Quotes by

Terry Pratchett

It cannot be said often enough that science fiction as a genre is incredibly educational – and Im speaking the written science fiction, not Star Trek. Science fiction writers tend to fill their books if theyre clever with little bits of interesting stuff and real stuff. – Terry Pratchett

They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but its not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. – Terry Pratchett

Ive always felt that what I have going for me is not my imagination, because everyone has an imagination. What I have is a relentlessly controlled imagination. What looks like wild invention is actually quite carefully calculated. – Terry Pratchett

It seems sensible to me that we should look to the medical profession, that over the centuries has helped us to live longer and healthier lives, to help us die peacefully among our loved ones in our own home without a long stay in Gods waiting room. – Terry Pratchett

The baby boomers are getting older, and will stay older for longer. And they will run right into the dementia firing range. How will a society cope? Especially a society that cant so readily rely on those stable family relationships that traditionally provided the backbone of care? – Terry Pratchett

There was once a caustic comment from someone suggesting I was breeding a new race. Fans from different countries have married, amazing things like that. Ive been to some of the weddings. I went to one here the other day, a pagan ceremony. – Terry Pratchett

It seems that when you have cancer you are a brave battler against the disease, but when you have Alzheimers you are an old fart. Thats how people see you. It makes you feel quite alone. – Terry Pratchett

The truth may be out there, but lies are inside your head. – Terry Pratchett

I am certain no one sets out to be cruel, but our treatment of the elderly ill seems to have no philosophy to it. As a society, we should establish whether we have a policy of life at any cost. – Terry Pratchett

Taxation is just a sophisticated way of demanding money with menaces. – Terry Pratchett

I believe it should be possible for someone stricken with a serious and ultimately fatal illness to choose to die peacefully with medical help, rather than suffer. – Terry Pratchett

The intelligence of the creature known as a crowd, is the square root of the number of people in it. – Terry Pratchett

Only in our dreams are we free. The rest of the time we need wages. – Terry Pratchett

The ideal death, I think, is what was the ideal Victorian death, you know, with your grandchildren around you, a bit of sobbing. And you say goodbye to your loved ones, making certain that one of them has been left behind to look after the shop. – Terry Pratchett

In the first book of my Discworld series, published more than 26 years ago, I introduced Death as a character there was nothing particularly new about this – death has featured in art and literature since medieval times, and for centuries we have had a fascination with the Grim Reaper. – Terry Pratchett

No matter how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it. – Terry Pratchett

In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this. – Terry Pratchett