By Bernie Bell.

I have frequently quoted Terry Prathcett’s advice about fungi

“All Fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once”  

A wise man – but, for some reason, I’ve never got round to reading his books. 

Someone advised me

“Don’t stop at the quotes. Terry Pratchett is a very canny writer. He wraps serious messages in humorous wrappers. Don’t touch his books which were written in collaboration with someone else: They’re grim, and hard work.”

Which led to the following exchange

“I already have a sizeable ‘to be read’ heap – but I think I’ll add him to it – which would you recommend to start with?”

“ Feet of Clay, then move on to Getting up Steam, then … whichever![For ‘Getting up Steam’, it should be ‘Raising Steam’] (Carpet People, his first book, is interesting. He wrote for a children’s audience at age 17, then rewrote it later.) I will be surprised if you are disappointed.”

“Thanks – I’ll give it a go. It’s a funny business …..I saw Ursula Le Guin interviewed on the telly and took to her – I liked her view and her way of being. I started to read ’Earthsea’ and couldn’t get on with it at all. I thought……’Why read this when you can read ‘Lord of the Rings?’  I really would have thought I’d have dived straight into her world, but no.

I’ll see what I make of Terry Pratchett’s world, or worlds.

On the other hand, there are people who I don’t think much of as people, but very much appreciate what they create. I think P.B. Shelley is a git – but I do like his poetry.”

Which led to my buying, and beginning to read, Feet of Clay.  It looks very promising – I think I’ll get on well with this man and his way of seeing/being

I’ll quote from near the beginning of the book.  Commander Vimes is shaving:

“He knew that Lady Sybil mildly disapproved.  Her father had never shaved himself in his life.  He had a man for it.  Vimes had protested that he’d spent too many years trudging night-time streets to be happy about anyone else wielding  a blade anywhere near his neck, but the real reason, the unspoken reason, was that he hated the very ides of the world being divided into the shaved and the shavers.  Or those who wore the shiny boots and those who cleaned the mud off them.”

This chimes with my instinctively Socialist approach to life and the world around me. 

Then, Mr. Hopkinson the Baker has been murdered, but doesn’t accept that he’s dead – even though Death is there, telling him that he is! 

This is a theme touched on by George MacKay Brown in his story…… ‘Brig-O-Dread’.   At one point the narrator, who has ’died’, comes to what the reader realises is the Brig O’ Brodgar, Orkney.  At this point in the tale the narrator doesn’t realise that he has died.  It takes meeting with his dead sister at the Brig to bring that home to him.

She helps him to accept what has happened to him, and to begin his journey in the land of the dead.

And by myself……..

An Extra-ordinary Orkney Holiday – Part Three

The concept that folk sometimes don’t realise/accept that they’re dead, and therefore can’t/won’t let go of the living world.

Yes…this book, and this writer, look promising…..and entertaining…..

Death

“I FIND THE BEST APPROACH IS TO TAKE LIFE AS IT COMES”

Mr. Hopkinson

“That seems very irresponsible…”

Death

“IT’S ALWAYS WORKED FOR ME.”