No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away
With the passing of Sir Terry Pratchett and the publication of The Shepherd’s Crown, I embarked on an epic re-reading of all 41 official Discworld novels, with the goal of finishing by 31 December, 2016.
Famous for its wit and wisdom, the series offers countless quotable quotes on a variety of subjects. The quotes I share should not be considered the whole of Sir Terry’s excellent prose; indeed, they are the tasty appetizers to a succulent, nourishing meal.
About Sourcery
Sourcery is the 5th book in the Discworld series and the 3rd book in the Rince-cycle. Also featuring the Librarian with cameo appearances by DEATH, and Lord Havelock Vetinari, Sourcery examines the intersection of fate and free will.
The Goodreads Blurb:
When last seen, the singularly inept wizard Rincewind had fallen off the edge of the world. Now magically, he’s turned up again, and this time he’s brought the Luggage.
But that’s not all….
Once upon a time, there was an eighth son of an eighth son who was, of course, a wizard. As if that wasn’t complicated enough, said wizard then had seven sons. And then he had an eighth son — a wizard squared (that’s all the math, really). Who of course, was a source of magic — a sourcerer.
To the Quotes!
The Librarian as he appears in The Discworld Companion, illustrated by Paul Kidby
What is there in this world that makes living worthwhile?
Death thought about it.
CATS, he said eventually, CATS ARE NICE.
When it comes to glittering objects, wizards have all the taste and self-control of a deranged magpie.
It was quite possible [the wardrobe] was a secret doorway to fabulous worlds, but no one had ever tried to find out because of the distressing smell of mothballs.
In a few minutes he would have to make a speech. Wayzygoose had, in his younger days, sought power in strange places; he’d wrestled with demons in blazing octograms, stared into dimensions that men were not meant to know of, and even outfaced the Unseen University grants committee, but nothing in the eight circles of nothingness was quite so bad as a couple of hundred expectant faces staring up at him through cigar smoke.
The Luggage was also extremely protective of its owner. It would be hard to describe its attitude to the rest of creation, but one could start with the phrase “bloody-minded malevolence” and work up from there.
The people of Ankh are of a practical persuasion, and felt that the Patrician’s edict forbidding all street theater and mime artists made up for a lot of things. He didn’t administer a reign of terror, just the occasional light shower.
Foreign countries are, well, foreign countries. They do things differently there.
Never enter a kicking contest with a porcupine.
Talent just defines what you do, it doesn’t define what you are. Deep down, I mean. When you know what you are, you can do anything.
Truth isn’t easily pinned to a page. In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find . . .
There would be a morning. There would always be another morning.
. . .
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