“Terry Pratchett. Life with footnotes”: a sparkling biography of the creator of the Discworld

A kind of wizard with a beard and a black wide-brimmed hat – this is how everyone remembers Sir Terence David John Pratchett, the demiurge of the Discworld and other fantasy universes. He himself did not believe in gods or magic, but his life was full of very real miracles. Without higher education, he managed to become a good journalist, a brilliant writer and the winner of many literary awards. Few people in the world can boast of several professorships, a knighthood and an Order of the British Empire, but Pratchett could. Books about the adventures of Death, Lancre witches, wizards of the Unseen University, Ankh-Morpork guards and other heroes sold millions of copies. True, in 1997 year Terry, like a true knight, gave up the throne to the British writer No. 1 lady – it was taken by JK Rowling.

With such a living legend in 2000 met Rob Wilkins. He fulfilled the dream of any fan: he became the personal assistant of his idol. Of course, the reality differed from expectations about such work. Pratchett – a man with his own everyday quirks, eccentric plans, who makes dark jokes that are not always appropriate.

One way or another, the newly made assistant gradually got used to the eccentricities of the master of satirical fantasy. Moreover, Rob planned to work for him for a couple of years, but stayed for almost fifteen, which says a lot:

“In those years, I often thought at the keyboard about my absurd luck: I get paid for laughing.”

Rob and Terry became friends, and later practically one working mechanism. The cause was the author’s progressive rare form of Alzheimer’s disease. Exactly delivered in 2007 year, the diagnosis prompted Pratchett to think about writing an autobiography. He wanted to call it “Life with Footnotes”*. As a result, the unfinished version became the basis for Wilkins’ book. This material was supplemented by conversations with Terry’s friends, colleagues and family.

The biographer’s narration style largely imitates Pratchett’s style. However, from the biography of Sir Terry’s long-time assistant, you don’t expect a resurrection of his writing style, but some kind of insight. They certainly cannot be given by other biographies of the master, such as, for example, Mark Burrows’ book “The Magic of Terry Pratchett. Biography of the creator of the Discworld.” IN To some extent, Wilkins meets readers’ expectations, especially in those parts of the story where he was a direct participant in the events.

It must be understood that this biographical book was written by a still grieving friend, a member of a close family circle. Therefore objectivity – is far from her strongest side. TO besides, Wilkins clearly took over from Pratchett the ability to tell a story in such a way that it was “too good to check” (SKhChP). Such a story “expresses the truth of life much better.” The life-scorched journalist and storyteller Pratchett understood this well. His biographer uses “footnotes” to reveal this unfortunate truth, to convey someone else’s version of events, to make a joke, or to relegate the fact in question to the category of an emergency situation.

Yes, maybe this biography is not the most objective. But reading it leaves behind a warm feeling. It was as if you were invited to tea with brandy and told old stories about the life of the great satirist, science fiction writer, knight of Her Majesty and, in the end, a man whom Death probably met as an old friend.

* Pratchett loved footnotes, as every fan of his work knows. Rob Wilkins didn’t skimp on them either.

Publisher: Fanzon
The year of publishing: 2024
Translator: Sergey Karpov

Read also the review of “The Bradbury Chronicles”: a biography of a man who will live forever.”