[51T]≡ PDF The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld Terry Pratchett Stephen Briggs Books

The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld Terry Pratchett Stephen Briggs Books

Download As PDF : The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld Terry Pratchett Stephen Briggs Books

The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld Terry Pratchett Stephen Briggs Books

I have always loved the wit and humor that always comes through in Terry Pratchett's writing, and often find myself quoting odd bits and pieces from his books. The exact wording sometimes eludes me, and I would have liked little compendium that I could use to flip to a quote that was just on the tip of my tongue. Unfortunately, this book isn't really useful in that regard. I was expecting this book to be sorted by category, like religion, politics, birth, death, food, etc. The description seemed to support this expectation, since it names four categories, and gives an example of each. That isn't the case. The quotes are arranged by their book of origin. I already own most of these novels, and could simply go look for the quotes inside the original novel as easily as I could in this book, without the added concern that the passage I was seeking had been omitted. It also makes for a very cumbersome read. Reading this book is kind of like watching a movie trailer. You get some idea of what is going on, but everything feels disconnected and incomplete. I fail to see the value that this "collection" offers, especially in a digital age, when we can carry the entire Pratchett library in our phones to thumb through at our leisure. Someone should consider editing and reorganizing these quotes by category, so that this publication serves some purpose. In its current state, it is a waste of money and a purchase I regret.


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The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld Terry Pratchett Stephen Briggs Books Reviews

Terry Pratchett is one of the greatest living authors, not to mention very prolific! I am still working my way through the Pratchett library for the first time. I intend to reread them all if time is kind to me. Browsing through "The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld" is akin to having an epic meal, then being able to enjoy it again as leftovers. I am revisiting some of the many memorable characters in some of their most memorable moments. Still, it is NOT a new Pratchett novel and has no story line of its own. It's a great book for browsing and recalling.
This collection of Pratchett's one liners, monologues and even diatribes on the folly of Discworld men and creatures (women get marginally less jibes)is a great dip in and dip out style of book. It reminds you of all the best bits of the Discworld novels that you mean to remember as quotes, but as soon as you find the next one that makes you laugh out loud you forget the last one you were trying to remember. I have learnt to keep my reading of all Pratchett's works to the privacy of my own home lest I be locked up for a psychiatric disorder, laughing out loud during a lecture on nanobiopharmacotherapeutics or in someother inappropriate place.
To sum this compendium up I would say it is great and has made me vow to re-read all of the Discworld novels yet again.
Ah, Terry Pratchett. What an amazing fellow! I've had the immense joy of meeting him on two occasions and found him to be wonderfuly warm and entertaining. Very much worth all the praise he gets for his writing.

The best of these writings are culled together into this book. It's a collection of quotes and scenes from the various Discworld novels (including the "kids" books, but leaving out the short stories). It's a fairly comprehensive book, though I'm sure everyone will likely think their particular favorite is under-represented (THREE PAGES?! That's all that Small Gods gets?! WHAT THE HECK?!). You will likely also notice that some of your favorite quotes or scenes are not in this book (ie the "Elves are..." bit from Lords and Ladies).

But beyond that, this is a very nice, well put-together compilation of some of the greatest... er... things... of the Discworld. It even features an index where you can look up lines from all your favorite characters.

Though far from complete, this is a worthwhile purchase at a very reasonable price, and who knows? If enough of his Discheads (not a word you want to make a typo on), buy this up, maybe we'll be treated to volume two?
...but nothing new for established disciples of Pterry.

If you know someone who you think would enjoy Discworld but are unsure which book to lend, this may very well be the perfect one; they won't have to commit to a front-to-back read, but will still get an idea what makes DW novels so much fun. You can either actively lend it out, or leave it on the coffee table (or in the loo!) and have lots of people over.

The cover is chaotic but friendly-- another tell that lets your potential fellow fan know what they're in for, since that's also a pretty good description of the series.
Steven Briggs, the man behind the Discworld maps and stage versions of the Discworld stories and the Discworld Companion, has compiled in this single volume many of the funniest -- and wisest -- moments from the whole series of Discworld novels, all the way from "The Color of Magic" to "Making Money" (and including the four "youth" books). I say "many" moments, not all, because to do that, as Briggs says in his foreword, he might as well have tied a set of all the Discworld novels up with a ribbon. Some jokes, Briggs tellsus, would not fit in this compilation because too much context was required, and the judgment of what is most funny is too subjective for everyone to agree. But any Discworld fan can be assured that at least many moments happily remembered make their appearance in "The Wit & Wisdom of Discworld" (and, if the fan is like me, some moments you have forgotten). Excerpts range from single sentences to several paragraphs, and occasionally Briggs supplies a comment or two of background to explain what the joke is about. The excerpts are arranged in chapters, one for each novel. And there is even an index in which you can look up such things as "witches Omnians and," and "Vetenari, Havelock, Lord (Partrician of Ankh-Morpork) tyranny in practice".

The book makes for wonderful browsing, or reading straight-through. And it makes you want to go back and read the novels themselves again.
I have always loved the wit and humor that always comes through in Terry Pratchett's writing, and often find myself quoting odd bits and pieces from his books. The exact wording sometimes eludes me, and I would have liked little compendium that I could use to flip to a quote that was just on the tip of my tongue. Unfortunately, this book isn't really useful in that regard. I was expecting this book to be sorted by category, like religion, politics, birth, death, food, etc. The description seemed to support this expectation, since it names four categories, and gives an example of each. That isn't the case. The quotes are arranged by their book of origin. I already own most of these novels, and could simply go look for the quotes inside the original novel as easily as I could in this book, without the added concern that the passage I was seeking had been omitted. It also makes for a very cumbersome read. Reading this book is kind of like watching a movie trailer. You get some idea of what is going on, but everything feels disconnected and incomplete. I fail to see the value that this "collection" offers, especially in a digital age, when we can carry the entire Pratchett library in our phones to thumb through at our leisure. Someone should consider editing and reorganizing these quotes by category, so that this publication serves some purpose. In its current state, it is a waste of money and a purchase I regret.