As most of you have heard by now, Sir Terry Pratchett has died at the age of 66, and this was just eight years after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (which he had called an ‘embuggerance’).

In the past, the prolific author said that he was considering assisted suicide, so he could die at the time of his own choosing, but the BBC reports that they were “told by the publishers his death was entirely natural and unassisted.” Under the circumstances, he went out the best way any of us could hope. He was surrounded by his family, in his own home, and had his beloved cat sleeping at his side.

The last three tweets posted on Pratchett’s account, were written as if they were the final chapter of his Discworld novels. Death, an ever-present character in the series (who just happens to always speaks in capital letters) finally came knocking on the author’s door:

If you are one of the few freethinkers, who have not yet read any of the Discworld novels, do yourself a favor and do so now . They are funny, irreverent, and his characters will remain with you for the rest of your life (as they did Terry’s). I’m not sure how to describe Pratchett’s writing style. He is unique unto himself, but if pressured, I would say he is a mixture of Mark Twain and Douglas Adams.

Finally, I would like to bring your attention to a video made a few years back in which Pratchett comments on religion on god(s). Always the optimist, we could all learn from how he handled these questions with wit and humor.

And hey, he mentions Sagan, and you know I love me some Carl!

Brother Richard

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