sticks and carrots
my mom and i have always said that we want to annotate our pratchetts and mark or highlight our favourite quotes. perhaps even have an index or something. he has such a way with words and comes up with the most delightful turns of phrase.
and sometimes simply says the funniest things.
today, at lunch, i was busy reading “making money” and there was one bit that had me laughing so much i couldn’t stop chuckling. it was that delicious, warm chuckle, where your body shakes.
moist, the main character, has just heard a proposition that comes with two different incentives, a threat and an enticement. this puts him in mind of the tactics of the city’s paternal tyrant, lord vetinari:
moist was impressed. stick and carrot. vetinari just used stick, or hit you over the head with the carrot.
You’re making me want to drop everything and start Making Money!
I love the idea you and your mom had! One of these days I’m going to get myself a copy of The Wit & Wisdom of Discworld. Even though its made entirely of quotes from the other books, I think it’s worth having, and I know I’ll love it!
i knew you’d appreciate it, nymeth
and i really think you’re going to enjoy “making money” - so far its one of the better ones!
i’d entirely forgotten about that wit and wisdom book. i think that may be a must-have…
http://www.lspace.org/books/apf/ not as personal as your proposed version, but a great Pratchett resource.
I haven’t read Making Money yet, waiting fir it to arrive in pbk, but glad to hear you’re enjoying it
It has been forever since I read Pratchett. I really should dig out a book by him soon!
FENCE:
oh yeah, i’m well familiar with the annotated pratchett file - although thats less about quotations as its about references.
but yeah, i love that annotated pratchett file. when we first got the internet - like for the very first time all those years ago in the 90s - that was my first big find. its amazing how much info those people managed to dig up!
really hope you enjoy it when you get around to it. as i’ve said, its one of his better ones!
KAILANA:
well, yup, he’s still going. and one or two of his recent stuff has been very good indeed - like “the truth” and “making money” so far.
One of the greatest pleasures in reading is finding books that make you laugh out loud. Pratchett and Gaiman did it with Good Omens, P.G. Wodehouse always makes me do it, and occasionally others. People look at you strangely, but that is all a part of the fun.
ah, in england they don’t
they’re far too polite to let you notice that they noticed…!
but yeah, it definitely is one of the greatest pleasures!
i’ve never read any wodehouse, although i hear he’s a lot of fun. i should give him a go sometime…
I’m sure Wodehouse’s brand of fiction is not for everyone and I have no idea if the appeal is as strong to the English as it is to myself as an American, but I personally find him to be a very witty, engaging and entertaining writer.