Pratchett on bigotry

From time to time I binge on Discworld. This week, on holiday, I’ve been rereading some of the Terry Pratchett novels that tackle bigotry and racism. They are deeply satisfying combings from the beard of his invention. They don't offer a unified theory of how people could be nice to each other, but they are … Continue reading Pratchett on bigotry →

Framework, unfinished: Terry Pratchett’s The Shepherd’s Crown

You know that feeling of ‘damn, she got there before me’? That’s what I felt, listening to Helen Lewis on the New Statesman podcast talking about the last Terry Pratchett novel, The Shepherd’s Crown. At every point she made, I nodded, and chopped the celery a little more crossly while admiring, of course, her perspicacity in … Continue reading Framework, unfinished: Terry Pratchett’s The Shepherd’s Crown →

Reading Terry Pratchett: a beginner’s guide

A short list of suggestions for how to start reading Terry Pratchett's novels, because the list is now closed. Guards, Guards, for the perfect, all-in-one introduction to Discworld's major city, to its plethora of characters and races, and to the immortal Vimes. Monstrous Regiment, for searing satire on feminism, war-mongering and class. I Shall Wear … Continue reading Reading Terry Pratchett: a beginner’s guide →