Terry Pratchett has Alzheimer's

Such a shame.

So sorry to hear about this, awesome guy, infact i'd go as far as a legendary guy. first books i ever read and to this day still the only ones that keep me interested. such a bummer :(

very sad but hopeful

This is like hearing that a member of my family has Alzheimer's... which has actually happened to me before. But that's not the point. This is terrible news. When I read it the other day, I was studying at a café, but then when I read this, I couldn't do anything more. I just ... couldn't. I think you know what I mean. I went home and talked with my wife, who has a good idea of what this meant to me.

sad thing is it was my ex-wife who nursed me back to health after my head injury (made famous some 6.5 years ago on slashdot!), and it was she who introduced me to TP. (and my favorite band in the world, The Church. but that's a little less important right now.)

I know personally how the people of the Internet can rally to support someone. His note is hopeful. Let's give PTerry our best!

Damn

Damn damn damn damn damn damn damn.

Too young. Yes, I know it ain't over yet, but it shouldn't be over for another 30 years at least.

Sad news. But...

But, slightly more than impressed with the way that he was able to face the public and tell everyone about this.

Knowing his wonderful sense of humour, I wouldn't be surprised if in 2 or 3 weeks, he calls another press conference and announces exactly the same thing.

Jolyon

(ps. I gave up reading the discworld books when he started writing them faster than I could read them)

Best Wishes

Just to say, I hope Terry is reading these. Most of the comments would make him laugh out loud, especially the death-like 'SO I'M A LITTLE EARLY AM I?'. That was classic.

Keep going Terry, keep writing. The world would be a darker place without you and the books.

@Mark (twice).

1. I never said I didn't like his books. If you can show otherwise, I'll pay £1000 to a charity of your choice.

2. I never "took him down a peg". If you can show otherwise, I'll pay another £1000 to a charity of your choice. Whoever it was up above had it right when he said most of the comments here are selfishly couched in terms of "oh my... what am I going to read NOW?!".

3. Terry Pratchett is not your mother. If you can show otherwise, I'll pay £1000,000 to a charity of your choice, and dig out both my kidneys with a rusty spoon and post the video on YouTube. Plus I'll re-enact those 2GirlsOneCup things with my dog.

4. My mother is dead. We've already had her funeral, so you're a bit late.

5. Your posts are subjective and emotional. Mine are rather more objective. Nothing "makes" it sad for you, and nothing "makes" you unhappy. You're a big boy. Take a bit of responsibility for yourself and your feelings, there's a good chap. You sound like a girl. Or a leftie.

6. How would his choice of sexual partner give us "more leeway" to insult his books than the manner of his dying? More to the point, I think I missed the bit where you were voted Grand Poobah and we had to get your permission and seek "leeway" to express our opinions.

7. Who said I've ever uttered the words ""you'll be sadly missed"? You know absolutely nothing about how I feel or think about my death or anyone else's. You're projecting your own feelings onto others and inventing all sorts of complex-equivalences. Are you sure you're not a girl or a leftie?

Pratchett having Alzheimer's is a shit and really isn't fair. Then, it's not "fair" my son has cerebral palsy. It's not "fair" I'm, 42 years old and 5'5'' instead of 22, 6''2' and helpless sex-slave to a rich, 16-year-old bisexual pneumatic-blonde nymphomaniac Danish supermodel.

It's not "fair" it's not Fair it's not FAIR!

But that's the way the universe works. We can play only the hand we're dealt, Mark. And, Pratchett getting Alzheimer's is objectively no better and no worse than anyone else getting it. Subjectively, for whoever gets it, it's no party.

And let's face it: they're the ones who really count in all this. I'm fairly confident the people actually going through it as sufferers and carers really get the shitty end of the stick. I only ever met one person who was looking forward to dying, and she was a nun. With exquisite irony, she recovered from her near-fatal illness and is still alive and really pissed off about it.

So in the midst of all the wailing and gnashing of teeth on here and the self-pitying, just stop and think who this really affects: Pratchett himself and his family. They're the embuggered one here, and kudos to him for taking it as well as he seems to have.

I'm not sure I would have such fortitude.

-- Jon

@jonathan

So what about points 1 to 7? Coming on here and talking shit about TP's books is't right here (take a look at ashley's post, read what HE says and you defended him on).

I've hit a nerve with you by trash talking about you (I wasn't, but your delusion made you think so, and so you reacted). Now what if TP or his friends read the comments? Not nice for them. Hence all the posts from people goin "naff off. No trashing Terry here".

But as long as it's not you or your family, you want to *defend* them?

Since there's no need to show fir points 1-4, why not donate 4 grand to altzheimers research?

Aw, Crapulence!

The hands-down best Destroyer of English (and Gluminosity) in decades. P. Anthony could not hold my interest, but book-after-book-after-book - and let's not forget Good Omens - Terry kept creating. Yes, he IS a British national treasure, and in fact a national treasure of English writing and English literature. Keep on writing, Terry!

What to say?

What do you say to someone you have never met but has made your life a happier and brighter place?

Terry, wherever your mind goes a lot of us will end up there too. So that's something to look forward to! It's not over yet but if you hear a fat lady singing in the distance, please write faster...

I take comfort in the fact...

... that CMOT Dibbler is probably going around the crowd that's formed on this thread to sell sausages in a bun

@Mark

Errr... what? Can you write that again in English?

I have never said anything about Pratchett's books. Not once. Nor have I said anything about not liking "it" if it was me or my family (and I'm not even sure what the "it" is here. If "it" is Alzheimer's, then you're damned right I wouldn't like it, but I also wouldn't give two hoots what people said about it, either). So I'm not quite sure what nerve you think you've hit, Mark, but whatever keeps you happy, mate. Personally, I get the feeling you make this shit up.

See, if you actually *read* what I did write, you'll realise what I'm doing is a. being objective and b. tangentially defending free speech (OK, it's not strictly "free" because the good people at the Reg own the site and ultimately they have the final say what goes up here, and that's entirely right and proper).

As for Terry and his friends reading this and not liking it: so what? That's unfortunate, but neither I nor anyone else can help that since we're all responsible for our own feelings. More to the point, freedom of speech is about defending the right of people to say the unpleasant and unsavoury things, not the nice ones. I've not once bashed Terry here. Nowhere. Not him, not his books. Not a thing. Nor have I made light of his situation.

Yet, even those who have: it's not mutually exclusive to wish to express one's sorrow and regret at Pratchett's situation yet also to say you think his books are illiterate bilge. If you thought his books were crap last Saturday it's not the case his statement revealing his Alzheimer's suddenly changes your opinion as if by magic.

If you're really suggesting you can't post anything here unless you're both saying how awful it is and how brilliant his books are you're potentially depriving Terry of some considerable emotional support for his plight (because of all the people who might want to say "Gee, Terry, I didn't like your books much, although I feel for you and your family and I wish you the very best in the difficult times ahead").

Anyone who'd want to stop people posting those sentiments -- and I'm not saying you do, necessarily -- must actually be Satan made flesh. Watch when they step out of the shower: they'll be steaming AND leaving hoof-prints.

Probably.

-- Jon

@Danni

Thank you, Danni. My own thoughts are it would be rather more useful to leave nice comments than nasty ones, although I don't recall anyone saying anything nasty about Terry or his disease.

In any case, with the proviso this is the Reg's private property, I'm most definitely in Voltaire's camp: "Monsieur l'abbé, I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write."

About "[I] need to stop thinking logically about this, and start thinking humanely and emotionally".

Um. No. I'll pass on that, thank you. First, thinking "humanely" is not mutually exclusive with thinking logically. In fact, there are times when I reckon thinking logically is more likely to lead to a humane result: for example in deciding to end the life of a much-loved pet which is suffering. In my experience, "emotionally thinking" people tend to keep it alive (and suffering) longer because of their own selfish emotional attachment.

Secondly, I'd take the Objectivist line on this and say "emotional thinking" isn't really "thinking" at all. It's "feeling"; and while "feeling" is certainly pleasant at times and reminds us we're human, allowing it to control your actions is by definition irrational.

Logical thinking has brought us science and modern technology and all that goes with it. Mathematics, hygiene, computers, aeroplanes, modern medicine, the very monitor you're reading this on.

On the other hand, emotional thinking tends to lead to book burnings, people-burnings, murder, rape, crusades against homosexuals, ethnic minorities, and historians who wish to utter words some people don't want to hear, lynchings, all manner of strange religions, and, the to my mind peculiar, woman who "KNOWS" she is the reincarnation of Queen Nefertiti and is having endless plastic surgery to "prove" it.

Thanks for your concern, although I really do not have any desire or need for "emotional thinking" in my life. Feelings are great and I do have them, you know; I just don't base important decisions on them.

-- Jon

It's not about you

What a sorry bunch of whiners some of you are!

Should Mr P ever have the time or inclination - on some rainy Tuesday - to read any of these comments I would merely like to state:

Every one of your books has been eagerly awaited, thoroughly enjoyed and placed lovingly on the shelf to be read again. I hope to read as many more as you can give us.

However, I hope you are busy writing instead of reading some self absorbed geek's defence of his totally irrelevant opinions.