died in 2015—not all that long ago—it might be surprising that the first person to publish a serious exploration of Terry Pratchett would have never met him. While not a requirement, there’s a compelling argument that closeness to a subject would provide the bones for writing a rich examination of them. And yet author Marc Burrows completely dispels the idea that that’s the only way to write about recent figures. Through careful research and a deep look into Pratchett’s own words from his numerous interviews, Burrows has provided a compact but comprehensive biography that’s both a page-turner and ridiculously funny.
Even though Burrows might not have a physical connection to Pratchett, he’s an obvious fan of his work, and his excitement while discussing his books is palpable on the page. It quickly becomes clear that, though Pratchett was a remarkable author, he lived a fairly low-key life by celebrity standards. Fortunately, this is where Burrows’s enthusiasm plays its greatest strength, allowing him to add in analysis of Pratchett’s books while relating them to the points in his life that they were written. While this gets somewhat technical, Burrows has such an easy, welcoming style, that these moments are fascinating—even if the reader has little knowledge of the specific book.
Burrows also taps into less obvious sections of Pratchett’s career, and many of these anecdotes are hilarious. In particular, a section on the cover art for some of the early editions of the German Discworld novels is a fascinating examination of the publishing industry, frustrating, and funny all at the same time. Along the way, Burrows, in a nod to Pratchett’s style, tosses in copious footnotes to drive some of the jokes.¹
Of course, no look at at Pratchett’s life would be complete without discussing his Alzheimer’s diagnoses and subsequent death. Much like Pratchett was able to weave darker themes into his often cheeky fantasy novels, Burrows also doesn’t shy away from the serious. He does so in such a respectful and thoughtful way that it’s impossible not to leave those final pages without having a deeper appreciation for not just Pratchett, but Burrows as well.
Ultimately, Burrows has written an emotional, charming biography of a literary giant that’ll have fans flipping through well-worn paperbacks while newcomers pick up The Colour of Magic.
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...
_
¹It works.
Even though Burrows might not have a physical connection to Pratchett, he’s an obvious fan of his work, and his excitement while discussing his books is palpable on the page. It quickly becomes clear that, though Pratchett was a remarkable author, he lived a fairly low-key life by celebrity standards. Fortunately, this is where Burrows’s enthusiasm plays its greatest strength, allowing him to add in analysis of Pratchett’s books while relating them to the points in his life that they were written. While this gets somewhat technical, Burrows has such an easy, welcoming style, that these moments are fascinating—even if the reader has little knowledge of the specific book.
Burrows also taps into less obvious sections of Pratchett’s career, and many of these anecdotes are hilarious. In particular, a section on the cover art for some of the early editions of the German Discworld novels is a fascinating examination of the publishing industry, frustrating, and funny all at the same time. Along the way, Burrows, in a nod to Pratchett’s style, tosses in copious footnotes to drive some of the jokes.¹
Of course, no look at at Pratchett’s life would be complete without discussing his Alzheimer’s diagnoses and subsequent death. Much like Pratchett was able to weave darker themes into his often cheeky fantasy novels, Burrows also doesn’t shy away from the serious. He does so in such a respectful and thoughtful way that it’s impossible not to leave those final pages without having a deeper appreciation for not just Pratchett, but Burrows as well.
Ultimately, Burrows has written an emotional, charming biography of a literary giant that’ll have fans flipping through well-worn paperbacks while newcomers pick up The Colour of Magic.
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...
_
¹It works.
May 15, 2020
Every once in a while, not often too often though, you come across a book that you can hardly put down. When you do, you can't wait to pick it up again and you just feel completely immersed in it when reading. This is one of those, I absolutely adored this book.
I learnt so much about Terry as this biography covers everything from his birth until he passed away. Along the way we learn of his relations, teachers, associates, friends, colleagues, assistants, fans and the effect they had on him and his career and vice versa.
The amount of research that must of gone in to this book was vast as could be seen from the appendix and acknowledgements and is really something to be marvelled at.
Right from the beginning I was sucked straight in learning that his many ideas for Discworld were inspired from his visit to a department store in London with his Mum when he was 5 to see Father Christmas. This place became a dream world for him and sparked his imagination whilst riding an escalator as to what could go on inside when it was closed. I laughed when we learnt Terry had also thought when passing an old quarry as a child about the prehistoric fish that would be in it, as the book stated "It showed his imagination added a unusual shape and spin to the world creating possibilities and scenarios quit different from the mundane reality" and that I think summed Terry up perfectly.
As a fan also of Neil Gaiman I revelled in the chapters that talked about there initial meeting, friendship and collaboration. Through this book I took so many screenshots of things I wanted to remember such as the history behind words used within the fandom or books and it was fascinating to read Marc Burrows dissect his books and offer his opinions and show the links to others or characters previously. It was so insightful. We got glimpses in to Terry Pratchett's personality with people relieving memories where he would show emotion, temper & quirks etc. The book talks of his favourite authors, artistic side, religious views, fashion, ethos, fathering, marriage, monetary views basically everything that makes you up as person is in here and to learn all that about one of your favourite authors is truly fascinating. This book has encouraged me to dip back in Discworld and when I do I am pretty sure my eye's will be far more open than ever before knowing all the background.
I am pretty sure every person who reads this book regardless of how much a fan they may be will take something from it, I for one took a huge amount. Word of warning though, just be careful of the onion fairies at the end!.
My thanks go to the publishers, author and Netgalley for providing this arc in return for a honest review. I truly am indebted to you for my favourite book read so far in 2020!.
I learnt so much about Terry as this biography covers everything from his birth until he passed away. Along the way we learn of his relations, teachers, associates, friends, colleagues, assistants, fans and the effect they had on him and his career and vice versa.
The amount of research that must of gone in to this book was vast as could be seen from the appendix and acknowledgements and is really something to be marvelled at.
Right from the beginning I was sucked straight in learning that his many ideas for Discworld were inspired from his visit to a department store in London with his Mum when he was 5 to see Father Christmas. This place became a dream world for him and sparked his imagination whilst riding an escalator as to what could go on inside when it was closed. I laughed when we learnt Terry had also thought when passing an old quarry as a child about the prehistoric fish that would be in it, as the book stated "It showed his imagination added a unusual shape and spin to the world creating possibilities and scenarios quit different from the mundane reality" and that I think summed Terry up perfectly.
As a fan also of Neil Gaiman I revelled in the chapters that talked about there initial meeting, friendship and collaboration. Through this book I took so many screenshots of things I wanted to remember such as the history behind words used within the fandom or books and it was fascinating to read Marc Burrows dissect his books and offer his opinions and show the links to others or characters previously. It was so insightful. We got glimpses in to Terry Pratchett's personality with people relieving memories where he would show emotion, temper & quirks etc. The book talks of his favourite authors, artistic side, religious views, fashion, ethos, fathering, marriage, monetary views basically everything that makes you up as person is in here and to learn all that about one of your favourite authors is truly fascinating. This book has encouraged me to dip back in Discworld and when I do I am pretty sure my eye's will be far more open than ever before knowing all the background.
I am pretty sure every person who reads this book regardless of how much a fan they may be will take something from it, I for one took a huge amount. Word of warning though, just be careful of the onion fairies at the end!.
My thanks go to the publishers, author and Netgalley for providing this arc in return for a honest review. I truly am indebted to you for my favourite book read so far in 2020!.
December 22, 2022
Original review, 2020:
~ARC received in exchange for an honest review~
'The Magic of Terry Pratchett' is described as 'the first full biography of Sir Terry Pratchett ever written' by Marc Burrows, journalist, comedian and fan - pretty much the perfect combo to undertake this project given Pratchett's pre-Discworld career as a journalist - and needless to say no biography of the man should ever be guilty of taking itself too seriously.
As a fellow Discworld appreciator this is honestly a joy to read, Burrow's discussion of each of the Discworld novels has me itching to jump back in and continue with my quest to finish the series in publication order (as many do after beginning with some of the later installments.)
I'm looking forward to purchasing this title upon its release as it's something I can easily see myself dipping in and out of as a companion to my Discworld reading adventure. A warm, affectionate, funny and thoroughly researched homage to the late great Sir Pterry. I recommend it to any Discworld fan, it's most definitely a worthwhile read.
~Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title~
RE-READ, 2022:
I did indeed obtain a physical copy as a gift upon release, but instead of 'dipping in' as I continued the series, I accidentally read the whole thing again cover to cover. Oops.
~ARC received in exchange for an honest review~
'The Magic of Terry Pratchett' is described as 'the first full biography of Sir Terry Pratchett ever written' by Marc Burrows, journalist, comedian and fan - pretty much the perfect combo to undertake this project given Pratchett's pre-Discworld career as a journalist - and needless to say no biography of the man should ever be guilty of taking itself too seriously.
As a fellow Discworld appreciator this is honestly a joy to read, Burrow's discussion of each of the Discworld novels has me itching to jump back in and continue with my quest to finish the series in publication order (as many do after beginning with some of the later installments.)
I'm looking forward to purchasing this title upon its release as it's something I can easily see myself dipping in and out of as a companion to my Discworld reading adventure. A warm, affectionate, funny and thoroughly researched homage to the late great Sir Pterry. I recommend it to any Discworld fan, it's most definitely a worthwhile read.
~Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title~
RE-READ, 2022:
I did indeed obtain a physical copy as a gift upon release, but instead of 'dipping in' as I continued the series, I accidentally read the whole thing again cover to cover. Oops.
October 21, 2020
Thank you Marc Burrows, for this book.
In a lot of ways, I've been in denial of Terry's death, as I assume others have been, as is acknowledged near the end of this beautifully written and composed book, as many Pratchett uber-fans are holding off from reading The Shepherd's Crown, the final new book in both the Discworld and the Tiffany Aching series; personally I didn't hold off on reading that, I mean how could we not as fans of Terry?
As it feels like a disservice to the world we love and are so beholden to and our passion, and also to what Terry dedicated the last moments of his life on this Earthly plane to, and as Burrows mentions in this here book, it is not something Terry would have wanted.
I was in denial of the sense of, we will never lose Pratchett, as his works, worlds, characters, prose, humour, literary power is immortalised in books, so in so many ways the reality of never getting to go meet the great man myself, nor to be able to buy a new novel from his ever so masterful mind was always silenced out and cut off to myself, as I distanced myself. Not from his work but from the cold hard facts of death in general.
The books are there, the love, the worlds, it's there to experience and re-experience. But, having failed to ever gain entry or confidence or yet mature to an age where I'd feel comfortable to go to book signings on my own, and with circumstances of life, I never got to know Terry the way so many fans did, whether it was the public persona or the waspish character he was in his personal life, I never had that chance to know him as others did, and only way was via my own perspective and angle gleaned from interviews and most specifically his work.
With this book, its love, humour, its ode to the life of not just The Discworld but, Terry the man, as not just the artist, but as The Man, it allowed me to, accept his passing.
Insights I've never heard or knew and am far happier for knowing have been afforded.
This is as close as any of us will have to getting to the great man apart from his novels.
So thank you Marc, for a wondrous book, so funny, so full of life, the detail and depths and the assured and Pratchettian edge made it all that more masterful and definitive.
So on my behalf please, and perhaps many others, accept this review and praise from the bottom of my heart.
It is a perfect companion to anything Pratchett related, fiction, short stories, spin-offs, this book deserves to be read, for a myriad of reasons I am turning a octarine colour as I am so enthused about this grand display of fanboyish respect, dedicated research and ode of all odes book.
It is a beautifully told and written biography that had me sobbing on that last page.
A perfect companion piece to what we hope Rob Wilkins will put out of what he and Terry had commenced work on in the last year leading to Terry's sad departing, his biography; and if not, for me this book should be recognised as a definitive book to allow us to say goodbye to Terry Pratchett.
In a lot of ways, I've been in denial of Terry's death, as I assume others have been, as is acknowledged near the end of this beautifully written and composed book, as many Pratchett uber-fans are holding off from reading The Shepherd's Crown, the final new book in both the Discworld and the Tiffany Aching series; personally I didn't hold off on reading that, I mean how could we not as fans of Terry?
As it feels like a disservice to the world we love and are so beholden to and our passion, and also to what Terry dedicated the last moments of his life on this Earthly plane to, and as Burrows mentions in this here book, it is not something Terry would have wanted.
I was in denial of the sense of, we will never lose Pratchett, as his works, worlds, characters, prose, humour, literary power is immortalised in books, so in so many ways the reality of never getting to go meet the great man myself, nor to be able to buy a new novel from his ever so masterful mind was always silenced out and cut off to myself, as I distanced myself. Not from his work but from the cold hard facts of death in general.
The books are there, the love, the worlds, it's there to experience and re-experience. But, having failed to ever gain entry or confidence or yet mature to an age where I'd feel comfortable to go to book signings on my own, and with circumstances of life, I never got to know Terry the way so many fans did, whether it was the public persona or the waspish character he was in his personal life, I never had that chance to know him as others did, and only way was via my own perspective and angle gleaned from interviews and most specifically his work.
With this book, its love, humour, its ode to the life of not just The Discworld but, Terry the man, as not just the artist, but as The Man, it allowed me to, accept his passing.
Insights I've never heard or knew and am far happier for knowing have been afforded.
This is as close as any of us will have to getting to the great man apart from his novels.
So thank you Marc, for a wondrous book, so funny, so full of life, the detail and depths and the assured and Pratchettian edge made it all that more masterful and definitive.
So on my behalf please, and perhaps many others, accept this review and praise from the bottom of my heart.
It is a perfect companion to anything Pratchett related, fiction, short stories, spin-offs, this book deserves to be read, for a myriad of reasons I am turning a octarine colour as I am so enthused about this grand display of fanboyish respect, dedicated research and ode of all odes book.
It is a beautifully told and written biography that had me sobbing on that last page.
A perfect companion piece to what we hope Rob Wilkins will put out of what he and Terry had commenced work on in the last year leading to Terry's sad departing, his biography; and if not, for me this book should be recognised as a definitive book to allow us to say goodbye to Terry Pratchett.
October 11, 2021
Terry Pratchett had an infectious manner in every sense of the phrase. His voice as an author, his worldview as an individual, his sense of humor; you name it and Pratchett probably did it well. And he made it look easy.
Easy enough to make you think you'd be pretty good at it too, actually...
Unfortunately, that's not a hot look for a biography.
The author gets swept up in trying to mimic Pratchett's humor and squeezes in too many jokes without any of the timing, depth, or finesse. I was left with the odd impression that Burrows managed to pin down the rhythm of Pratchett's tone and voice and rushed out to show everyone at the Edinburgh Fringe before he figured how to substantiate it with the incisive emotional depth that makes the original so special.
In fact, Burrows seems a bit fixated on catching every single one of Pratchett's 'gags' and studying its source, not unlike an insect collector who prefers to see a rare butterfly pinned on cork than in flight. This approach to humor is derivative and reductive, seeking to break Pratchett's communication magic of distilling seemingly disparate topics down to a common connection just to see what made them possible in the first place. Once he had put them back together, however, something essential was missing. In fact, quite a few of the mimic-'gags' (I now strongly dislike this word) were significantly more mean-spirited, opportunistic, and at the expense of someone else in comparison to Pratchett's, as though Burrows had figured out Pratchett's rhythm, but not the how, why, and if he should or not.
To quote Gandalf, 'He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom.'
That is not to say that Burrows is a bad writer. His writing is enjoyable and his skills as an entertainer are apparent when he isn't trying to fill Pratchett's shoes. The opening chapters about Pratchett's life were genuinely fascinating and he almost manages to get away with the lack of biographical depth.
In the end, however, what starts out as a fascinating (if brief) journey through Pratchett's early years quickly becomes a list of his sales achievements, awards, money, and excerpts from raving and raging reviewers both.
It's understandable to an extent; the Pratchett estate didn't authorise this biography as much as it tolerated it. The interview excerpts featured are mostly shallow words carefully chosen for their positive vagueness and discouragement of further questions. A number of very important figures in Pratchett's life either don't feature at all or get an unrelated or repurposed quote stretched to fit a topic.
The limited availability of material and the threat of frowning estate lawyers could have been balanced with more extensive interviews with dedicated fans, one of the many directors who adapted Pratchett's works for the stage, or scholars who could opine on the magic of Pratchett's writing. A good example for this kind of fleshing out of a difficult, out-of-bounds subject is How Star Wars Conquered the Universe by Chris Taylor.
Instead all we get is a somewhat unpleasant over-curiosity about Pratchett's bank account. Considering the title is The Magic of Terry Pratchett, I'm left with the somewhat distasteful impression that this biography is implying Pratchett's magic was in his rise to fame.
Perhaps somewhat naively, I consider Pratchett's magic to be the worldview in which no one is a less-than-human background character. His was (and is) a worldview defined by wonder towards this weird life and the emotional depth in all, no matter how predictably they might act; not the ability to squeeze in 'gags' at the expense of easy targets.
The start of the book invites the reader on a journey of indirectly meeting Pratchett. What I actually met was the author's collection of trivia about his personal hero in the shape of a biography vague enough to avoid any legal implications.
Easy enough to make you think you'd be pretty good at it too, actually...
Unfortunately, that's not a hot look for a biography.
The author gets swept up in trying to mimic Pratchett's humor and squeezes in too many jokes without any of the timing, depth, or finesse. I was left with the odd impression that Burrows managed to pin down the rhythm of Pratchett's tone and voice and rushed out to show everyone at the Edinburgh Fringe before he figured how to substantiate it with the incisive emotional depth that makes the original so special.
In fact, Burrows seems a bit fixated on catching every single one of Pratchett's 'gags' and studying its source, not unlike an insect collector who prefers to see a rare butterfly pinned on cork than in flight. This approach to humor is derivative and reductive, seeking to break Pratchett's communication magic of distilling seemingly disparate topics down to a common connection just to see what made them possible in the first place. Once he had put them back together, however, something essential was missing. In fact, quite a few of the mimic-'gags' (I now strongly dislike this word) were significantly more mean-spirited, opportunistic, and at the expense of someone else in comparison to Pratchett's, as though Burrows had figured out Pratchett's rhythm, but not the how, why, and if he should or not.
To quote Gandalf, 'He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom.'
That is not to say that Burrows is a bad writer. His writing is enjoyable and his skills as an entertainer are apparent when he isn't trying to fill Pratchett's shoes. The opening chapters about Pratchett's life were genuinely fascinating and he almost manages to get away with the lack of biographical depth.
In the end, however, what starts out as a fascinating (if brief) journey through Pratchett's early years quickly becomes a list of his sales achievements, awards, money, and excerpts from raving and raging reviewers both.
It's understandable to an extent; the Pratchett estate didn't authorise this biography as much as it tolerated it. The interview excerpts featured are mostly shallow words carefully chosen for their positive vagueness and discouragement of further questions. A number of very important figures in Pratchett's life either don't feature at all or get an unrelated or repurposed quote stretched to fit a topic.
The limited availability of material and the threat of frowning estate lawyers could have been balanced with more extensive interviews with dedicated fans, one of the many directors who adapted Pratchett's works for the stage, or scholars who could opine on the magic of Pratchett's writing. A good example for this kind of fleshing out of a difficult, out-of-bounds subject is How Star Wars Conquered the Universe by Chris Taylor.
Instead all we get is a somewhat unpleasant over-curiosity about Pratchett's bank account. Considering the title is The Magic of Terry Pratchett, I'm left with the somewhat distasteful impression that this biography is implying Pratchett's magic was in his rise to fame.
Perhaps somewhat naively, I consider Pratchett's magic to be the worldview in which no one is a less-than-human background character. His was (and is) a worldview defined by wonder towards this weird life and the emotional depth in all, no matter how predictably they might act; not the ability to squeeze in 'gags' at the expense of easy targets.
The start of the book invites the reader on a journey of indirectly meeting Pratchett. What I actually met was the author's collection of trivia about his personal hero in the shape of a biography vague enough to avoid any legal implications.
September 7, 2020
Marc Burrows has delivered a near perfect tribute and celebration of Terry Pratchett, my favorite author, and one of the finest writers this world has ever seen. Dismissed by the literary establishment for far too long for being unfairly and incorrectly characterized as some kind of second rate fantasy parodist, it is a beautiful thing indeed to finally see Pratchett get the recognition he deserves. Pratchett has always been the modern equivalent of Dickens and Twain all rolled into one, and no other author even comes close to matching his brilliance in regards to his keen observations of humanity, religion, economics, societies, philosophy, and his underlying message of how people should learn to treat others with kindness, regardless of differences of sex, or race, or age.
Burrows does a fine job of laying out the facts of his life, and adding entertaining asides, and even hilarious footnotes, in grand Pratchettian style. I have had a difficult time processing the fact that Pratchett is no longer here. If you were to ask me the question, if you were trapped in a desert island and could only read one author the rest of your life, who would you choose? Well, Pratchett of course. His books are compulsively rereadable. The best thing I could possibly say about this biography, is for the first time in five years, I have found a bit of writing that has helped get me past this feeling of loss I have for the man, and all the future Pratchett books that were still to come. Burrow’s book is a perfect love letter to the man, his works, and the literary legacy he has left behind. He has made me feel thankful for all the books we did get, all those wonderful observations of humanity, and some of the greatest characters to ever grace the page. We have truly been blessed, over the span of many years, and over 60 books with some damn fine stories. Upon finishing, I was ready to crack open that first Discworld novel all over again, even though I’m already in the midst of a massive reread, and never really need an excuse to dive back in. This book put a smile on my face and made me thankful for all that he left behind, and that’s the greatest compliment I can bestow. Highly recommended!
Burrows does a fine job of laying out the facts of his life, and adding entertaining asides, and even hilarious footnotes, in grand Pratchettian style. I have had a difficult time processing the fact that Pratchett is no longer here. If you were to ask me the question, if you were trapped in a desert island and could only read one author the rest of your life, who would you choose? Well, Pratchett of course. His books are compulsively rereadable. The best thing I could possibly say about this biography, is for the first time in five years, I have found a bit of writing that has helped get me past this feeling of loss I have for the man, and all the future Pratchett books that were still to come. Burrow’s book is a perfect love letter to the man, his works, and the literary legacy he has left behind. He has made me feel thankful for all the books we did get, all those wonderful observations of humanity, and some of the greatest characters to ever grace the page. We have truly been blessed, over the span of many years, and over 60 books with some damn fine stories. Upon finishing, I was ready to crack open that first Discworld novel all over again, even though I’m already in the midst of a massive reread, and never really need an excuse to dive back in. This book put a smile on my face and made me thankful for all that he left behind, and that’s the greatest compliment I can bestow. Highly recommended!
June 30, 2020
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
The Magic of Terry Pratchett is an interesting biography, especially considering that the author never met the man himself. Instead, everything is based on interviews from various people who did work with him across the years. Additionally, given that Pratchett has a very strong following, it was surprising to find that the author here is not a rabid fan. He's definitely a fan, but not so much as to be completely enamored by the subject. This leads to an almost clinical review of the life (well, mostly bibliography) of Sir Terry. Personally, I found this to be mostly a good thing. While I consider myself something of a fan (I think I've read all discworld books twice), I'm not enough of one to want to shift through the minutia of his life, or pages and pages of glorification of his works.The biography is laid out in clear parts: first the early history of the man, which is quite interesting and even reaches a level of narrative that seems too accurate. When Sir Terry moves on to be an established author the focus shifts more to the books themselves, publishing deals and becoming famous. The last part deals with his battle with Alzheimers which is handled with just the right amount of gravitas.
I read the whole biography in one sitting, which could be one of the first times I've done so on a non-fiction piece. I very much liked the approach the author took and almost never got bored with too much detail - yet also rarely felt that something was skimmed over. The beginning and the end of the biography are the strongest, and there is a fascinating insight into publishing in the middle. And just enough of a touch on all the best Discworld novels to bring up good memories. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
July 31, 2020
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
You can read the full review also on my blog Book Notes by Athina
To be honest the only work of Terry Pratchett that I have read is Good Omens (co-authored with Neil Gaiman), but after reading The Magic of Terry Pratchett by Marc Burrows I want to read everything and thankfully there are a lot.
In my mind Terry Pratchett is attached to Discworld but he has written many more with many children's books among them.
In this book Marc Burrows does a brief analysis and description of the books while giving background information on them, which is very interesting and informative at the same time. I also learned many things about his personal life that made Terry Pratchett even more interesting than before.
The book mostly focuses on his work and his books. It is very well-written and it's an easy read. I also liked the fact that the notes were included in the chapters and not at the back, making reading easier.
If you are a Terry Pratchett fan you will love this biography, but even if like me you haven't read many of his work you will be fascinated by it.
You can read the full review also on my blog Book Notes by Athina
To be honest the only work of Terry Pratchett that I have read is Good Omens (co-authored with Neil Gaiman), but after reading The Magic of Terry Pratchett by Marc Burrows I want to read everything and thankfully there are a lot.
In my mind Terry Pratchett is attached to Discworld but he has written many more with many children's books among them.
In this book Marc Burrows does a brief analysis and description of the books while giving background information on them, which is very interesting and informative at the same time. I also learned many things about his personal life that made Terry Pratchett even more interesting than before.
The book mostly focuses on his work and his books. It is very well-written and it's an easy read. I also liked the fact that the notes were included in the chapters and not at the back, making reading easier.
If you are a Terry Pratchett fan you will love this biography, but even if like me you haven't read many of his work you will be fascinated by it.
August 7, 2020
This is honestly what I have wanted for a very long time.
There are a lot of resources for Terry's later struggles with the embuggerance, and his popularity as an author.
But there has never been a lot regarding what made him the man he was. Marc explored these perfectly, and drew some fantastic parallels with how the best discworld characters came to life.
From having goats and Bee's himself helping granny fashion out, to his years as a small paper journalist helping round his views of every day people and their problems.
This was perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing where my favourite novels came from.
There are a lot of resources for Terry's later struggles with the embuggerance, and his popularity as an author.
But there has never been a lot regarding what made him the man he was. Marc explored these perfectly, and drew some fantastic parallels with how the best discworld characters came to life.
From having goats and Bee's himself helping granny fashion out, to his years as a small paper journalist helping round his views of every day people and their problems.
This was perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing where my favourite novels came from.
August 31, 2020
I fall into the category of fans that felt like a part of their heart left for good when Pratchett died. This book had enough new nuggets of trivia that I stopped reading it when my husband wasn't in the room because I kept finding things I had to immediately share. The author shares up front he was never able to interview Pratchett himself, so there is a bit of a distanced quality to the book. You do find yourself wishing it was written by, or contained material from, more of Pratchett's intimates - but as we may never get that this provides a good look at the man that changed so many of our lives with his typewriter.
June 1, 2020
I loved this book. As a Discworld fan I knew a bit about Terry Pratchett but this gave me a deeper insight into the man and his life. Marc Burrow's writing style is engaging and echoes Pratchett himself with gentle, reverential humour and footnotes - I hadn't realised how much I missed Pratchett footnotes until I read this! I read through the book pretty quickly, but I have to admit to (knowing what was coming) putting off reading the final few chapters, just like I did with The Shepherd's Crown, and just as I did then, I cried.
In short, if you're a Pratchett or Discworld fan, you'll love this book. If you're not, you'll still enjoy this well researched and engaging account of Sir Terry's life. Now I'm off to look up Pratchett's non-Discworld writings and other books by Marc Burrows.
In short, if you're a Pratchett or Discworld fan, you'll love this book. If you're not, you'll still enjoy this well researched and engaging account of Sir Terry's life. Now I'm off to look up Pratchett's non-Discworld writings and other books by Marc Burrows.
June 7, 2023
Já nebrečim. Vůbec nebrečim.
Nádherně vyvedenej životopis nádhernýho autora.
Marc Burrows tónem, který po celou knihu drží, vzdává Terryho tvorbě absolutní čest a nutí vás se smát napříč celou knihou, přesně jako by to dělal sir Pratchett, četli-li byste jeho knížky. Nebojí se ale temnějších a bolestivých zákoutí, nezdařených projektů a zklamání. Celá kniha je milostným dopisem nejen autorovi, ale i jeho tvorbě. Perfektně balancuje na hranici lásky k Terryho tvorbě a k člověku samému, vzdávaje holt oběma naráz. Za tohle děkuju.
Noli timere messorem.
Nádherně vyvedenej životopis nádhernýho autora.
Marc Burrows tónem, který po celou knihu drží, vzdává Terryho tvorbě absolutní čest a nutí vás se smát napříč celou knihou, přesně jako by to dělal sir Pratchett, četli-li byste jeho knížky. Nebojí se ale temnějších a bolestivých zákoutí, nezdařených projektů a zklamání. Celá kniha je milostným dopisem nejen autorovi, ale i jeho tvorbě. Perfektně balancuje na hranici lásky k Terryho tvorbě a k člověku samému, vzdávaje holt oběma naráz. Za tohle děkuju.
Noli timere messorem.
August 24, 2020
Terry Pratchett is a British fantasy writer of more than 50 books and best known for the Discworld series. His book Good Omens cowritten with Neil Gaiman began as television series in 2019. Pratchett passed away from the effects of Alzheimer's disease in 2015. The book is probably best the someone who has read most of his books. I appreciate his creativity but like Douglas Adams' books the sense of humor is not to my taste.
March 5, 2025
An affectionate, amusing and , of course, ultimately emotional tribute to Sir Terry. I saw the associated show at the Edinburgh Fringe and bought the book there. Reaffirmed my love of all things Pratchett and fuelled a desire to fill (the few) missing gaps of books I have not read and re-read some favourites.
July 19, 2020
Marc Burrows has created a beautiful in depth examination of the career of Sir Terry Pratchett. Full of love, stylistic nods and the humourous Sherbert Lemon footnotes that Pratchett fans loved so much, it's greatest achievement is to create the overwhelming compulsion to go back and read and re-read Pratchett's entire oeuvre.
A great book for fans of Pratchett. One that will make you miss him all over again.
A great book for fans of Pratchett. One that will make you miss him all over again.
May 25, 2020
As a child who was brought up in a house of Discworld stories, with a stepfather who (still) proudly displays the Clarecraft Rincewind figurine which bears an uncanny likeness to him, and a mother who has a matching Nanny Ogg (it bears no likeness but let’s just say encompasses a couple of her characteristics), this was an ARC that I was frankly desperate to read. I have to thank Netgalley and Marc Burrows for granting me this opportunity. My opinions are enthusiastic, and entirely my own.
As a 32 year old female, mother and accountant you may be forgiven for expecting my book reviews to be based around chick-lit or classical novels and, although it is the case that I own several very well-read copies of Pride & Prejudice, I am wholly a child of the sci-fi/fantasy genre. Terry Pratchett novels sit alongside George RR Martin, Terry Brooks, David Eddings and Ursula Le Guin in my house; I owned and loved Discworld computer games and probably know every word to the film Labyrinth.
It could therefore be said that I would find Marc Burrow’s biography fascinating regardless: however, I am ashamed to say that, before reading this book, I knew very little about the life of the author whose books I admire so much.
Burrows structures his writing predictably enough, running through the life of Terry Pratchett chronologically, from his working-class upbringing; his career in journalism; the progression in popularity of his novels; his knighthood all the way up to his untimely death from Alzheimer’s. However, this is where an affiliation to any standard biography ends.
It is immediately apparent that Marc Burrows is an avid Terry Pratchett fan, even without reading his foreword, due to the inclusion of footnotes: a writing style which is synonymous with Pratchett. This allows Burrows, as it did with Pratchett, to provide little notes and details which cannot be in the main text without limiting the reading experience. It also allows both authors to inject a large amount of humour into their writing.
It should also be mentioned that no book has gripped me from the introduction in a long time, although I am fairly sure no other book would use the word “crotch” before we even reach Chapter One!
‘The Magic of Terry Pratchett’ is a clever, well-informed biography which perfectly encompasses the humour of the Discworld creator whilst educating the reader of his journey to becoming the icon that he is today. I have no doubt that this has been a labour of love for Marc Burrows: when the kindle says you have 20 minutes reading time left and you have reached the bibliography, you know that a whole lot of research has been done!
It is important to note that this book transgresses the existence of Discworld and “the business with the elephant” and encompasses all of Sir Terry’s work: from short stories in the local paper to his TV documentary on assisted death. The reader will also learn of the involvement of Rhianna Pratchett in her father’s work and discover that the “man in the hat” was not always the easiest man to work with.
Yes, it is an ARC on an e-reader so the format is awful: it always is! Also, I would possibly move the photos before the bibliography, unless they are a treat for those who commit to reading that far? Nevertheless, this is a book in which I cannot find any criticism.
I am going to need at least 3 copies upon release- can we preorder?
As a 32 year old female, mother and accountant you may be forgiven for expecting my book reviews to be based around chick-lit or classical novels and, although it is the case that I own several very well-read copies of Pride & Prejudice, I am wholly a child of the sci-fi/fantasy genre. Terry Pratchett novels sit alongside George RR Martin, Terry Brooks, David Eddings and Ursula Le Guin in my house; I owned and loved Discworld computer games and probably know every word to the film Labyrinth.
It could therefore be said that I would find Marc Burrow’s biography fascinating regardless: however, I am ashamed to say that, before reading this book, I knew very little about the life of the author whose books I admire so much.
Burrows structures his writing predictably enough, running through the life of Terry Pratchett chronologically, from his working-class upbringing; his career in journalism; the progression in popularity of his novels; his knighthood all the way up to his untimely death from Alzheimer’s. However, this is where an affiliation to any standard biography ends.
It is immediately apparent that Marc Burrows is an avid Terry Pratchett fan, even without reading his foreword, due to the inclusion of footnotes: a writing style which is synonymous with Pratchett. This allows Burrows, as it did with Pratchett, to provide little notes and details which cannot be in the main text without limiting the reading experience. It also allows both authors to inject a large amount of humour into their writing.
It should also be mentioned that no book has gripped me from the introduction in a long time, although I am fairly sure no other book would use the word “crotch” before we even reach Chapter One!
‘The Magic of Terry Pratchett’ is a clever, well-informed biography which perfectly encompasses the humour of the Discworld creator whilst educating the reader of his journey to becoming the icon that he is today. I have no doubt that this has been a labour of love for Marc Burrows: when the kindle says you have 20 minutes reading time left and you have reached the bibliography, you know that a whole lot of research has been done!
It is important to note that this book transgresses the existence of Discworld and “the business with the elephant” and encompasses all of Sir Terry’s work: from short stories in the local paper to his TV documentary on assisted death. The reader will also learn of the involvement of Rhianna Pratchett in her father’s work and discover that the “man in the hat” was not always the easiest man to work with.
Yes, it is an ARC on an e-reader so the format is awful: it always is! Also, I would possibly move the photos before the bibliography, unless they are a treat for those who commit to reading that far? Nevertheless, this is a book in which I cannot find any criticism.
I am going to need at least 3 copies upon release- can we preorder?
September 25, 2020
It is hard to believe that for being at one time ‘Britain’s biggest selling living author’, writing more than 50 books over a forty year period (depending on where you are counting from) and having many academic articles and a number of books written about his works, no one has written a biography of Sir Terry Pratchett. And after reading Marc Burrows book, that remains the case.
Don’t get me wrong, Burrows has written a good book for fans of Sir Terry; he is obviously a fan of Pratchett himself and he has put a lot of time and effort into researching his subject. But what he has written is a sketch of Pratchett’s life and an overview and review of his writings, set into a timeline of where Pratchett was living and working and what he was ‘doing’ during that time. This in itself is an admirable task, and I enjoyed the compilation and collation of the information presented in Burrow’s book and the discussion of Pratchett’s works. But as the author himself states, he never spoke with Terry Pratchett or his family or friends when writing this book and so this book feels somewhat hollow and certainly not as personal as a biography should be.
As a fan, it is always good to hear another fan’s view on a writer or artist’s work, particularly if an element of critical assessment is involved, rather than simply being a fawning work free of criticism and this book certainly has plenty of that! I disagreed many times with the author’s view and spotted a few errors which irritated me but better that than a banal trawl through Pratchett’s work.
At the end of the day this is a book written by a fan, for fellow fans, and that is okay but it is unlikely to pick up anyone with a casual or passing interest in the life of such an interesting character as Terry Pratchett. That book has yet to be written.
Don’t get me wrong, Burrows has written a good book for fans of Sir Terry; he is obviously a fan of Pratchett himself and he has put a lot of time and effort into researching his subject. But what he has written is a sketch of Pratchett’s life and an overview and review of his writings, set into a timeline of where Pratchett was living and working and what he was ‘doing’ during that time. This in itself is an admirable task, and I enjoyed the compilation and collation of the information presented in Burrow’s book and the discussion of Pratchett’s works. But as the author himself states, he never spoke with Terry Pratchett or his family or friends when writing this book and so this book feels somewhat hollow and certainly not as personal as a biography should be.
As a fan, it is always good to hear another fan’s view on a writer or artist’s work, particularly if an element of critical assessment is involved, rather than simply being a fawning work free of criticism and this book certainly has plenty of that! I disagreed many times with the author’s view and spotted a few errors which irritated me but better that than a banal trawl through Pratchett’s work.
At the end of the day this is a book written by a fan, for fellow fans, and that is okay but it is unlikely to pick up anyone with a casual or passing interest in the life of such an interesting character as Terry Pratchett. That book has yet to be written.
July 31, 2020
A big thank you to white owl books and pen and sword books for giving me a review copy to read in exchange for an honest review!
Although I’m a massive fan of Pratchett and his literary genius I didn’t have high expectations for Burrows’ biography of him. I have read several books that offered biographical information on Pratchett but I was continuously left disappointed, the works always seemed to present facts that a person could easily have found after a five-minute search on the internet and they never showed anything original. My lack of enthusiasm for Burrows’ book, however, was changed within reading the first few pages; I knew quickly that this book was going to offer much more than anything else on Pratchett I’d ever read before.
It markets itself as the ‘first full biography of Sir Terry Pratchett’ and remains true to this. The biography is in chronological order which not only creates an enjoyable read but also allows the reader to feel as though they have a front row view of Pratchett’s life from childhood to his unfortunate and untimely death. It gives a full rounded view of Pratchett – from his childhood love of the library, to his career as a journalist, to how he slowly became the renowned author many have grown to love.
What I admired most about Burrows’ book was that, although his love for Pratchett is made abundantly clear, he also remains free of bias; he isn’t afraid to point out any of Pratchett’s flaws which creates a much more interesting, genuine feel to the book. I also admired how Burrows’ comedic writing matches Pratchett’s own, right down to the use of footnotes for factual and comedic effect. Plus, as a huge Star Wars fan, Burrows’ mention of Obi-Wan Kenobi was always going to boost my rating (page 199, if anyone cares).
The only criticism I have is that the book doesn’t discuss the individual Discworld books in much detail; however, considering Discworld consists of forty-one books, I think it would be a big ask to have expected Burrows’ to have done this (plus Burrows’ himself states, in a footnote on page 211, that he wished he ‘had more space to write about the books’). Furthermore, as the book is a biography it makes sense that Burrows’ predominately stuck to facts instead of his own, personal views. Overall, I would recommend this book to any Pratchett fan: it is informative, well researched (I still find it hard to believe that this book took only ‘a year of hard work’), and is written in a way that reflects Pratchett’s own unique form of comedy. It is a joy to read and I’m sure many will enjoy this book as much as I did. I tend to begrudge giving any book a five-star review but, annoyingly, this book deserves it.
Although I’m a massive fan of Pratchett and his literary genius I didn’t have high expectations for Burrows’ biography of him. I have read several books that offered biographical information on Pratchett but I was continuously left disappointed, the works always seemed to present facts that a person could easily have found after a five-minute search on the internet and they never showed anything original. My lack of enthusiasm for Burrows’ book, however, was changed within reading the first few pages; I knew quickly that this book was going to offer much more than anything else on Pratchett I’d ever read before.
It markets itself as the ‘first full biography of Sir Terry Pratchett’ and remains true to this. The biography is in chronological order which not only creates an enjoyable read but also allows the reader to feel as though they have a front row view of Pratchett’s life from childhood to his unfortunate and untimely death. It gives a full rounded view of Pratchett – from his childhood love of the library, to his career as a journalist, to how he slowly became the renowned author many have grown to love.
What I admired most about Burrows’ book was that, although his love for Pratchett is made abundantly clear, he also remains free of bias; he isn’t afraid to point out any of Pratchett’s flaws which creates a much more interesting, genuine feel to the book. I also admired how Burrows’ comedic writing matches Pratchett’s own, right down to the use of footnotes for factual and comedic effect. Plus, as a huge Star Wars fan, Burrows’ mention of Obi-Wan Kenobi was always going to boost my rating (page 199, if anyone cares).
The only criticism I have is that the book doesn’t discuss the individual Discworld books in much detail; however, considering Discworld consists of forty-one books, I think it would be a big ask to have expected Burrows’ to have done this (plus Burrows’ himself states, in a footnote on page 211, that he wished he ‘had more space to write about the books’). Furthermore, as the book is a biography it makes sense that Burrows’ predominately stuck to facts instead of his own, personal views. Overall, I would recommend this book to any Pratchett fan: it is informative, well researched (I still find it hard to believe that this book took only ‘a year of hard work’), and is written in a way that reflects Pratchett’s own unique form of comedy. It is a joy to read and I’m sure many will enjoy this book as much as I did. I tend to begrudge giving any book a five-star review but, annoyingly, this book deserves it.
May 27, 2020
I'm not one to take the time to get to know the creators whose work I enjoy. I rarely know the names and faces of the members of bands I like, am usually only vaguely aware of the real lives of actors I love, and I've never made a pilgrimage to the birthplace of any of the authors I admire. Terry Pratchett, being my favourite author, and being somewhat more in the public eye than many, I thought I knew a bit more about. This biography, however, painted such an interesting and vivid picture of Terry, I'm deeply sorry I didn't take the trouble to learn more during his lifetime. Reading this book, it really was a pleasure spending time with Terry Pratchett.
Whilst I shed a few tears during the book (and downright sobbed in parts), I spent most of the time with a grin on my face, repeating funny and interesting parts to my (much longer standing Pratchett fan) husband. Sir Terry is portrayed fondly but with realism, no airbrushing or sensationalism. I felt that Marc Burrows really focussed on how the author Terry Pratchett came to be, concentrating more on his earlier career that I knew less about, than the later details many of us are familiar with, and can be more easily discovered. Amongst the story of the author, you also get an intelligent picture of the man himself. Marc's research and attention to detail are evident and, though I was not convinced to begin with, his "homage" footnotes are a joy.
Whilst I've read all 41 Discworld novels, all the Long Earth series, and a few others, I'm now off to spend all my money on the the Terry Pratchett books I don't yet have. I'll definitely also be adding this book to my purchase list, and would recommend it to any Pratchett fan.
Whilst I shed a few tears during the book (and downright sobbed in parts), I spent most of the time with a grin on my face, repeating funny and interesting parts to my (much longer standing Pratchett fan) husband. Sir Terry is portrayed fondly but with realism, no airbrushing or sensationalism. I felt that Marc Burrows really focussed on how the author Terry Pratchett came to be, concentrating more on his earlier career that I knew less about, than the later details many of us are familiar with, and can be more easily discovered. Amongst the story of the author, you also get an intelligent picture of the man himself. Marc's research and attention to detail are evident and, though I was not convinced to begin with, his "homage" footnotes are a joy.
Whilst I've read all 41 Discworld novels, all the Long Earth series, and a few others, I'm now off to spend all my money on the the Terry Pratchett books I don't yet have. I'll definitely also be adding this book to my purchase list, and would recommend it to any Pratchett fan.
July 28, 2020
My thanks to Pen & Sword/White Owl for granting my wish for a digital edition via NetGalley of ‘The Magic of Terry Pratchett: A Biography’ by Marc Burrows in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first full biography of Sir Terry Pratchett and certainly a must read for Pratchett fans and for anyone wanting a comprehensive introduction.
Marc Burrows has done a brilliant job of bringing together archival material, interviews, and an in-depth analysis of Pratchett’s works. I was riveted from start to finish.
I had been reading Pratchett from the start of the Discworld series and they remain firm favourites. It provided me with a great deal of food for thought in terms of the changes in his writing and themes over the years.
I also had the pleasure of meeting Terry Pratchett a number of times during the 90s-early 00s at various events and his love of SFF, generosity and kindness was always evident. He really did ‘pay it forward’. This was an excellent tribute to the man and his work.
Following the main text there is an extensive bibliography and index. It also includes a number of archive photographs.
I expect that I will be adding its print edition to my library in due course. Highly recommended.
This is the first full biography of Sir Terry Pratchett and certainly a must read for Pratchett fans and for anyone wanting a comprehensive introduction.
Marc Burrows has done a brilliant job of bringing together archival material, interviews, and an in-depth analysis of Pratchett’s works. I was riveted from start to finish.
I had been reading Pratchett from the start of the Discworld series and they remain firm favourites. It provided me with a great deal of food for thought in terms of the changes in his writing and themes over the years.
I also had the pleasure of meeting Terry Pratchett a number of times during the 90s-early 00s at various events and his love of SFF, generosity and kindness was always evident. He really did ‘pay it forward’. This was an excellent tribute to the man and his work.
Following the main text there is an extensive bibliography and index. It also includes a number of archive photographs.
I expect that I will be adding its print edition to my library in due course. Highly recommended.
July 29, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.
This is a very well written, easy to read look at one of the greatest fantasy authors of all time. When I started this book I was a little concerned with how Burrows could write more than 200 pages about Pratchett's life because, aside from being a famous author, he had a pretty average life. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to see that a large focus of the book is on analysis and anecdotes about his actual work. If you are familiar with the 50+ novels that Pratchett wrote over the course of his life, you will love this book. The many 4 and 5 star reviews I've seen for this book are well deserved coming from people who are Pratchett scholars.
However, if you are not very familiar with the many characters and stories of Pratchett's bibliography, there will likely be little to enjoy here. Several passages that I found either fascinating or hilarious I read to people who have never read Pratchett before and got little to no interest in response. One person even asked me "is that the whole story?" after I read them the part about how The Luggage was created. I actually considered giving this one only three stars because it will not appeal, I think, to anyone who isn't already a huge Pratchett fan, but in the end this book is exactly what it says on the tin and so should not be downgraded because of that.
If you love The Discworld then I suggest picking this one up immediately. If you've never read it, I suggest Mort or Guards! Guards as your immediate next read.
This is a very well written, easy to read look at one of the greatest fantasy authors of all time. When I started this book I was a little concerned with how Burrows could write more than 200 pages about Pratchett's life because, aside from being a famous author, he had a pretty average life. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to see that a large focus of the book is on analysis and anecdotes about his actual work. If you are familiar with the 50+ novels that Pratchett wrote over the course of his life, you will love this book. The many 4 and 5 star reviews I've seen for this book are well deserved coming from people who are Pratchett scholars.
However, if you are not very familiar with the many characters and stories of Pratchett's bibliography, there will likely be little to enjoy here. Several passages that I found either fascinating or hilarious I read to people who have never read Pratchett before and got little to no interest in response. One person even asked me "is that the whole story?" after I read them the part about how The Luggage was created. I actually considered giving this one only three stars because it will not appeal, I think, to anyone who isn't already a huge Pratchett fan, but in the end this book is exactly what it says on the tin and so should not be downgraded because of that.
If you love The Discworld then I suggest picking this one up immediately. If you've never read it, I suggest Mort or Guards! Guards as your immediate next read.
August 27, 2020
Clearly passionate, thoroughly researched and exceedingly well written. Fans of Sir Terry of all degrees (and, I would bet, fans of biographies in general) will be well rewarded by this. It will make you laugh, cry, and repeatedly look up and down the page at footnotes with extra info or tangential jokes.
My one tiny gripe (1) (which I suspect will be unique to a very small subset of readers) is that brief summaries/overviews of many of Pratchett's work are given throughout the book, rightly so as they illustrate the theme of art imitating life (and sometimes vice versa). I've only read 4 discworld novels so far (to my shame) and some instances of these summaries could be seen as 'spoiling' the stories I've not yet gotten to. That being said, I was never once annoyed by this and in fact have come away from this book with an even greater urge to continue my dive into the business with the turtle (2).
In summary: Highly recommended, even if you're only a little interested. If you're the sort to be easily annoyed by brief plot overviews AND haven't yet read most of the stories, maybe buy this now and have it on the shelf ready for when you do.
(1) Sorry, Marc. It's not too bad, I promise.
(2) See?
My one tiny gripe (1) (which I suspect will be unique to a very small subset of readers) is that brief summaries/overviews of many of Pratchett's work are given throughout the book, rightly so as they illustrate the theme of art imitating life (and sometimes vice versa). I've only read 4 discworld novels so far (to my shame) and some instances of these summaries could be seen as 'spoiling' the stories I've not yet gotten to. That being said, I was never once annoyed by this and in fact have come away from this book with an even greater urge to continue my dive into the business with the turtle (2).
In summary: Highly recommended, even if you're only a little interested. If you're the sort to be easily annoyed by brief plot overviews AND haven't yet read most of the stories, maybe buy this now and have it on the shelf ready for when you do.
(1) Sorry, Marc. It's not too bad, I promise.
(2) See?
July 3, 2021
I will admit to shedding manly tears in the final chapter of this book. Sir Pterry remains my favourite writer and Mr Burrows approaches him with love but not reverence, which is the hallmark of a decent biographer. It’s faults are that it is all-too-brief on Pratchett’s life while he was a successful author, concentrating on the novels and their impact more than the man himself. It’s also possible that the novels were Pratchett’s life at this time and that there is precious little to record outside of that. However, it is wonderful at recreating his early life and final years and has a robust go at estimating his reach on the world without giving us some judgement (wisely left to posterity, IMNSHO). One question that remains unanswered, though: as a native of Tasmania myself (though living in Western Australia these days), I would love to know the location of the house Terry was thinking of buying there!
November 30, 2021
I won’t lie: some tears were poured over the last few chapters of this book. I completely understand Terry Pratchett’s battle for the right to a dignified death; it is what I would want for myself. That said, for the most part, this book is a delightful journey through the life of an author whose books have given me great joy.
I finished the book thinking that Marc Burrows is a fan but not a blind devotee. The list of references at the end testify to his extensive research and preparation for this book. He captures both Terry Pratchett’s generosity as well as his anger and his tendency to embellish anecdotes. And he does it all in a style reminiscent of Pratchett’s own. The footnotes are a particular delight.
Given that Rob Wilkins is probably penning a far more comprehensive biography with access to Pratchett’s own notes for his planned memoir, it is probably understandable that this is not very long. I still enjoyed it thoroughly, and I needed the laughs at this point in my life. So, thank you very much Sindhu S for the gift. I am truly grateful.
I finished the book thinking that Marc Burrows is a fan but not a blind devotee. The list of references at the end testify to his extensive research and preparation for this book. He captures both Terry Pratchett’s generosity as well as his anger and his tendency to embellish anecdotes. And he does it all in a style reminiscent of Pratchett’s own. The footnotes are a particular delight.
Given that Rob Wilkins is probably penning a far more comprehensive biography with access to Pratchett’s own notes for his planned memoir, it is probably understandable that this is not very long. I still enjoyed it thoroughly, and I needed the laughs at this point in my life. So, thank you very much Sindhu S for the gift. I am truly grateful.
May 17, 2020
Excellent biography of a wonderful writer
I loved this book. I’ve read all the Discworld novels and am a big fan of Terry Pratchett. I felt that the biography did justice to this amazing writer. Marc Burrows points out Pratchett’s strengths and faults and takes the reader on a journey through Pratchett’s writing, including his children’s literature and science fiction. I felt that the tone and style of Burrows’s writing fit well with that of Pratchett, down to clever and fun footnotes. I strongly recommend this book for any fan of Pratchett.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.
I loved this book. I’ve read all the Discworld novels and am a big fan of Terry Pratchett. I felt that the biography did justice to this amazing writer. Marc Burrows points out Pratchett’s strengths and faults and takes the reader on a journey through Pratchett’s writing, including his children’s literature and science fiction. I felt that the tone and style of Burrows’s writing fit well with that of Pratchett, down to clever and fun footnotes. I strongly recommend this book for any fan of Pratchett.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.
August 4, 2020
In the absence of Rob Wilkins' biography, this book will do. I mean that quite fondly. The author uses publicly available information and interviews with people who knew STP to write a chronological biography of the great author. I'm surprised that it's taken five years for anyone to write one. The focus is on his books, especially the Discworld novels, and all Terry Pratchett's writing from his first story in the school newspaper until the day in late 2014 when he stopped writing.
The book is very well written, and the author is obviously writing it because he loves the books of Terry Pratchett. There's nothing that you couldn't already find out, if you hunt in enough places, but this book brings together whats generally known about STP into a neat and organised format. That isn't to say Burrows is uncritical of Terry Pratchett, he points out where reality and Pratchett's anecdotes diverge, and provides critical appraisal of the complete works of Sir Terry.
The book is very well written, and the author is obviously writing it because he loves the books of Terry Pratchett. There's nothing that you couldn't already find out, if you hunt in enough places, but this book brings together whats generally known about STP into a neat and organised format. That isn't to say Burrows is uncritical of Terry Pratchett, he points out where reality and Pratchett's anecdotes diverge, and provides critical appraisal of the complete works of Sir Terry.
August 3, 2024
This book was so obviously written by a fan, the love of its subject absolutely shines through.
I don't read many biographies, but I have read a lot of Pratchett, and have also read (and loved) Marc Burrows' book about Manic Street Preachers, so this was an obvious pick for me. This chronicle of Sir Terry's life and death, his books, his campaigning and his philosophy is written with love, respect and generosity. It acknowledges fully the importance of the people around him, especially his parents, wife and daughter, and draws parallels between Pratchett's own life and surroundings, and the events and landscapes of his stories.
If you like Pratchett, you'll probably like this.
I don't read many biographies, but I have read a lot of Pratchett, and have also read (and loved) Marc Burrows' book about Manic Street Preachers, so this was an obvious pick for me. This chronicle of Sir Terry's life and death, his books, his campaigning and his philosophy is written with love, respect and generosity. It acknowledges fully the importance of the people around him, especially his parents, wife and daughter, and draws parallels between Pratchett's own life and surroundings, and the events and landscapes of his stories.
If you like Pratchett, you'll probably like this.
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