# Terry Pratchett has alzheimer's **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2007, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733 "2007-12-12T13:00:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/21 "2007-12-12T16:25:52Z")
Damn. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/22 "2007-12-12T16:38:54Z")
God damn that disease to hell. ---
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/23 "2007-12-12T17:12:23Z")
Oh, no. ☹ Pratchett has always been one of my favorite writers and he seems like an all-around nice guy. Such a shame. Well, at least we can hope that the disease doesn’t progress too quickly to allow Terry time to complete any projects he might have stashed away. ---
**Author:** ![ThirdCultureKid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@ThirdCultureKid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThirdCultureKid)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/24 "2007-12-12T17:49:57Z")
Aw, fuck. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/25 "2007-12-12T17:52:12Z")
Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/26 "2007-12-12T18:33:05Z")
Damnit. Fucking hell. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/27 "2007-12-12T18:52:15Z")
Bugger. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/28 "2007-12-12T19:39:29Z")
I actually wish someone were playing a game of silly buggers with us… ☹ Excuse me while I go mourne over a copy of Small Gods. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/29 "2007-12-12T21:51:33Z")
BBC story [I am not dead](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7141458.stm) > [@Terry Pratchett](#): > > “All other things being equal, I expect to meet most current and, as far as possible, future commitments but will discuss things with the various organisers.” > > “Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful, because I think there’s time for at least a few more books yet.” ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/30 "2007-12-12T22:10:10Z")
Wossname. He’s only 59 fer crying out loud. A man at 59 should at least look at 20 more years without health issues, if he’s not self destructive or extremely unlucky. I’m just re-reading Jingo for the fifth or tenth time and was thinking about how much insight the man has. I also read his juvenile Hades story, which embarasses (sp?) him, but what he wrote at 13 is still miles ahead of what I’ve done as a journalist, columnist, teacher and copy writer for 25 years. The man is a Titan. He’ll be read in the future for his insight and satire of our world, much as scholars today read Swift. In 200 years, researchers will find Tom Wolfe stale, but Pratchett fresh. I’m glad I’ve been there for part of the ride. And should he check out tomorrow, he’ll still leave a great legacy. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/31 "2007-12-12T23:05:02Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] _hopes A CERTAIN SOMEONE is a fan and holds off so there will be more Discworld to read…_ [/QUOTE] WHO DID YOU HAVE IN MIND? I’m not the biggest Discworld fan in the world, but I’m sorry to hear about this. Pratchett’s universe has entertained and excited a ton of people for I can’t even imagine how many hours, and that’s a great accomplishment. And when I say I’m not a huge fan… I mean I sat down with about four Discworld books a few years ago, and read them all in a week. I really liked _Reaper Man_. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/32 "2007-12-12T23:18:08Z")
damn… ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/33 "2007-12-12T23:24:43Z")
I’m so not a fan - in fact I’m an anti-fan of his work - but I totally admire that he’s keeping a good sense of humor about it. It seems so bizarre for someone that young to have Alzheimer’s, but it just makes me wonder how much longer before we find out that it’s (Alzheimer’s, not Pratchett in particular) is part of a larger problem related to Mad Cow and stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/34 "2007-12-12T23:33:59Z")
[QUOTE=Charlie Tan] He’s only 59 fer crying out loud. A man at 59 should at least look at 20 more years without health issues, if he’s not self destructive or extremely unlucky. [/QUOTE] The mother of a good friend of mine was also diagnosed barely around 60. Also someone who had no self-destructive habits. It’s a terrible thing. Embuggerment indeed… ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/35 "2007-12-12T23:34:49Z")
I hope that some miraculous our world equivalent of dried frog pills can be found to keep his mind working well as long as possible. I think Pratchett’s works show far more insight into humanity than any number of so-called literary works – and he gives you a good time and a great deal of laughter, too. The good-natured satire and the laughter is the best gift anyone can give the world. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/36 "2007-12-12T23:37:16Z")
One a side column in the BBC article was a link to TPratchett taking a swipe at JK Rowling. > [@BBC](#): > > Writer Terry Pratchett has poked fun at Harry Potter author JK Rowling for saying she did not realise she was writing a fantasy novel. > > He wrote to the Sunday Times:“I would have thought that the wizards, witches, trolls, unicorns, hidden worlds… would have given her a clue?” That’s just…so _him_. Damn, stupid disease. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/37 "2007-12-12T23:38:21Z")
☹ Dammit. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/38 "2007-12-13T00:51:35Z")
[QUOTE=Charlie Tan] Wossname. He’s only 59 fer crying out loud. A man at 59 should at least look at 20 more years without health issues, if he’s not self destructive or extremely unlucky. [/QUOTE] My mother died this year of early-onset Alzheimer’s. She was 59. Alzheimer’s can fuck right off. And fantasy authors need to stop dying/preparing to die this year. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/39 "2007-12-13T01:00:14Z")
I just heard the news. Goddammit, I can’t even. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733/40 "2007-12-13T01:16:28Z")
Here’s hoping some brilliant researcher in Alzheimer’s treatment is a Discworld fan and now redoubles his/her efforts. Which isn’t unlikely, come to think of it. Progress might even come in time to help Pterry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terry-pratchett-has-alzheimers/429733.md?page=3)