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25 Responses to “(6/6) Terry Pratchett Lecture about Alzheimer’s and assisted dying.”
I’m not going to lie, I’m in tears. I do wish Sir Terry has many years left ahead of him, so that I may give him the biggest hug in the world, and thank him for both entertaining and educating me with his books.
An amazing speech and a very very reasonable request. My grandfather passed away from alzheimer when he was 70 and that is a death I wish upon no-one. I’ve been crying on and off during the whole speech, knowing that the loss of such a wonderful, intelligent and amazing person that is Sir Pratchett is in a nearby future is so unfair.
I had hoped for many years of joy reading his books and now knowing this… I just can’t bear it.
Sir Terry, I do hope you still have many good years left!
@lightsgolow I also noticed Nigel Planer who did some audio books of Discworld novels as well as the voices in two of the Discworld computer games. novels. I wonder what Jeremy Irons’ Pratchett connection is, apart from playing Lord Vetinari in the live action version of Colour of Magic.
Thank you, hadr0n, for posting this. Thank you Tony for reading it and of course thank you Terry (or Sir Terrance) for writing it.
This isn’t the very first time something written by Terry made me cry. Not at all. But it touched me even more (oh, *so* much more) than some of the happy endings to some of his books…
Here is a man who truly understands what it means to “be human”. If he makes a point you better listen up, because he knows what he’s talking about.
Believe me – *all* of his stories are worth the time spent reading them. Even the parts that *are* “just funny fantasy”.
I have every single one of Terry’s books and find myself re-reading them about every second year or so – and I *keep* *on* discovering new facets each time I do so.
To me he’s the impersonation of “the joy of literature”. He’s bright, funny, immensely wise, humanistic, silly, serious, understanding, intriguing, fascinating, charming, and… and… and…
Many thanks for getting this up – have been a TP follower from Colour of Magic and and hang on every word he says.
Also full credit to Tony Robinson – a mammoth task acquitted with grace and professionalism.
Again, sincere thanks hadrOn
I was so touched by this lecture and feel I understand so much more about assisted dying than I ever did before. Sir Terry’s speech was beautiful and I truly respect him for speaking out about his ideas. He is an inspiration and for someone who is suffering from a terminal disease, he has managed to write a beautiful, eloquent speech that will touch many people.
I think Baldrick was a better role for Tony Robinson… oh, as reading Pratchett you mean… well, I’ve got the audio books read by him, and this is way beyond that. Nicely done. I actually expected Stephen Briggs, as his audio book work and peripheral books on the Discworld are superb.
I’ve never read any of Terry Pratchett’s books, but I’m going to go out and buy as many as I can now! Amazing speech from an incredibly brave man staring into the face of death and displaying only courage, strength and bravery.
Thank you soo much for uploading this, had it down on my list to watch but with a busy week never got round to it, glad to finally catch such amazing lecture!
How refreshing it is to hear an articulate mind on these taboo subjects
.thanks (sir) Terry for all hours upon hours of fantastical,funny-funny wise, ironic. escapism,
Terry, your books on have made me splurt with laughter (in public). and has endoresd my own humanistic attitude, my heartfelt thanks terry, and thanks for all the fish,(as doug might have said) . the real questin is how do you devide an interstellar turtle by 42, multiplied by jesus,?
What humanity behind that beard! What a brain under that hat!
And definitely Tony Robinson’s finest role to date.
This comes too late for my father whose final year of suffering seemed to steal back in sheer vicious misery, decades of an otherwise wonderful life.
Terry Pratchett has a crowning achievement to his life. He will have helped wipe away more human misery than perhaps anyone if this is the tipping point I think it is.
Watching my mom go through her cancer (23 years ago) and finally having a nurse let me know she could “help” with the morphine drip (by upping it to the point needed) made me a believer. Before she went under she begged us to let her go to be with my Dad… Thanks OP, i’m starting to tear up again. Just an incredible lecture. i’m glad I could watch in the privacy of my office, I would have been blubbering if I had been there.
This is so beautiful and gives me hope that, if I eventually get old, I don’t need to live in constant fear of what might come before death.
But, shallow as I am, I did find Jeremy Irons popping up on my screen quite distracting at times. (I mean, he was there, right? Not that hallucinating him would be the worst way to lose your mind, though.)
I’m not going to lie, I’m in tears. I do wish Sir Terry has many years left ahead of him, so that I may give him the biggest hug in the world, and thank him for both entertaining and educating me with his books.
An amazing speech and a very very reasonable request. My grandfather passed away from alzheimer when he was 70 and that is a death I wish upon no-one. I’ve been crying on and off during the whole speech, knowing that the loss of such a wonderful, intelligent and amazing person that is Sir Pratchett is in a nearby future is so unfair.
I had hoped for many years of joy reading his books and now knowing this… I just can’t bear it.
Sir Terry, I do hope you still have many good years left!
Beautiful.
@lightsgolow I also noticed Nigel Planer who did some audio books of Discworld novels as well as the voices in two of the Discworld computer games. novels. I wonder what Jeremy Irons’ Pratchett connection is, apart from playing Lord Vetinari in the live action version of Colour of Magic.
wow what a man
A big “thank you” to all involved – from Terry to the poster of the series.
Thank you, hadr0n, for posting this. Thank you Tony for reading it and of course thank you Terry (or Sir Terrance) for writing it.
This isn’t the very first time something written by Terry made me cry. Not at all. But it touched me even more (oh, *so* much more) than some of the happy endings to some of his books…
Here is a man who truly understands what it means to “be human”. If he makes a point you better listen up, because he knows what he’s talking about.
He’s there – and since he played Lord Havellock Vetinari in “The Colour of Magic” it didn’t even come as a surprise.
Also judging from the odd clip he did himself on humanistic topics – why not?
Believe me – *all* of his stories are worth the time spent reading them. Even the parts that *are* “just funny fantasy”.
I have every single one of Terry’s books and find myself re-reading them about every second year or so – and I *keep* *on* discovering new facets each time I do so.
To me he’s the impersonation of “the joy of literature”. He’s bright, funny, immensely wise, humanistic, silly, serious, understanding, intriguing, fascinating, charming, and… and… and…
Yes… Humanity is the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape…
It’s one of the quotes that show there’s so much more to Terry’s writings than “just funny stories”…
@withlaserson “To be the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape.” It’s from Hogfather.
a very very strong respected assisted speech,
Many thanks for getting this up – have been a TP follower from Colour of Magic and and hang on every word he says.
Also full credit to Tony Robinson – a mammoth task acquitted with grace and professionalism.
Again, sincere thanks hadrOn
I was so touched by this lecture and feel I understand so much more about assisted dying than I ever did before. Sir Terry’s speech was beautiful and I truly respect him for speaking out about his ideas. He is an inspiration and for someone who is suffering from a terminal disease, he has managed to write a beautiful, eloquent speech that will touch many people.
I think Baldrick was a better role for Tony Robinson… oh, as reading Pratchett you mean… well, I’ve got the audio books read by him, and this is way beyond that. Nicely done. I actually expected Stephen Briggs, as his audio book work and peripheral books on the Discworld are superb.
“We are a rising ape, not a falling angel.”
I think that just became my new favourite quote.
Thank you very much for uploading this, this lecture really touched me.
I’ve never read any of Terry Pratchett’s books, but I’m going to go out and buy as many as I can now! Amazing speech from an incredibly brave man staring into the face of death and displaying only courage, strength and bravery.
Thank you soo much for uploading this, had it down on my list to watch but with a busy week never got round to it, glad to finally catch such amazing lecture!
How refreshing it is to hear an articulate mind on these taboo subjects
.thanks (sir) Terry for all hours upon hours of fantastical,funny-funny wise, ironic. escapism,
Terry, your books on have made me splurt with laughter (in public). and has endoresd my own humanistic attitude, my heartfelt thanks terry, and thanks for all the fish,(as doug might have said) . the real questin is how do you devide an interstellar turtle by 42, multiplied by jesus,?
You said exactly what I was going to write.
What humanity behind that beard! What a brain under that hat!
And definitely Tony Robinson’s finest role to date.
This comes too late for my father whose final year of suffering seemed to steal back in sheer vicious misery, decades of an otherwise wonderful life.
Terry Pratchett has a crowning achievement to his life. He will have helped wipe away more human misery than perhaps anyone if this is the tipping point I think it is.
Thank you.
Watching my mom go through her cancer (23 years ago) and finally having a nurse let me know she could “help” with the morphine drip (by upping it to the point needed) made me a believer. Before she went under she begged us to let her go to be with my Dad… Thanks OP, i’m starting to tear up again. Just an incredible lecture. i’m glad I could watch in the privacy of my office, I would have been blubbering if I had been there.
This is really excellent. It’s about time euthanasia is legalised.
This is so beautiful and gives me hope that, if I eventually get old, I don’t need to live in constant fear of what might come before death.
But, shallow as I am, I did find Jeremy Irons popping up on my screen quite distracting at times. (I mean, he was there, right? Not that hallucinating him would be the worst way to lose your mind, though.)