Wossname – November 2020 – Main issue
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wossnameWossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
November 2020 (Volume 23, Issue 11, Post 1)
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WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works of Sir Terry Pratchett. Originally founded by the late, great Joe Schaumburger for members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North American Discworld Society and other continental groups, Wossname is now for Discworld and Pratchett fans everywhere in Roundworld.
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Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Vera P
Newshounds: Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow, Mss C, Alison not Aliss
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Evil Steven Dread, Mrs Wynn-Jones
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Annie Mac, Drusilla D'Afanguin, Your Name Here
Puzzle Editor: Tiff (still out there somewhere)
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
Emergency Staff: Steven D'Aprano, Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)
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INDEX:
01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) ANIMATED MAURICE NEWS
04) ODDS AND SODS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
09) CLOSE
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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
"It's hard to imagine an author who was not a reader first."
- Professor Sir Terry Pratchett, at his inaugural lecture in November 2010
"What's the first story that Pan narrans tells himself? He tells himself that he is Homo sapiens."
- as above, a year later
"Ponder looked up at the gnomic bulk of the machine. It didn't seem threatening, merely . . . *other*. He thought: meddle first, understand later. You had to meddle a bit before you had anything to try to understand. And the thing was never, ever, to go back and hide in the Lavatory of Unreason. You have to try to get your mind around the Universe before you can give it a twist."
– Ponder Stibbons discovers the scientific method in Interesting Times (p.248, Gollancz hardcover)
"The Agatean word for foreigner is the same as the word for ghost, and only one brush stroke away from the word for victim."
– Interesting Times (p.92, as above)
"The ones near the coast build rafts and head out across lonely seas to lands that are a fable. The ones inland resort to man-carrying kites and chairs propelled by fireworks. Many of them die in the attempt, of course. Most of the others are soon caught, and made to live in interesting times. But some did make it to the great melting pot called Ankh-Morpork. They arrived with no money – sailors charged what the market would bear, which was everything – but they had a mad gleam in their eye and they opened shops and restaurants and worked twenty-four hours a day. People called this the Ankh-Morpork Dream (of making piles of cash in a place where your death was unlikely to be a matter of public policy). And it was dreamed all the stronger by people who didn't sleep."
– ibid.
"I have no religious belief, but I believe this world is not the only one."
– Sir Pterry, talking to The Late Late Show's presenter Ryan Tubridy in 2012
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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
We've almost made it through the Year of the Condescending Carp! **looks nervously in the direction of Fate and the Lady** And in honour of the decade that has passed, as of this month, since Professor Sir Pterry gave his inaugural lecture at Trinity College Dublin, I decided it was well past time for me to watch it, along with his "year's end exam" there in November 2011 (spoiler: he passed), and several other related videos. Some recommendations...
First, there's "The Importance of Being Amazed About Absolutely Everything", the Professor (and Blackboard Monitor)'s lecture, partially read by Rob Wilkins as the PCA was already beginning to bite but with frequent comedic interruptions by the man who wrote it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2FZ_0d3yEI
...and then "An Evening With Sir Terry Pratchett", in conversation at TCD a year later with Prof Darryl Jones, Head of Trinity's School of English, discussing overpopulation, how we are probably Pan narrans, longterm thinking, the concept of purpose, non-renewable resources, a long discussion of the Choosing to Die documentary and why he made it, (especially the segment that starts at at minute 29), and eventually, language. writing, Snuff, the goddess Narrativia, the birth and process of the Long Earth series and the philosophical questions it raised as he crafted it... and at the end, a presentation of the tool of his *other* trade:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3KDTtKPtqo
...and here in November of 2020, there's "Magical Mind: the World of Terry Pratchett", the Senate House Library's recent remote group chat – Rob Wilkins, Neil Gaiman and Rhianna Pratchett, discussing The Author's writing methods and career path, with a liberal sprinkling of anecdotes from all three. The action starts at about minute five, as there were technical issues to sort out first and gets into proper gear after minute fifteen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzZeSfP45hU
*
For those of you whose highly-anticipated copies of The Ankh-Morpork Archives Volume Two have yet to arrive, an update from the Discworld Emporium:
"Let it be known that the Illustrated Guards! Guards! originally due for release today will now be published November 19th, so worry not if your anticipated book has not yet arrived. The limited edition signed slipcase edition has also been pushed back to December 10th but we're sure it will be worth the wait!"
And now, on with the show...
– Annie Mac, Editor
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03) THE AMAZING ANIMATED MAURICE IS IN PROGRESS!
From Narrativia:
"Coming to Sky Cinema in 2022, The Amazing Maurice, a Sky original, follows Maurice, a streetwise ginger cat who has the perfect money-making scam. He finds a kid who plays a pipe, and he also befriends his very own horde of strangely educated, talking rats – so Maurice can no longer think of them as ‘lunch’. When Maurice and the rodents reach the stricken town of Bad Blintz, they meet a bookworm, Malicia. Their little con soon goes down the drain as something very bad is waiting for them in the cellars.
"Sarah Wright, Director of Sky Cinema and Acquisitions at Sky UK & Ireland comments: 'The Amazing Maurice is a fantastic story from a legendary author, and I couldn’t think of a better tale to bring to life as an animated film for all the family. I’m excited to work with Ulysses Filmproduktion and Cantilever Media to bring this exclusive new movie to Sky Cinema audiences in 2022.' Emely Christians, Producer and CEO of Ulysses Filmproduktion comments: 'When I read The Amazing Maurice, I knew we had to turn this amazing novel into a film. The art and animation departments are working hard to recreate Terry Pratchett’s unique vision and I can’t wait to see this on screen!' Andrew Baker, Producer and CEO of Cantilever Media, said: 'I’m huge fan of Sir Terry Pratchett so I would not be embarking on this project unless I felt we were bringing the film to life in a way that honours the book and will please its numerous fans around the world. We have a great cast and great teams at the studios in Sheffield and Hamburg working to make this film special.' Robert Chandler, Producer at Cantilever Media said: 'The trick with The Amazing Maurice is getting the balance right. Terry Pratchett is a brilliant author, who was not afraid to explore dark places and have fun getting there. That’s the tone of our film.'
"Rob Wilkins, Producer and Managing Director of Narrativia, said: 'Bringing Maurice's story to life was such a joy for Terry and I’m delighted that the teams at Sky, Ulysses Filmproduktion and Cantilever Media are honouring his vision with such reverence and respect.'..."
To read the full announcement, go to https://narrativia.com/maurice.html
From the Radio Times:
"Hugh Laurie and Emilia Clarke have been confirmed as cast members for an animated film based on Terry Pratchett’s The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents... Pratchett’s source novel is part of his legendary Discworld series and tells an alternate version of the folk tale The Pied Piper of Hamelin. It centres on a cat whose plans for a money-making scam involving a pipe player and a horde of talking rats go horribly wrong in the town of Bad Blintz. Laurie will reportedly play the titular cat Maurice, while Clarke will voice Malicia,.."
https://bit.ly/2Jsxd7y
From Animation World Network:
"Bring on the Cat King of Rats! The Amazing Maurice, based on the late Sir Terry Pratchett’s 2001 novel, is in development at Ulysses Filmproduktion, Cantilever Media, Sky, Studio Rakete, and Red Star Animation (what a mouthful). Although we lost the beloved author in 2015, it is exciting to think we’ll soon get to admire his work on the big screen. Fingers crossed. Since the project’s announcement last year, it has gained quite the A-List voice cast..."
https://bit.ly/2Vg4vcL
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04) ODDS AND SODS
4.1 UPDATE: DISCWORLD AND BEYOND IN DORSET
Paul Kidby tweets: "The Discworld & Beyond exhibition at The Red House Museum, Christchurch will be closed for the duration of lockdown II. The good news is once it reopens in December we have extended the dates by four weeks to January 2nd, 2021."
When: now – 2nd January 2021
Venue: Red House Museum and Gardens, Quay Road, Christchurch BH23 1BU (phone 01202 482860)
Times: Tuesday to Friday 10am – 5pm; Saturday 10am – 4pm
Tickets: free admission, "however, please pre-book your preferred visiting time for all members of your party, including children." Tickets are available online via
https://bit.ly/3gZvvGd
"If you do not have a pre-booked visiting time or arrive late, the venue will do their best to accommodate you, but cannot guarantee you will be able to visit. During your visit to Red House Museum and Gardens, please follow all social distancing and hygiene guidelines. Thank you for your understanding."
https://www.paulkidby.com/event/discworld-beyond-8/
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/redhouse
4.2 UPDATES: THE TERRY PRATCHETT BOOK CLUB
On the website of publishers Tor, Emmet Asher-Perrin continues a Discworld discussion page. In this month's instalment, Sourcery finishes and Wyrd Sisters begins:
The latest instalments, three of them, see the remainder of Sourcery analysed...
"There’s an oddness to this whole book. And the oddness comes from Pratchett attempting to satirize Eastern culture, but doing so through what seems to be a deliberately Western lens – for example, many swaths here are direct parodies of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Kubla Khan. Which means that Pratchett is essentially poking fun at the way Western people think of Eastern cultures, the manner in which they are exoticized and often derided or looked down upon for merely being different than the Western world. Even Creosote’s poetry, though based on Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat, is based on a translation by Edward Fitzgerald (who is an English poet). So then the real question ultimately becomes, does Pratchett succeed in his task here? I think he manages it on paper, but it does demand that the reader have knowledge of what he’s parodying in order for the humor to fully come across when it needs to. If you don’t know the textual references, you might think that he’s genuinely dismissive of this part of the Disc, and then the whole thing kind of falls apart... The one pointed and helpful indication the reader receives that Pratchett is definitely poking fun at the Western perspective is actually through Rincewind here – who, in his thoughts about how this city is not right because it’s not like his city, gives himself away utterly..."
https://bit.ly/36mnZmC
The thing that catches me up at the end of this book is the textbook abusive parenting we get from Ipslore the staff (I’ve taught you everything; I gave you everything; you’re so ungrateful), and honestly… I wish more of the book was devoted to this. Because we know that the staff is making Coin do all of this, we know that Coin is truly just a little boy with access to unimaginable power, and we have some background on what filled Ipslore with vengeance. But we don’t get a lot of detail. We don’t get anything from either of their perspectives really, and that seems like a missed opportunity to do some digging on this premise. Because, really, the whole thing kind of hangs on this concept of knowing what you are, and being sure of that knowledge on your own terms. Rincewind is reminding himself of this at the end: He’s a wizard, he knows it because of the hat, the very same one the Librarian called his attention to and now keeps in a corner of the Library, awaiting Rincewind's return. And while it’s nice to see Rincewind stick to himself, we don’t get to see this lesson as carefully applied to the person who needs to internalize it the most. Coin doesn’t get the chance to truly know himself because he spends his life being directed and filled up with knowledge by the staff that’s his dead dad..."
https://bit.ly/2HTkSsQ
Next up is Wyrd Sisters:
"I’m not really sure that I can pick a favorite among the witches, but there is a special place in my heart reserved for Nanny Ogg and her many children and grandchildren who keep her house warm and clean and full of sustenance, and her propensity for getting drunk and singing bawdy songs... and her slightly more grounded, metropolitan approach to witching. In the end, I’m pretty sure that most people who endeavor to be witches would prefer the sort of life Nanny Ogg has put together for herself. But I’ve also got a soft spot for Magrat's eagerness, even if I don’t really hold with all the pomp and edifice she wants to tack onto the profession..."
https://bit.ly/3qfoo1O
Note: commenters are commenting there. Go for it! – Ed.
4.3 TERRY PRATCHETT: AN IRISH PERSPECTIVE
For RTE Arena, Irish crime novelist Arlene Hunt talks about how she came to be a Pratchett fan and discusses the personal evolution of Sam Vimes, as well as explaining some of the storylines and social concepts of the Discworld series. Her enthusiasm is positively incandescent. Do listen!
https://bit.ly/33oWyGI
4.4 PRATCHETT PODDERS
The Pratchat podcast ("Writer Elizabeth Flux and comedian Ben McKenzie read and discuss every Terry Pratchett book, one a month, each with a special guest!") is now up to its 37th issue. Have a listen!
https://pratchatpodcast.com/
4.5 THE MERCH CORNER
Mostly a repeat of last month's features, because it's that time of the year... and because one can't have too many Discworld cards on hand!
* Hogswatch cards
Selections from Paul Kidby's exquisite Hogswatch cards are still available! Paul Kidby Hogswatch cards are all priced at £2.95 each. For more info, and to order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/hogswatch-cards/
Note: other classic Kidby cards are also available, if less seasonal, as are the lovely Paper Panda silhouette Discworld character cards, all also priced at £2.95 each. For more info, and to order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/greetings-cards/
and https://discworld.com/products/sepia-cards/
* Discworld Masks
It looks as though Discworld fans in the UK, Europe, and North America might be needing these for a while yet...
A set of three masks (The Ankh-Morpork City Watch, The Grumpy Librarian and The Three Witches), UK-made from 100 per cent polyester "3 layer fabric with elastic ear loops woven with air jet textured PES", water and dirt repellent and machine washable. Timely merchandise, as it looks as if we'll all be needing them for a while yet...
Each set of masks is priced at £20. For more info, and to order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/masks/discworld-masks-complete-set/
Also, each of the three masks is also available at the price of £8 each.
https://discworld.com/products/masks/discworld-masks-night-watch/
https://discworld.com/products/masks/discworld-masks-the-grumpy-librarian/
https://discworld.com/products/masks/discworld-masks-the-three-witches/
https://discworld.com/products/masks/
* Discworld puzzles
Note: the Games and {puzzles page features all sorts of other goodies, including more Discworld jigsaw puzzles, colouring books, and Thud! (the game):
https://www.discworldemporium.com/35-games-activities
* The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume Two:
"Containing material unavailable for twenty years – this is a comprehensive guide to the capital city of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, getting to the heart of Ankh-Morpork’s secrets, societies and guilds. Ankh-Morpork is a bottomless pit of secrets. It’s time to unearth a few more . . . In the second volume of this confidential guide, brave travellers are made privy to the inner workings of more illustrious Ankh-Morpork societies. Disabuse yourself of notions of professionalism under which you may hold the City Watch; discover what serious business is undertaken by the Fools’ Guild (joking is no laughing matter); and, should you be lucky, achieve true enlightenment through the teachings of Lu-Tze. One thing’s for sure: after you’ve read this book, Ankh-Morpork’s Guilds are going to need to come up with new ways of doing things. Completely revamped and redesigned, this full-colour book contains material from Discworld Diaries across the decades."
Each copy of The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume Two is priced at £25. For more info, and to order, go to:
https://bit.ly/3lxmhUV
...and for a copy at the same price, hand-signed by Paul Kidby:
https://shop.paulkidby.com/the-ankh-morpork-archives-volume-ii/
4.6 DISCWORLD FANDOM IN FOURECKS: AN APPEAL FOR ANECDOTES
Or perhaps that should be "fanecdotes"... Australian Discworld fandom stalwart Suzie Eisfelder, an events organiser and very nice lady, wants to connect with longtime Pratchett fans to set the Fourecksian fandom's history down in text. She writes:
"I'm hoping to write a history of Discworld in Australia. I won't be starting this year but I'd like to try and make contact with [fans]... I've been on a number of the committees for The Australian Discworld Conventions. While I know there is a story before the conventions I only know a couple of people who predate those conventions."
If you're in Australia, are a Discworld fan (especially if you already were long before the Nullus Anxietas conventions began back in 2007), and would like to have your thoughts immortalised, write to us here at Wossname or contact Suzie directly at suzie@suzs-space.com!
4.7 INDIA'S LOVE AFFAIR WITH BRITISH HUMORISTS
Over the years of collating articles for Wossname, I've noticed that India has long since taken the works and philosophies of Terry Pratchett to its collective heart. But it seems that there was a Wodehouse fandom long before there was a Pratchett one, and given that so many reviewers and fans have mentioned the two in the same admiring breath, this is interesting. By Vincent Dowd for the BBC:
"Navtej Sarna had a highly distinguished career in the Indian Foreign Service. There were stints as ambassador to both London and Washington DC. But before that he spent a short time with the Indian industrial conglomerate Tata. He recalls the final paper of the entrance exams, which he sat in 1980. Applicants were required to select one essay to write from various options supplied. 'I looked unhappily at this list of rather involved economic and business topics," he says, "all of which I knew I might struggle with. And then I was saved by the last one: "A Wodehouse a Day Keeps the Doctor Away". So that's what I wrote about and it got me the job.' It might seem odd that 40 years ago a massive South Asian business concern would assume job applicants might still be familiar with such utterly English works. In fact Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (1881-1975) became an Indian favourite even as quite a young writer – though he never went there and he barely mentions India in 71 of his novels or in his many short stories. Yet he was read there avidly and his most popular books still sell in English-language bookshops. Sarna says being taught in schools in India where the teaching is all in English his first reading in the 1960s wasn't so different from that of British children a few years before – Enid Blyton, Jennings and Billy Bunter. "But I began to outgrow them and then I discovered Wodehouse. It wasn't difficult because my father had at least 40 of his books – I just fell in love with his characters and humour and especially with the way he used words. I think that may be his appeal for English-speaking Indians – his delight in the English language. We had old Penguin paperbacks and some of the original hardback copies published in London by Herbert Jenkins like Uncle Fred in the Springtime. We read them so much as a family that we had to go into the market in Dehradun and ask to get them rebound – they were falling apart...'"
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55043717
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05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
* MONSTROUS REGIMENT IN PERTH, FOURECKS (DECEMBER 2020)
"Things aren't always quite what they appear to be in Roleystone Theatre's production of Terry Pratchett's Monstrous Regiment... 'Monstrous Regiments is a satirical comedy that's sometimes tongue-in-cheek and other times it's almost in someone else's cheek, [director Brad] Towton said. 'The show has subtle messages about war, truth, propaganda and the role of women in a society dominated by men. For those familiar with Pratchett shows, they can expect quick puns, lowbrow humour and hidden highbrow gems. We also have a strong vocal cast, so there should be no problems with hearing all the jokes and heartfelt moments.'..."
When: 5th – 13th December 2020
Venue: Roleystone Hall, 44 Jarrah Road, Roleystone, Perth, Western Australia 6111
Time: 11am December 5th, 12th, and 13th; 5pm December 6th; 7pm December 5th, 11th and 12th
Tickets: $20 (concessions $15), available online via https://www.trybooking.com/book/sessions?eid=673934
NOTE: the Saturday 5th evening session is already sold out, and the Friday 11th session has only one ticket left!
https://www.roleystonetheatre.com.au/
* MURDER IN ANKH-MORPORK IN ABINGDON... EVENTUALLY... (2021)
"We wanted to stage a play involving the Ankh-Morpork Night Watch. But we'd already staged all of Stephen Briggs' dramatizations featuring this noble group of guardians of justice. Stephen got special permission to put together an affectionate mash-up incorporating bits of Guards! Guards! and Feet of Clay, woven respectfully into the core plot of Men at Arms. All Terry. The city is protected by the multiverse's most diverse police force. But a new threat is emerging – the Discworld's first and only firearm. The Gonne. And we planned to stage it in November 2020. HOWEVER – the coronavirus then landed on us and scuppered our plans. A socially distanced (and thus much reduced) audience wouldn't enable us to stage the show and cover our costs – so we have had to park this until things get back closer to 'normal'. We have our fingers crossed for November 2021. News here as it happens!"
https://www.studiotheatreclub.com/murder-in-ankh-morpork
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06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
Remember, one day, possibly in the not too distant future, Discworld fans will be able to meet in the real Roundworld again. So keep this information handy! Also note there are a few updates below.
The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group"
BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk or join their Facebook group at https://bit.ly/3jtYLGo
NOTE: the Drummers are still meeting occasionally via Zoom. Check out the above links for updates!
*
Drumknott's Irregulars
Facebook https://bit.ly/31FlSrq or Google Groups https:groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/drumknotts-irregulars or join us at our next event."
*
The Victorian Discworld Klatch
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VictorianDiscworldKlatch
*
"The Gathering of the Loonies (Wincanton chapter)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/373578522834654/
*
The Pratchett Partisans
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pratchettpartisans/ or contact Ula directly at uwilmott@yahoo.com.au
*
The City of Small Gods
www.cityofsmallgods.org.au
"What are we doing while we're stuck at home due to COVID-19? Given that our normal social gatherings can't happen while everyone's under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are instead trying to host regular activities and discussions online. Most of these will be done via our Discord Server – https://discord.gg/3RVzsyJ – which has several text chat channels and a few voice chat channels as well. We will still use our Facebook group – https://facebook.com/groups/cityofsmallgods – to coordinate scheduled events. When things get back to normal... (semi-) regular social meetings are generally held on the last Thursday of the month at a pub or restaurant in Adelaide. We have dinner at 6.30pm followed by games until 9pm.
"We'll try to keep this page up to date (no promises!) but always check emails on the mailing list or our Facebook Group for further details of these events."
*
The Broken Vectis Drummers
broken_vectis_drummers@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) meets at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn when social gatherings are possible.
*
The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the Discworld Stamps forum: http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/
*
Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder)
Contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers https://bit.ly/2EKSCqu – or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware@gmail.com>
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07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
Blogger Eddie G ponders the gloriousness of Night Watch:
"I sometimes wonder if there is much point reviewing books that were written almost 20 years ago. Especially when they were so popular and widely read at the time of their launch. But rereading Night Watch has convinced me its as valid as reviewing any new publication. Once a book is out there its fixed. The story and sentiments will never change. Yes, they may be retold by others, in a range of different formats, but the book that started the story will stay the same. The world, however, moves on. Views and values iterate and evolve, we hope for the better. Rereading older books is a great way of checking in with our favourites and seeing how they, and to an extent we, are holding up... It's easy to remember the Discworld novels as funny and thoughtful. Night Watch showcases Terry Pratchett’s range as a writer; equally able to tackle the dark and sombre as well observed witticisms. Night Watch is as good, if not in some ways better, today as it was when it first made its way to my bookshelf..."
https://bit.ly/2VgztBz
Blogger Hedwig gives A Slip of the Keyboard a full five stars:
"This is like having conversations with an old friend that you only see once a year at a convention while also feeling like you’re talking to that eccentric uncle you only see at weddings and funerals. This book collects a combination of articles, speeches, various introductions and essays Sir Terry Pratchett wrote over his life. We do get to see the development of his writing, getting to read some of his articles from his time as a press officer for the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) and the other tail end of his career where he was protesting for people to have access to necessary meds for Alzheimer’s disease, the option for assisted dying and an overall larger amount of dignity that all people deserve... Hardest read is definitely one of the end pieces, 'A Week in the Death of Terry Pratchett'. I think it’s fairly obvious why it’s hard to read and why I found it a very emotional experience. I still can’t get through ‘Terry Pratchett: Back In Black’ without crying..."
https://hedwigsworldofbooks.home.blog/2020/11/18/review-a-slip-of-the-keyboard-by-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Ashkal Shah on Soul Music:
"It’s not the high fantasy that I thought it was going to be. It wasn’t high fantasy at all, but it was funny. There were so many jokes and puns I think I laughed at something on every page. Usually a book I like pulls me in and I need to know what happens next, so I keep reading, but this book was different. I wanted to keep reading because it was funny. It also reminded me of reading Catch-22, which is also full of jokes and I highly recommend it if you haven’t read it. The characters, I have absolutely no complaints with. They were diverse and wacky in their own ways. There were a lot of them in this book, however, and it took a while to remember them all. But now that I have, I want to read more stories with all of them. I have hope that I will because of the mess of the Discworld reading order (it’s like a web). I also love the magic system. I’m sure there are more rules than this, but if you believe something is some way, then it is. It’s simple but affects everyone differently because everyone thinks differently..."
https://bit.ly/39xqu7D
Blogger The Lesser Joke wasn't disappointed in Thud! but felt it was a lesser novel:
"Maybe it’s due to the inevitable comedown from the thoroughly excellent Night Watch, but I haven’t enjoyed this next City Watch novel nearly as much as I expected to. There’s a great worldbuilding revelation at the end, yet this is one of those Discworld books that seems to consist primarily of Commander Sam Vimes looking askance at various fantasy ethnic groups that he considers backwards and inscrutable. As is often the case, his prejudice keeps him from picking up on certain clues as quickly as he otherwise might, and although he learns better eventually, it raises the question of just how many times that particular cycle needs to repeat for the protagonist or his readers to finally get the point. This volume contains a fair bit of misogyny too, and while I believe it passes the Bechdel test, it still sometimes feels as though Terry Pratchett, writing in 2005, finds women to be as alien as his hero sees vampires, dwarves, and trolls..."
https://bit.ly/3fP1x8P
Blogger Feminist Quill on Pyramids:
"It’s an entertaining ride throughout, and it also features one of my favourite Pratchett phenomena – the fusing of math, fantasy and absolute absurdity… with hilarious results... Despite being the protagonist, Teppic is less fleshed out than I’d like. This is mostly because there’s so much going on in the book. At least two subplots keep pace with the main plot at all times. As a result, I came away less invested in Teppic's heroics than would be ideal. His companion and professional damsel-in-distress, Ptraci, is more interesting than Teppic is – possibly because one doesn’t really expect much character development on her front. His late father, who spends the majority of the book roaming the scenes – first as a ghost, and then at the head of an honest-to-goodness army of mummies – pretty much carries the show, alongside the trio of Ptaclusps (pyramid builders extraordinaire). Hell, the greatest mathematician in the world, the camel named You Bastard, ends up being more of a main character than the main character of the story..."
https://bit.ly/33sCm6G
Blogger Woodwyrm on Guards! Guards!:
"Not only is this a book with a dragon on the cover, this is the book I most often recommend to people who haven’t read Pratchett before... Pratchett was a master of satire, and that comes through with his depiction of Discworld’s primary dragon species, the swamp dragons. While the single dragon attacking Ankh-Morpork is more the traditional model — huge, fire-breathing, cunning as a snake — swamp dragons are sort of like a bad joke played by Mother Nature. At one point in the series they’re described as more or less being walking chemical disasters. Their guts produce such volatile compounds to fuel their fire-breathing that they’re prone to exploding when surprised. It’s at times an amusing play on trying to force the normal dragon template into something that (kind of, sort of) might actually exist in nature... In some ways it’s closer to being a book with dragons rather than a book about dragons, but that’s not a problem for me. It’s just too much fun..."
https://bit.ly/39EliPp
Blogger The Idle Cyclist gives I Shall Wear Midnight a full five stars:
Terry Pratchett was an absolute genius. He had the most wonderful talent at taking everyday themes and making them both funny and sad and above all thought-provoking... My favourites have always been the Witches, City Guard and Trolls and this story has two of the three with appearances from all the main figures. Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg have always dominated the Witches stories but this story puts Tiffany well and truly at their level. This book is listed as Young Adult (YA) but it takes on some very heavyweight subjects. Straight out of the blocks it’s domestic violence and closely followed by the main theme of racism/xenophobia. It was published just over 10 years ago but in the modern world of Brexit and Trump politics it’s sadly more relevant than ever."
https://bit.ly/3lkiB7H
Blogger Hope loved Going Postal:
Pratchett is HILARIOUS, and he doesn’t disappoint in this novel. The plot and dialogue are wonderfully absurd, and though you have no idea what’s going to happen, you can’t help but enjoy the ride. There’s this big focus on hope, and the redemption of Lipwig as he transforms from a thieving, slippery crook to an established member of society with convictions, friends, and passion. If you’re looking for something fun, try Going Postal! I needed something lighthearted and warm to get me through a stressful semester, and this novel perfectly fit the book. I found myself laughing in the dead of night (okay, 11 pm–not really the dead of night), and growing attached to Lipwig, the golem Mr. Pump, and all of the other characters that appeared at the Post Office. There’s so many funny quotes, and so many absurd ones that almost seem philosophical..."
https://bit.ly/3oc2QRR
...and finally, blogger Laura M on The Wee Free Men:
"This is actually a book intended for younger readers, but as with much of Pratchett, it’s readable by all ages... There’s plenty of hijinks and fairytale reference, comical namings (looking at you “Smaller-than-medium-sized-jock-but-not-as-small-as-wee-jock-Jock” and “Rob Anybody”). A good introduction to the Discworld witches from an alternative avenue. Worth it? Yes. Definitely. Like, I wanna get a bookshelf and slowly but surely collect all of the Pratchett that exists in the world. One day I’ll have a delightful library, and will have a whole section dedicated to these books written for adults of all ages..."
https://bit.ly/2KSTtbF
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08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
A very artful Dodger in foggy "London" at Brisbane Arts Theatre: https://bit.ly/3liWlvx
...and the cast of their recent production of Dodger: https://bit.ly/3ppf0IO
The main cast of Roleystone Theatre's upcoming production of Monstrous Regiment:
https://bit.ly/39nEnFf
Maurice, as I'm fairly sure no sane Discworld fan has ever imagined him (image courtesy of Ulysses Films):
https://bit.ly/33lUgrZ
...and here's an absolutely magical photo of Sir Pterry, guaranteed to raise a smile (image courtesy of RTE):
https://bit.ly/3o4VY8Y
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09) CLOSE
Here be an interesting essay on why humorous novels are under-respected, referencing Sir Pterry but also giving a general overview, by Alexi Duggan in the Guardian:
"[W]hat counts as high culture? The snowglobe-based tragedy of Citizen Kane’s “Rosebud” moment? The George Orwell book that gave Big Brother its title? The lovely ceiling that Michelangelo knocked up for the Sistine Chapel? The answer: yes. They are all masterpieces that allow their artform to soar to previously unimagined heights. Much like Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Or Arrested Development. Or the works of Terry Pratchett. Yet, like many similarly brilliant comic creations, those latter works fail to be breathlessly discussed as the apotheosis of high culture. Awards ceremonies are not kind to comedy: of the past 40 years of best picture winners at the Oscars, only six arguably comic films have triumphed. Tragedy-filled Booker prize shortlists have turned it into a curious literary form of rubbernecking... But why? Writing good comedy is just as valid an artistic achievement as penning more “serious” fare. Even more so, in fact: crafting laughs is the most high-stakes form of creation..."
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/oct/26/solved-why-is-humour-so-rarely-treated-as-high-art
Right then, that's it for now. Mind how you go, and we hope to see you next month!
– Annie Mac
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner (at) pearwood (dot) info
Copyright (c) 2020 by Wossname for the Klatchian Foreign Legion
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
November 2020 (Volume 23, Issue 11, Post 1)
********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works of Sir Terry Pratchett. Originally founded by the late, great Joe Schaumburger for members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North American Discworld Society and other continental groups, Wossname is now for Discworld and Pratchett fans everywhere in Roundworld.
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Vera P
Newshounds: Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow, Mss C, Alison not Aliss
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Evil Steven Dread, Mrs Wynn-Jones
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Annie Mac, Drusilla D'Afanguin, Your Name Here
Puzzle Editor: Tiff (still out there somewhere)
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
Emergency Staff: Steven D'Aprano, Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
INDEX:
01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) ANIMATED MAURICE NEWS
04) ODDS AND SODS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
09) CLOSE
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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
"It's hard to imagine an author who was not a reader first."
- Professor Sir Terry Pratchett, at his inaugural lecture in November 2010
"What's the first story that Pan narrans tells himself? He tells himself that he is Homo sapiens."
- as above, a year later
"Ponder looked up at the gnomic bulk of the machine. It didn't seem threatening, merely . . . *other*. He thought: meddle first, understand later. You had to meddle a bit before you had anything to try to understand. And the thing was never, ever, to go back and hide in the Lavatory of Unreason. You have to try to get your mind around the Universe before you can give it a twist."
– Ponder Stibbons discovers the scientific method in Interesting Times (p.248, Gollancz hardcover)
"The Agatean word for foreigner is the same as the word for ghost, and only one brush stroke away from the word for victim."
– Interesting Times (p.92, as above)
"The ones near the coast build rafts and head out across lonely seas to lands that are a fable. The ones inland resort to man-carrying kites and chairs propelled by fireworks. Many of them die in the attempt, of course. Most of the others are soon caught, and made to live in interesting times. But some did make it to the great melting pot called Ankh-Morpork. They arrived with no money – sailors charged what the market would bear, which was everything – but they had a mad gleam in their eye and they opened shops and restaurants and worked twenty-four hours a day. People called this the Ankh-Morpork Dream (of making piles of cash in a place where your death was unlikely to be a matter of public policy). And it was dreamed all the stronger by people who didn't sleep."
– ibid.
"I have no religious belief, but I believe this world is not the only one."
– Sir Pterry, talking to The Late Late Show's presenter Ryan Tubridy in 2012
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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
We've almost made it through the Year of the Condescending Carp! **looks nervously in the direction of Fate and the Lady** And in honour of the decade that has passed, as of this month, since Professor Sir Pterry gave his inaugural lecture at Trinity College Dublin, I decided it was well past time for me to watch it, along with his "year's end exam" there in November 2011 (spoiler: he passed), and several other related videos. Some recommendations...
First, there's "The Importance of Being Amazed About Absolutely Everything", the Professor (and Blackboard Monitor)'s lecture, partially read by Rob Wilkins as the PCA was already beginning to bite but with frequent comedic interruptions by the man who wrote it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2FZ_0d3yEI
...and then "An Evening With Sir Terry Pratchett", in conversation at TCD a year later with Prof Darryl Jones, Head of Trinity's School of English, discussing overpopulation, how we are probably Pan narrans, longterm thinking, the concept of purpose, non-renewable resources, a long discussion of the Choosing to Die documentary and why he made it, (especially the segment that starts at at minute 29), and eventually, language. writing, Snuff, the goddess Narrativia, the birth and process of the Long Earth series and the philosophical questions it raised as he crafted it... and at the end, a presentation of the tool of his *other* trade:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3KDTtKPtqo
...and here in November of 2020, there's "Magical Mind: the World of Terry Pratchett", the Senate House Library's recent remote group chat – Rob Wilkins, Neil Gaiman and Rhianna Pratchett, discussing The Author's writing methods and career path, with a liberal sprinkling of anecdotes from all three. The action starts at about minute five, as there were technical issues to sort out first and gets into proper gear after minute fifteen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzZeSfP45hU
*
For those of you whose highly-anticipated copies of The Ankh-Morpork Archives Volume Two have yet to arrive, an update from the Discworld Emporium:
"Let it be known that the Illustrated Guards! Guards! originally due for release today will now be published November 19th, so worry not if your anticipated book has not yet arrived. The limited edition signed slipcase edition has also been pushed back to December 10th but we're sure it will be worth the wait!"
And now, on with the show...
– Annie Mac, Editor
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03) THE AMAZING ANIMATED MAURICE IS IN PROGRESS!
From Narrativia:
"Coming to Sky Cinema in 2022, The Amazing Maurice, a Sky original, follows Maurice, a streetwise ginger cat who has the perfect money-making scam. He finds a kid who plays a pipe, and he also befriends his very own horde of strangely educated, talking rats – so Maurice can no longer think of them as ‘lunch’. When Maurice and the rodents reach the stricken town of Bad Blintz, they meet a bookworm, Malicia. Their little con soon goes down the drain as something very bad is waiting for them in the cellars.
"Sarah Wright, Director of Sky Cinema and Acquisitions at Sky UK & Ireland comments: 'The Amazing Maurice is a fantastic story from a legendary author, and I couldn’t think of a better tale to bring to life as an animated film for all the family. I’m excited to work with Ulysses Filmproduktion and Cantilever Media to bring this exclusive new movie to Sky Cinema audiences in 2022.' Emely Christians, Producer and CEO of Ulysses Filmproduktion comments: 'When I read The Amazing Maurice, I knew we had to turn this amazing novel into a film. The art and animation departments are working hard to recreate Terry Pratchett’s unique vision and I can’t wait to see this on screen!' Andrew Baker, Producer and CEO of Cantilever Media, said: 'I’m huge fan of Sir Terry Pratchett so I would not be embarking on this project unless I felt we were bringing the film to life in a way that honours the book and will please its numerous fans around the world. We have a great cast and great teams at the studios in Sheffield and Hamburg working to make this film special.' Robert Chandler, Producer at Cantilever Media said: 'The trick with The Amazing Maurice is getting the balance right. Terry Pratchett is a brilliant author, who was not afraid to explore dark places and have fun getting there. That’s the tone of our film.'
"Rob Wilkins, Producer and Managing Director of Narrativia, said: 'Bringing Maurice's story to life was such a joy for Terry and I’m delighted that the teams at Sky, Ulysses Filmproduktion and Cantilever Media are honouring his vision with such reverence and respect.'..."
To read the full announcement, go to https://narrativia.com/maurice.html
From the Radio Times:
"Hugh Laurie and Emilia Clarke have been confirmed as cast members for an animated film based on Terry Pratchett’s The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents... Pratchett’s source novel is part of his legendary Discworld series and tells an alternate version of the folk tale The Pied Piper of Hamelin. It centres on a cat whose plans for a money-making scam involving a pipe player and a horde of talking rats go horribly wrong in the town of Bad Blintz. Laurie will reportedly play the titular cat Maurice, while Clarke will voice Malicia,.."
https://bit.ly/2Jsxd7y
From Animation World Network:
"Bring on the Cat King of Rats! The Amazing Maurice, based on the late Sir Terry Pratchett’s 2001 novel, is in development at Ulysses Filmproduktion, Cantilever Media, Sky, Studio Rakete, and Red Star Animation (what a mouthful). Although we lost the beloved author in 2015, it is exciting to think we’ll soon get to admire his work on the big screen. Fingers crossed. Since the project’s announcement last year, it has gained quite the A-List voice cast..."
https://bit.ly/2Vg4vcL
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04) ODDS AND SODS
4.1 UPDATE: DISCWORLD AND BEYOND IN DORSET
Paul Kidby tweets: "The Discworld & Beyond exhibition at The Red House Museum, Christchurch will be closed for the duration of lockdown II. The good news is once it reopens in December we have extended the dates by four weeks to January 2nd, 2021."
When: now – 2nd January 2021
Venue: Red House Museum and Gardens, Quay Road, Christchurch BH23 1BU (phone 01202 482860)
Times: Tuesday to Friday 10am – 5pm; Saturday 10am – 4pm
Tickets: free admission, "however, please pre-book your preferred visiting time for all members of your party, including children." Tickets are available online via
https://bit.ly/3gZvvGd
"If you do not have a pre-booked visiting time or arrive late, the venue will do their best to accommodate you, but cannot guarantee you will be able to visit. During your visit to Red House Museum and Gardens, please follow all social distancing and hygiene guidelines. Thank you for your understanding."
https://www.paulkidby.com/event/discworld-beyond-8/
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/redhouse
4.2 UPDATES: THE TERRY PRATCHETT BOOK CLUB
On the website of publishers Tor, Emmet Asher-Perrin continues a Discworld discussion page. In this month's instalment, Sourcery finishes and Wyrd Sisters begins:
The latest instalments, three of them, see the remainder of Sourcery analysed...
"There’s an oddness to this whole book. And the oddness comes from Pratchett attempting to satirize Eastern culture, but doing so through what seems to be a deliberately Western lens – for example, many swaths here are direct parodies of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Kubla Khan. Which means that Pratchett is essentially poking fun at the way Western people think of Eastern cultures, the manner in which they are exoticized and often derided or looked down upon for merely being different than the Western world. Even Creosote’s poetry, though based on Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat, is based on a translation by Edward Fitzgerald (who is an English poet). So then the real question ultimately becomes, does Pratchett succeed in his task here? I think he manages it on paper, but it does demand that the reader have knowledge of what he’s parodying in order for the humor to fully come across when it needs to. If you don’t know the textual references, you might think that he’s genuinely dismissive of this part of the Disc, and then the whole thing kind of falls apart... The one pointed and helpful indication the reader receives that Pratchett is definitely poking fun at the Western perspective is actually through Rincewind here – who, in his thoughts about how this city is not right because it’s not like his city, gives himself away utterly..."
https://bit.ly/36mnZmC
The thing that catches me up at the end of this book is the textbook abusive parenting we get from Ipslore the staff (I’ve taught you everything; I gave you everything; you’re so ungrateful), and honestly… I wish more of the book was devoted to this. Because we know that the staff is making Coin do all of this, we know that Coin is truly just a little boy with access to unimaginable power, and we have some background on what filled Ipslore with vengeance. But we don’t get a lot of detail. We don’t get anything from either of their perspectives really, and that seems like a missed opportunity to do some digging on this premise. Because, really, the whole thing kind of hangs on this concept of knowing what you are, and being sure of that knowledge on your own terms. Rincewind is reminding himself of this at the end: He’s a wizard, he knows it because of the hat, the very same one the Librarian called his attention to and now keeps in a corner of the Library, awaiting Rincewind's return. And while it’s nice to see Rincewind stick to himself, we don’t get to see this lesson as carefully applied to the person who needs to internalize it the most. Coin doesn’t get the chance to truly know himself because he spends his life being directed and filled up with knowledge by the staff that’s his dead dad..."
https://bit.ly/2HTkSsQ
Next up is Wyrd Sisters:
"I’m not really sure that I can pick a favorite among the witches, but there is a special place in my heart reserved for Nanny Ogg and her many children and grandchildren who keep her house warm and clean and full of sustenance, and her propensity for getting drunk and singing bawdy songs... and her slightly more grounded, metropolitan approach to witching. In the end, I’m pretty sure that most people who endeavor to be witches would prefer the sort of life Nanny Ogg has put together for herself. But I’ve also got a soft spot for Magrat's eagerness, even if I don’t really hold with all the pomp and edifice she wants to tack onto the profession..."
https://bit.ly/3qfoo1O
Note: commenters are commenting there. Go for it! – Ed.
4.3 TERRY PRATCHETT: AN IRISH PERSPECTIVE
For RTE Arena, Irish crime novelist Arlene Hunt talks about how she came to be a Pratchett fan and discusses the personal evolution of Sam Vimes, as well as explaining some of the storylines and social concepts of the Discworld series. Her enthusiasm is positively incandescent. Do listen!
https://bit.ly/33oWyGI
4.4 PRATCHETT PODDERS
The Pratchat podcast ("Writer Elizabeth Flux and comedian Ben McKenzie read and discuss every Terry Pratchett book, one a month, each with a special guest!") is now up to its 37th issue. Have a listen!
https://pratchatpodcast.com/
4.5 THE MERCH CORNER
Mostly a repeat of last month's features, because it's that time of the year... and because one can't have too many Discworld cards on hand!
* Hogswatch cards
Selections from Paul Kidby's exquisite Hogswatch cards are still available! Paul Kidby Hogswatch cards are all priced at £2.95 each. For more info, and to order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/hogswatch-cards/
Note: other classic Kidby cards are also available, if less seasonal, as are the lovely Paper Panda silhouette Discworld character cards, all also priced at £2.95 each. For more info, and to order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/greetings-cards/
and https://discworld.com/products/sepia-cards/
* Discworld Masks
It looks as though Discworld fans in the UK, Europe, and North America might be needing these for a while yet...
A set of three masks (The Ankh-Morpork City Watch, The Grumpy Librarian and The Three Witches), UK-made from 100 per cent polyester "3 layer fabric with elastic ear loops woven with air jet textured PES", water and dirt repellent and machine washable. Timely merchandise, as it looks as if we'll all be needing them for a while yet...
Each set of masks is priced at £20. For more info, and to order, go to:
https://discworld.com/products/masks/discworld-masks-complete-set/
Also, each of the three masks is also available at the price of £8 each.
https://discworld.com/products/masks/discworld-masks-night-watch/
https://discworld.com/products/masks/discworld-masks-the-grumpy-librarian/
https://discworld.com/products/masks/discworld-masks-the-three-witches/
https://discworld.com/products/masks/
* Discworld puzzles
Note: the Games and {puzzles page features all sorts of other goodies, including more Discworld jigsaw puzzles, colouring books, and Thud! (the game):
https://www.discworldemporium.com/35-games-activities
* The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume Two:
"Containing material unavailable for twenty years – this is a comprehensive guide to the capital city of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, getting to the heart of Ankh-Morpork’s secrets, societies and guilds. Ankh-Morpork is a bottomless pit of secrets. It’s time to unearth a few more . . . In the second volume of this confidential guide, brave travellers are made privy to the inner workings of more illustrious Ankh-Morpork societies. Disabuse yourself of notions of professionalism under which you may hold the City Watch; discover what serious business is undertaken by the Fools’ Guild (joking is no laughing matter); and, should you be lucky, achieve true enlightenment through the teachings of Lu-Tze. One thing’s for sure: after you’ve read this book, Ankh-Morpork’s Guilds are going to need to come up with new ways of doing things. Completely revamped and redesigned, this full-colour book contains material from Discworld Diaries across the decades."
Each copy of The Ankh-Morpork Archives, Volume Two is priced at £25. For more info, and to order, go to:
https://bit.ly/3lxmhUV
...and for a copy at the same price, hand-signed by Paul Kidby:
https://shop.paulkidby.com/the-ankh-morpork-archives-volume-ii/
4.6 DISCWORLD FANDOM IN FOURECKS: AN APPEAL FOR ANECDOTES
Or perhaps that should be "fanecdotes"... Australian Discworld fandom stalwart Suzie Eisfelder, an events organiser and very nice lady, wants to connect with longtime Pratchett fans to set the Fourecksian fandom's history down in text. She writes:
"I'm hoping to write a history of Discworld in Australia. I won't be starting this year but I'd like to try and make contact with [fans]... I've been on a number of the committees for The Australian Discworld Conventions. While I know there is a story before the conventions I only know a couple of people who predate those conventions."
If you're in Australia, are a Discworld fan (especially if you already were long before the Nullus Anxietas conventions began back in 2007), and would like to have your thoughts immortalised, write to us here at Wossname or contact Suzie directly at suzie@suzs-space.com!
4.7 INDIA'S LOVE AFFAIR WITH BRITISH HUMORISTS
Over the years of collating articles for Wossname, I've noticed that India has long since taken the works and philosophies of Terry Pratchett to its collective heart. But it seems that there was a Wodehouse fandom long before there was a Pratchett one, and given that so many reviewers and fans have mentioned the two in the same admiring breath, this is interesting. By Vincent Dowd for the BBC:
"Navtej Sarna had a highly distinguished career in the Indian Foreign Service. There were stints as ambassador to both London and Washington DC. But before that he spent a short time with the Indian industrial conglomerate Tata. He recalls the final paper of the entrance exams, which he sat in 1980. Applicants were required to select one essay to write from various options supplied. 'I looked unhappily at this list of rather involved economic and business topics," he says, "all of which I knew I might struggle with. And then I was saved by the last one: "A Wodehouse a Day Keeps the Doctor Away". So that's what I wrote about and it got me the job.' It might seem odd that 40 years ago a massive South Asian business concern would assume job applicants might still be familiar with such utterly English works. In fact Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (1881-1975) became an Indian favourite even as quite a young writer – though he never went there and he barely mentions India in 71 of his novels or in his many short stories. Yet he was read there avidly and his most popular books still sell in English-language bookshops. Sarna says being taught in schools in India where the teaching is all in English his first reading in the 1960s wasn't so different from that of British children a few years before – Enid Blyton, Jennings and Billy Bunter. "But I began to outgrow them and then I discovered Wodehouse. It wasn't difficult because my father had at least 40 of his books – I just fell in love with his characters and humour and especially with the way he used words. I think that may be his appeal for English-speaking Indians – his delight in the English language. We had old Penguin paperbacks and some of the original hardback copies published in London by Herbert Jenkins like Uncle Fred in the Springtime. We read them so much as a family that we had to go into the market in Dehradun and ask to get them rebound – they were falling apart...'"
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55043717
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05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
* MONSTROUS REGIMENT IN PERTH, FOURECKS (DECEMBER 2020)
"Things aren't always quite what they appear to be in Roleystone Theatre's production of Terry Pratchett's Monstrous Regiment... 'Monstrous Regiments is a satirical comedy that's sometimes tongue-in-cheek and other times it's almost in someone else's cheek, [director Brad] Towton said. 'The show has subtle messages about war, truth, propaganda and the role of women in a society dominated by men. For those familiar with Pratchett shows, they can expect quick puns, lowbrow humour and hidden highbrow gems. We also have a strong vocal cast, so there should be no problems with hearing all the jokes and heartfelt moments.'..."
When: 5th – 13th December 2020
Venue: Roleystone Hall, 44 Jarrah Road, Roleystone, Perth, Western Australia 6111
Time: 11am December 5th, 12th, and 13th; 5pm December 6th; 7pm December 5th, 11th and 12th
Tickets: $20 (concessions $15), available online via https://www.trybooking.com/book/sessions?eid=673934
NOTE: the Saturday 5th evening session is already sold out, and the Friday 11th session has only one ticket left!
https://www.roleystonetheatre.com.au/
* MURDER IN ANKH-MORPORK IN ABINGDON... EVENTUALLY... (2021)
"We wanted to stage a play involving the Ankh-Morpork Night Watch. But we'd already staged all of Stephen Briggs' dramatizations featuring this noble group of guardians of justice. Stephen got special permission to put together an affectionate mash-up incorporating bits of Guards! Guards! and Feet of Clay, woven respectfully into the core plot of Men at Arms. All Terry. The city is protected by the multiverse's most diverse police force. But a new threat is emerging – the Discworld's first and only firearm. The Gonne. And we planned to stage it in November 2020. HOWEVER – the coronavirus then landed on us and scuppered our plans. A socially distanced (and thus much reduced) audience wouldn't enable us to stage the show and cover our costs – so we have had to park this until things get back closer to 'normal'. We have our fingers crossed for November 2021. News here as it happens!"
https://www.studiotheatreclub.com/murder-in-ankh-morpork
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
Remember, one day, possibly in the not too distant future, Discworld fans will be able to meet in the real Roundworld again. So keep this information handy! Also note there are a few updates below.
The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group"
BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk or join their Facebook group at https://bit.ly/3jtYLGo
NOTE: the Drummers are still meeting occasionally via Zoom. Check out the above links for updates!
*
Drumknott's Irregulars
Facebook https://bit.ly/31FlSrq or Google Groups https:groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/drumknotts-irregulars or join us at our next event."
*
The Victorian Discworld Klatch
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VictorianDiscworldKlatch
*
"The Gathering of the Loonies (Wincanton chapter)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/373578522834654/
*
The Pratchett Partisans
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pratchettpartisans/ or contact Ula directly at uwilmott@yahoo.com.au
*
The City of Small Gods
www.cityofsmallgods.org.au
"What are we doing while we're stuck at home due to COVID-19? Given that our normal social gatherings can't happen while everyone's under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are instead trying to host regular activities and discussions online. Most of these will be done via our Discord Server – https://discord.gg/3RVzsyJ – which has several text chat channels and a few voice chat channels as well. We will still use our Facebook group – https://facebook.com/groups/cityofsmallgods – to coordinate scheduled events. When things get back to normal... (semi-) regular social meetings are generally held on the last Thursday of the month at a pub or restaurant in Adelaide. We have dinner at 6.30pm followed by games until 9pm.
"We'll try to keep this page up to date (no promises!) but always check emails on the mailing list or our Facebook Group for further details of these events."
*
The Broken Vectis Drummers
broken_vectis_drummers@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) meets at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn when social gatherings are possible.
*
The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the Discworld Stamps forum: http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/
*
Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder)
Contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk
*
The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers https://bit.ly/2EKSCqu – or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware@gmail.com>
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07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
Blogger Eddie G ponders the gloriousness of Night Watch:
"I sometimes wonder if there is much point reviewing books that were written almost 20 years ago. Especially when they were so popular and widely read at the time of their launch. But rereading Night Watch has convinced me its as valid as reviewing any new publication. Once a book is out there its fixed. The story and sentiments will never change. Yes, they may be retold by others, in a range of different formats, but the book that started the story will stay the same. The world, however, moves on. Views and values iterate and evolve, we hope for the better. Rereading older books is a great way of checking in with our favourites and seeing how they, and to an extent we, are holding up... It's easy to remember the Discworld novels as funny and thoughtful. Night Watch showcases Terry Pratchett’s range as a writer; equally able to tackle the dark and sombre as well observed witticisms. Night Watch is as good, if not in some ways better, today as it was when it first made its way to my bookshelf..."
https://bit.ly/2VgztBz
Blogger Hedwig gives A Slip of the Keyboard a full five stars:
"This is like having conversations with an old friend that you only see once a year at a convention while also feeling like you’re talking to that eccentric uncle you only see at weddings and funerals. This book collects a combination of articles, speeches, various introductions and essays Sir Terry Pratchett wrote over his life. We do get to see the development of his writing, getting to read some of his articles from his time as a press officer for the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) and the other tail end of his career where he was protesting for people to have access to necessary meds for Alzheimer’s disease, the option for assisted dying and an overall larger amount of dignity that all people deserve... Hardest read is definitely one of the end pieces, 'A Week in the Death of Terry Pratchett'. I think it’s fairly obvious why it’s hard to read and why I found it a very emotional experience. I still can’t get through ‘Terry Pratchett: Back In Black’ without crying..."
https://hedwigsworldofbooks.home.blog/2020/11/18/review-a-slip-of-the-keyboard-by-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Ashkal Shah on Soul Music:
"It’s not the high fantasy that I thought it was going to be. It wasn’t high fantasy at all, but it was funny. There were so many jokes and puns I think I laughed at something on every page. Usually a book I like pulls me in and I need to know what happens next, so I keep reading, but this book was different. I wanted to keep reading because it was funny. It also reminded me of reading Catch-22, which is also full of jokes and I highly recommend it if you haven’t read it. The characters, I have absolutely no complaints with. They were diverse and wacky in their own ways. There were a lot of them in this book, however, and it took a while to remember them all. But now that I have, I want to read more stories with all of them. I have hope that I will because of the mess of the Discworld reading order (it’s like a web). I also love the magic system. I’m sure there are more rules than this, but if you believe something is some way, then it is. It’s simple but affects everyone differently because everyone thinks differently..."
https://bit.ly/39xqu7D
Blogger The Lesser Joke wasn't disappointed in Thud! but felt it was a lesser novel:
"Maybe it’s due to the inevitable comedown from the thoroughly excellent Night Watch, but I haven’t enjoyed this next City Watch novel nearly as much as I expected to. There’s a great worldbuilding revelation at the end, yet this is one of those Discworld books that seems to consist primarily of Commander Sam Vimes looking askance at various fantasy ethnic groups that he considers backwards and inscrutable. As is often the case, his prejudice keeps him from picking up on certain clues as quickly as he otherwise might, and although he learns better eventually, it raises the question of just how many times that particular cycle needs to repeat for the protagonist or his readers to finally get the point. This volume contains a fair bit of misogyny too, and while I believe it passes the Bechdel test, it still sometimes feels as though Terry Pratchett, writing in 2005, finds women to be as alien as his hero sees vampires, dwarves, and trolls..."
https://bit.ly/3fP1x8P
Blogger Feminist Quill on Pyramids:
"It’s an entertaining ride throughout, and it also features one of my favourite Pratchett phenomena – the fusing of math, fantasy and absolute absurdity… with hilarious results... Despite being the protagonist, Teppic is less fleshed out than I’d like. This is mostly because there’s so much going on in the book. At least two subplots keep pace with the main plot at all times. As a result, I came away less invested in Teppic's heroics than would be ideal. His companion and professional damsel-in-distress, Ptraci, is more interesting than Teppic is – possibly because one doesn’t really expect much character development on her front. His late father, who spends the majority of the book roaming the scenes – first as a ghost, and then at the head of an honest-to-goodness army of mummies – pretty much carries the show, alongside the trio of Ptaclusps (pyramid builders extraordinaire). Hell, the greatest mathematician in the world, the camel named You Bastard, ends up being more of a main character than the main character of the story..."
https://bit.ly/33sCm6G
Blogger Woodwyrm on Guards! Guards!:
"Not only is this a book with a dragon on the cover, this is the book I most often recommend to people who haven’t read Pratchett before... Pratchett was a master of satire, and that comes through with his depiction of Discworld’s primary dragon species, the swamp dragons. While the single dragon attacking Ankh-Morpork is more the traditional model — huge, fire-breathing, cunning as a snake — swamp dragons are sort of like a bad joke played by Mother Nature. At one point in the series they’re described as more or less being walking chemical disasters. Their guts produce such volatile compounds to fuel their fire-breathing that they’re prone to exploding when surprised. It’s at times an amusing play on trying to force the normal dragon template into something that (kind of, sort of) might actually exist in nature... In some ways it’s closer to being a book with dragons rather than a book about dragons, but that’s not a problem for me. It’s just too much fun..."
https://bit.ly/39EliPp
Blogger The Idle Cyclist gives I Shall Wear Midnight a full five stars:
Terry Pratchett was an absolute genius. He had the most wonderful talent at taking everyday themes and making them both funny and sad and above all thought-provoking... My favourites have always been the Witches, City Guard and Trolls and this story has two of the three with appearances from all the main figures. Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg have always dominated the Witches stories but this story puts Tiffany well and truly at their level. This book is listed as Young Adult (YA) but it takes on some very heavyweight subjects. Straight out of the blocks it’s domestic violence and closely followed by the main theme of racism/xenophobia. It was published just over 10 years ago but in the modern world of Brexit and Trump politics it’s sadly more relevant than ever."
https://bit.ly/3lkiB7H
Blogger Hope loved Going Postal:
Pratchett is HILARIOUS, and he doesn’t disappoint in this novel. The plot and dialogue are wonderfully absurd, and though you have no idea what’s going to happen, you can’t help but enjoy the ride. There’s this big focus on hope, and the redemption of Lipwig as he transforms from a thieving, slippery crook to an established member of society with convictions, friends, and passion. If you’re looking for something fun, try Going Postal! I needed something lighthearted and warm to get me through a stressful semester, and this novel perfectly fit the book. I found myself laughing in the dead of night (okay, 11 pm–not really the dead of night), and growing attached to Lipwig, the golem Mr. Pump, and all of the other characters that appeared at the Post Office. There’s so many funny quotes, and so many absurd ones that almost seem philosophical..."
https://bit.ly/3oc2QRR
...and finally, blogger Laura M on The Wee Free Men:
"This is actually a book intended for younger readers, but as with much of Pratchett, it’s readable by all ages... There’s plenty of hijinks and fairytale reference, comical namings (looking at you “Smaller-than-medium-sized-jock-but-not-as-small-as-wee-jock-Jock” and “Rob Anybody”). A good introduction to the Discworld witches from an alternative avenue. Worth it? Yes. Definitely. Like, I wanna get a bookshelf and slowly but surely collect all of the Pratchett that exists in the world. One day I’ll have a delightful library, and will have a whole section dedicated to these books written for adults of all ages..."
https://bit.ly/2KSTtbF
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08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
A very artful Dodger in foggy "London" at Brisbane Arts Theatre: https://bit.ly/3liWlvx
...and the cast of their recent production of Dodger: https://bit.ly/3ppf0IO
The main cast of Roleystone Theatre's upcoming production of Monstrous Regiment:
https://bit.ly/39nEnFf
Maurice, as I'm fairly sure no sane Discworld fan has ever imagined him (image courtesy of Ulysses Films):
https://bit.ly/33lUgrZ
...and here's an absolutely magical photo of Sir Pterry, guaranteed to raise a smile (image courtesy of RTE):
https://bit.ly/3o4VY8Y
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09) CLOSE
Here be an interesting essay on why humorous novels are under-respected, referencing Sir Pterry but also giving a general overview, by Alexi Duggan in the Guardian:
"[W]hat counts as high culture? The snowglobe-based tragedy of Citizen Kane’s “Rosebud” moment? The George Orwell book that gave Big Brother its title? The lovely ceiling that Michelangelo knocked up for the Sistine Chapel? The answer: yes. They are all masterpieces that allow their artform to soar to previously unimagined heights. Much like Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Or Arrested Development. Or the works of Terry Pratchett. Yet, like many similarly brilliant comic creations, those latter works fail to be breathlessly discussed as the apotheosis of high culture. Awards ceremonies are not kind to comedy: of the past 40 years of best picture winners at the Oscars, only six arguably comic films have triumphed. Tragedy-filled Booker prize shortlists have turned it into a curious literary form of rubbernecking... But why? Writing good comedy is just as valid an artistic achievement as penning more “serious” fare. Even more so, in fact: crafting laughs is the most high-stakes form of creation..."
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/oct/26/solved-why-is-humour-so-rarely-treated-as-high-art
Right then, that's it for now. Mind how you go, and we hope to see you next month!
– Annie Mac
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The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner (at) pearwood (dot) info
Copyright (c) 2020 by Wossname for the Klatchian Foreign Legion
