With all the humour and humanity that have made his novels so enduringly popular, this collection brings Pratchett out from behind the scenes of the Discworld to speak for himself – man and boy, bibliophile and computer geek, champion of hats, orang-utans and Dignity in Dying. A Slip of the Keyboard brings together for the first time the finest examples of Pratchett’s non fiction writing, both serious and surreal: from musings on mushrooms to what it means to be a writer (and why banana daiquiris are so important) from memories of Granny Pratchett to speculation about Gandalf’s love life, and passionate defences of the causes dear to him.
People bring Pratchett strange things to sign, including on the 1998 trip, both a coffin on castors and a long polished scythe blade on which the owner was going to etch his signature.Terry Pratchett has earned a place in the hearts of readers the world over with his bestselling Discworld series – but in recent years he has become equally well-known and respected as an outspoken campaigner for causes including Alzheimer’s research and animal rights. He provides many insights into both the excitement and the exhaustion of signing tours. His visit to Gaslight Books in Fyshwick records his appreciation of a bowl of black jelly beans to eat while signing, with one fan travelling 14 hours to meet him. His 1998 Australian signing tour is covered in a chapter diary, No Worries, which includes his Canberra Times/ANU lecture in which this reviewer features. Pratchett likes Australia, which he has visited more than a dozen times, and which features as the subject of his Discworld novel The Last Continent.
Whether in short opinion pieces (on death and taxes), or in long essays, speeches, and interviews (covering a range of topics from mushrooms to orangutans), this collection. His advocacy of assisted deaths is also emphasised in several essays, notably his reprinted 2010 BBC Richard Dimbleby lecture Shaking Hands with Death. A Slip of the Keyboard is the first collection of Pratchetts nonfiction work, and it brings together the finest examples of his extraordinary wit and his persuasive prose. Pratchett has been very outspoken about his diagnosis and the problems of the British National Health Service (NHS). A Scribbling Intruder covers his career as an author almost literally from rags to riches A Twit and a Dreamer covers a range of subjects from school days to the meaning of Christmas, and Days of Rage covers issues relating to his struggle with Alzheimer's. Pratchett's dry humour and common sense pervades many of the essays, which are organised into three sections.
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