A Slip of the Keyboard

Starred review from September 1, 2014
The celebrated creator of the Discworld series of fantasy novels offers an eclectic collection of pieces and speeches from as early as the 1970s.Pratchett (The Long Mars, 2014, etc.), who has Alzheimer's disease, writes often about his enemy-illness in this thematic collection. The author "went public" with his illness at the time of his diagnosis and has proved a worthy adversary of the illness and advocate for increased medical research. Throughout this inimitable collection, a number of traits and themes emerge. His biting-often self-deprecating-wit is evident on nearly every page, as is his wonder at being the literary celebrity that he is. He most assuredly realizes and is profoundly grateful for his stellar fortune, and he defends his genre both with humor and with passion (he believes that most fiction is fantasy) and repeatedly credits his predecessors and literary mentors, especially Tolkien, whose Lord of the Rings, he tells us, he used to reread every summer. Pratchett writes about his own religious beliefs-or, rather, lack of them. "I don't think I've found God," he wrote in 2008, "but I may have seen where gods come from." He also rails against aspects of society he finds repellant; number crunchers and warmongers come in for some special disdain. The author has keen thoughts about education, as well, arguing that we should first erect a library and then build a school around it, and he blasts those who ignore the health of the environment. There is some repetition-not unexpected in a collection ranging over several decades. He writes continually about his affection for The Wind in the Willows, a book that captured and changed him in boyhood. He offers some advice for would-be fantasy writers ("You need to know how your world works") and reminds us that at the heart of the genre is hope. Pratchett's close friend and fellow literary celebrity Neil Gaiman provides the foreword. Lit throughout by the bright star of wonder.

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October 1, 2014

In the tradition of Neal Stephenson's Some Remarks and William Gibson's Distrust That Particular Flavor, the title is a collection of Pratchett's nonfiction essays, articles, and other short pieces. The book begins as a fairly amusing journey through Pratchett's career, interspersed with peeks into his writing process and the exciting world of signing tours. Die-hard fans of the author's "Discworld" books will likely find these chapters absorbing, but for the neutral reviewer they are mostly just mildly charming. That all changes, however, when the book's chronology reaches Pratchett's Alzheimer's diagnosis. These pieces are universally poignant and occasionally challenging. Even readers who have no history at all with the author could benefit from his musings on assisted suicide and end-of-life issues in general, not to mention first-person reporting from inside the process of dementia. Neil Gaiman's introduction does a wonderful job of letting the reader know what to expect as well as foreshadowing the arc of the narrative, ensuring that almost anyone who picks this up will read it all the way through. VERDICT Strongly recommended for teen and adult fans of the author or of sf, as well as those dealing with dementia or similar issues. [See Prepub Alert, 3/31/14.]--Jenny Brewer, Helen Hall Lib., League City, TX

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 15, 2014
Discworld fans rejoice! For the very first time, Pratchett's nonfiction writings have been collected into a single volume. The essays, letters, speeches, and articles feature all the wit and charm of his beloved novels and allow readers a more personal look at Pratchett's life and beliefs. In a mere 336 pages, Pratchett ruminates on the underappreciated role of fantasy fiction and its importance in the literary world; the trick to becoming a successful author (hint: there isn't one); the care and feeding of authors while on book tours; and his work with fellow writer and friend Neil Gaiman. And though it wouldn't be Pratchett if it wasn't laced with his customary humor and snark, do not make the mistake of thinking that this collection is simple comedy. Pratchett has never been shy about delving into the difficult aspects of everyday life in his fictional works, and he is just as unstinting when it comes to his own life. Nearly a third of the essays are devoted in some way to his struggles with Alzheimer's and his ever-increasing role as an activist for those who also suffer from the disease. As a collection of nonfiction writings, the breadth, intelligence and humor would make it appealing even from an unknown author. Coming from such a beloved fan favorite like Sir Terry Pratchett, A Slip of the Keyboard is a must-read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)