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Terry Pratchett

There is a danger that for uninitiated contemporaries Sir Terry Pratchett will become more associated with the early-onset Alzheimer’s which has cruelly struck him than with his brilliant contribution to our literature. His quietly heroic stance faced with the illness, and his support for the legalisation of assisted death, have made the news recently. It is for the wonderful Discworld series, however, that he will be remembered. The temptation is to compare him to other authors: he’s as prolific and conscience-prodding as Dickens; as funny as Wodehouse; as subversive as Swift. But Pratchett is Pratchett; and Sam Vimes; Nobby Nobbs; Death; Rincewind; Dibbler; Havelock Vetinari and 1000 other often unlikely heroes. Which makes him a hero for us too.

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No one can read with profit that which he cannot learn to read with pleasure. - Thomas Hardy
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On this day:
Battle of Ringmere - 1010, Charles I disbands the Short Parliament - 1640, Death of Napoleon - 1821, Amy Johnson begins her flight upon Gypsy Moth - 1930, The SAS storms the Iranian embassy in London - 1980, Death of Hunger Striker Bobby Sands - 1981, 1000th Top of the Pops - 1983, Tony Blairs Labour win 3rd General Election - 2005
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