Terry Pratchett

Date of Birth: April 28, 1948

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Date of Death: March 12, 2015

Biography

Sir Terence David John Pratchett, better known as Terry Pratchett, was an English author renowned for his satirical fantasy novels, particularly the Discworld series. Born on April 28, 1948, in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England, Pratchett developed a passion for reading and writing at an early age. He published his first short story, “The Hades Business,” in a school magazine when he was just 13. Pratchett’s first novel, “The Carpet People,” was published in 1971, but it was his Discworld series, beginning with “The Colour of Magic” in 1983, that brought him widespread acclaim. Over his career, he authored more than 41 Discworld novels, which have sold over 85 million copies worldwide in 37 languages. In addition to his literary achievements, Pratchett was also known for his public advocacy on behalf of Alzheimer’s disease, with which he was diagnosed in 2007. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2009 for his services to literature. Terry Pratchett passed away on March 12, 2015, but his works continue to captivate readers around the globe.

5 Interesting Facts about Terry Pratchett

1. Terry Pratchett was knighted in 2009 and, true to his fantasy roots, had a sword forged for himself out of iron ore with added pieces of meteorite.

2. He was an avid supporter of libraries and credited his local library as the primary reason he became a writer.

3. Pratchett co-authored the book “Good Omens” with Neil Gaiman, which was later adapted into a TV miniseries.

4. He was a staunch advocate for assisted dying and made a BBC documentary titled “Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die” in 2011.

5. Pratchett was awarded the Carnegie Medal in 2001 for his young adult novel “The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents.”

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Terry Pratchett

1. “In the beginning, there was nothing, which exploded.”

2. “It’s not worth doing something unless someone, somewhere, would much rather you weren’t doing it.”

3. “Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one.”

4. “The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.”

5. “I’ll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there’s evidence of any thinking going on inside it.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the time of his death in 2015, Terry Pratchett’s net worth was estimated to be around $40 million.

Children

Terry Pratchett had one daughter, Rhianna Pratchett, who is a video game writer and journalist. She has worked on several high-profile video games, including the “Tomb Raider” series.