Terry Pratchett and me

It almost feels like a lifetime ago, but in actuality it has been only a few years since I first met Sir Terry Pratchett. My librarian handed me a copy of the Norwegian Colour of Magic (Magiens Farge). Quite frankly, I did not see the point of finishing it. Translations are tricky that way.

Some time later, I came across him on the net and thought I’d give it another try. This time I decided to read Pratchett in English and choose another starting point. I went with Guards! Guards! And here I am, not satisfied with writing about Pratchett on my regular book blog. Instead I have long felt the need to tell the world about my relationship with the public Terry Pratchett.

As a parent I am fortunate in being able to help an individual find his place in Society. One of the jobs I have seen my parentage as entailing is making literate beings of my children. Terry Pratchett’s work was an obvious choice as I felt my children were ready to expand their horizons.

I bought the Norwegian translation of Guards! Guards! (I lovens navn!) for my oldest son. He became a fan. I loved hearing him giggle at some of Pratchett’s points and enjoying the adventure of the rest. I believe he has read the books that have been translated into Norwegian along with reading the “regular” Discworld collection at least twice.

My youngest was introduced to the Norwegian translation of The Wee Free Men (Skrellingene). Pronouncing the names of the Nac Mac Feegles in Norwegian dialect produced outright laughter from us both. My son was a fan of the series about these little blue men and their witch, the young Tiffany Aching. He has not enjoyed any of the other Discworld stories that we have tried, but that is just fine. Having him enjoy Pratchett along with me was delightful. That is the joy of having a dyslectic child. Sharing the glories of storytelling is not something a lot of people I meet get to enjoy with another person.

I haven’t read all of Pratchett’s writing, but I have read most of it – Discworld and otherwise. Terry Pratchett and me will be about the imagination of Terry Pratchett and how it relates to me.