Terry Pratchett: Shaking Hands With Death
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ก.พ. 2012
- AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER.
Terry took Death’s arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night.
The End.
12th March 2015
.
I started crying when Tony Robinson started speaking and I haven't stopped yet. Sir Terry you entertained me for 35 years and the world is poorer without you in it.
I shall face death a whole lot better for Terry Pratchett having been in my life
From my husband Jimmy , an avid Sir Terry Pratchett fan:
This is how I see him going.
___________________________
"COME, SIR," said Death, taking the gray-haired man's hand. "IT IS TIME FOR US TO WALK TOGETHER."
"You know, I rather think I should have written your hands warmer," the man commented, gently pulling his hand away and adjusting his hat as they began to walk down the darkening beach.
"IT IS A COMMON COMPLAINT," Death replied.
"And if I may...?" the man continued, with a touch of wonder. "How do they find your voice? I was going for Commanding, with no small amount of Omniscience, but I feel I may have wiffed it."
"ON THE CONTRARY," Death assured him as they began to fade, "IT IS ONE OF MY MOST COMPLIMENTED FEATURES. THAT, AND MY HORSE."
"Yes, about Binky." The man gave a small cough. "I must apologize for his lack of loquacity. Although he is your constant companion, I was hesitant about his vocalization, even though I had given voice to the Death of Rats. But I didn't think it appropriate for him to constantly contradict you."
"IF YOU WILL RECALL, MY FIRST STEED WAS OF THE SAME NATURE AS THE DEATH OF RATS. AND I MUST SAY, HIS CONTRARIAN ATTITUDE TRIED MY PATIENCE," Death said, the light growing more opaque. "THAT, AND HIS HABIT OF LOSING BITS OF HIMSELF."
"But he didn't eat your robes," the man pointed out.
"YES. BINKY CAN BE QUITE AFFECTIONATE," Death agreed. "WE MUST THANK YOU FOR THAT, AS WELL." And they continued on together in silence.
The last of light played along the rim of the Discworld, as though the sun were reluctant to set, until the two figures finally faded away.
Dan AndJim Look up the 3 last tweets from his Tweeter feed.
This is the greatest comment I have ever seen on TH-cam.
It's been years, yet again you moved me to tears.
Close to crying now.
thank you friend
He died the way he lived: making people smile.
Rest in peace, dear man. We will miss you so much.
Betty Andrews "A man is not dead while his name is still spoken."
GNU Terry Pratchett
I realize this is years old but I am crying. I remember crying when I first read the news of his death and I tear up every time I read that quote. RIP .
Same, I linked this video for some people on a related topic and just had to watch it again myself. can't help but tear up
@@BemusedOwl I'm all teary watching this now
Bless Tony Robinson for the honor given memorizing his friend's intimately personal speech with heartfelt delivery.
RIP Terry.
we lost not only a great writer, but a truly great man. forever missed
Tony Robins does a beautiful job speaking for Terry Pratchette here. He didn't speak a single word of his own when he took the stage and did his job perfectly. What a beautiful, beautiful event.
BSG Tony Robinson wasn't even expecting to be reading that night, he was only intending to add a few comments and be there for support. He was asked at short notice to read when he arrived at the event, given Sir Terry's notes and shown where the autocue was located. So much more impressive a reading when you realise that.
its amazing how quickly you forget who's reading - especially if you are only listening. Very good speaker who lets the voice of the text out.
Tony "became" Sir Terry. Consummate and articulate with the sardonic wit Sir Terry has always been known for.
Tears for both the loss and the joy. Thank you.
@@serinad9434 Wow, really? I was sure he had practiced the speech until he memorized it. He seemed to know exactly where to put emphasis and emotion.
Tony Robinson and Terry Pratchett. Spelling.
Oh, Terry Pratchett. You will be greatly missed. Truly one of the wittiest and sharpest minds in contemporary writing. Thank you for your huge collection of works. Rest in peace.
It's things like this that remind me as to exactly why I sat down and bawled like a baby, harder then I can remember crying for any loss in years when the news came that Death had finally walked him through that last doorway. His genius with words, his wit, his humor, his compassion, his bravery and yes. Even his righteous anger at the sometimes unfair aspects of life we have to find ways to traverse.
I feel your pain. I, rather selfishly, hoped he'd outlive us all despite his illness. There is not a day goes by when his novels don't effect me in some way and I think we should be thankful that we had, and always will have him.
Most of us come and go with little to show for it, but Sir Terry built a Universe and left it for us to visit...and look back on ours with a whole new perspective. Thank you Sir Terry for gifting us you're very uncommon wisdom.
He memorised that entire speech. Perfectly. Amazing- all of it. God I love Terry Pratchett! Give his books this Christmas 2020! We certinaly all have the time to read them!!
Pratchett was a genius. His books have given me so much . A truly great author and a truly amazing man. Truly and genuinely affectionately missed by all true Pratchett fans.
Terry has a wonderful way of taking a difficult subject and giving it a simple solution. I have walked the alzheimer's path with my husband for more than a decade; Being responsible for another person's life and interpreting old wishes can be difficult. We are not the same people we were then and I have found that the human spirit takes comfort and happiness where it can find it. My husband is confined to bed, lost most of his abilities such as walking, talking and looking after his needs. He cannot help himself and cannot ask for help but he is happy and continues to make jokes! Our happiness puts others at ease.
Still my idol today, the only man that I want brought back from the dead (so far). I still haven't read a fiction book after he died, but I know he wouldn't want me to stop reading. A true legend, he is up there with the greats.
I love Sir Terry Pratchett. He has gotten people talking and thinking about assisted death. It's been a long time coming.
Thank you for all you gave us, Sir Terry.
Damnit, Baldrick! Choked me up. I never even imagined this happening.
Goodbye Terry. I hope you were able to go on your own terms.
He did not get assisted dying.
Farewell sir, and thank you.
Garlid303 "A man is not dead while his name is still spoken."
GNU Terry Pratchett
I am sitting here in tears... Rest In Peace Sir Terry, you are sorely missed in the world and I thank you for the journeys you have taken me on!
deathsmog "A man is not dead while his name is still spoken."
GNU Terry Pratchett
That is true! In that case he shall never die.
RIP Terry Pratchett. A brilliant mind, incredibly witty and entertaining writer, and of course an awesome man. He influenced so many childhoods, and inspiring many writers. Thank you so much, for gifting us your novels and your wisdom, Sir Terry.
Doodles inanotebook "A man is not dead while his name is still spoken."
GNU Terry Pratchett
May Rince Wind, The Luggage, Twoflower and the Great A' Tuin be with you Sir Terry Pratchett
I will All ways remember you in your Books... Like this if you care for Terry.. Thank you
Uncle Zed "A man is not dead while his name is still spoken."
GNU Terry Pratchett
and now, this lovely and friendly DEATH took him... Sir Terry Pratchett, you were and are amazing.
"Before you can kill the monster, I always say, you have to prepared to say its name." GENIUS RYHME! I'm borrowing to it to the gallery of quotes of famous and genius people.
Wait where's the rhyme
Beautiful speech, wonderful man
This is so wonderful. I dont think he could have found a better Stunt Pratchett. Yes, Sir Terry Pratchett will be missed but now he is on the next big adventure. And I hope its a good one for him. So Long and Farewell, the world is diminished by your passing.
James Hart Tony Robinson wasn't even expecting to be reading that night, he was only intending to add a few comments and be there for support. He was asked at short notice to read when he arrived at the event, given Sir Terry's notes and shown where the autocue was located. So much more impressive a reading when you realise that.
Agreed. It should have been Rob.
One of the most impressive speeches made this century.
God bless you 'Terry', RIP, and may God bless you.
A great writer, man, kind and truly good.
We miss you, your great courage as been a great insperation.
With the greatest love, respect and gratitude,
With love, Andrew.x.
It warms my heart to see Terry compared to Charles Dickens in a widely loved kind of way. I know it was just my area growing up but no one but me and my brother even knew about his books when I was younger so to grow up get the internet and learn that the whole world loved his work just as much as I. He will be missed. The only famous person in my life that when he passed I felt like I had lost a very close family member. Like a father, it was heartbreaking.
Such a brilliant speech. R.I.P. Mr Pratchett.
It breaks my heart that he we lost this man before his time. He was and remains so incredibly vital. The fact that he faced his "embuggerance" just as he faced the rest of his life - with characteristic humour, kindness and downright grumpiness - speaks volumes for the kind of man he was.
The world is worse without him here. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that, even though I didn't know him and never met him, I miss him.
Bye bye Genius. Fly high. Thank you for everything.
I have a terminal chronic illness called Emphysema. At the moment I am short of breath all the time even on oxygen. Years ago,I saw a friend, older than myself die gasping for air even tho he was on Oxygen. There are still things I can do but there will come a time when I shall want to walk the Black desert. I hope by then things will have changed to allow me a dignified Death.
I hope the best for you and can't find, after reading what you wrote, any better words. May you find all the strength you need.
Cyr4s p
Cyr4s there are far better drugs now there are also ops which weren't available then. I look forward to many more years. Thank you for your concern
i hope you're still doing OK. My Grandad had emphysema and I wouldn't wish that on anyone
A legendary writer, he will be sorely missed. Thank Pterry we still have his books.
OMG, Tony Robinson (Baldrick) reading Sir Terry's speech for him. How wonderful. I missed this prior to his death but maybe it will resonate even more now. RIP.
This. This was the most powerful thing that Sir Terry ever wrote - closely followed by the death of Esme Weatherwax
Robert Holloway I re-read that passage at least five times, and I still cannot accept her passing...
I cried when DEATH came for her...and stopped reading for a few days! Remarkable how he made us care for those characters so much! A most brilliant man...
Sorry I don't believe it, she has headology and I suspect she convinced death she was walking with him when it really was a stick he was talking too.
never expected she would die
WHAT SHE DIES!?!?
Terry Pratchett was a wonderful, clearly caring & unforgettable man. Although i can't condone suicide i do whole heartedly support the right of choice for a person to die a death of dignity, of their own choosing & at a time of their choosing should they make an advance preference regarding their death & the time thereof. If a persons last choice before losing their ability to choose is to be allowed or indeed supported to die with dignity then who are any of us to say otherwise. RIP Sir Terry & i hope that wherever you are you are still delighting those that have passed whilst here we, your admirers, you readers your friends, will always miss you but never forget what you brought to the world through your writing & your being. If there is no afterlife (as i believe) then you are again a part of the universe in the most amazing way as the atoms of your body almost reverse themselves back to the infinity that was & will probably always be.
Sir Terry Pratchett has a very sweet voice.
He was the greatest. I will miss him with all my heart. But with me, he will never die. And I love the speaker. He narrated the best books (all off them).
What a stunning story beautifully spoken and articulately written. R.I.P. Sir.
That was beautiful, to say the least. I know the word 'inspiration' is thrown around lightly by people today, but Sir Terry Pratchett truly is an inspiration and a genius.
one year later... I'm finishing my MA dissertation about Pratchett's puns and their translation into Polish. I just knew that I want to write something about Sir Terry and I have to admit it's a pleasure. I hope you are well sir Terry.
I will miss you along with the rest of us. RIP Terry.
David Roberts "A man is not dead while his name is still spoken."
GNU Terry Pratchett
+88norimaki Can't agree more. I have a section of his books in my library. Both in English and my language, Czech. I have the movies in my PC. So his name and his work is actual to me.
+88norimaki Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett! Terry Pratchett!
A wonderful speech, as with most things written by terry it rings with truth and (as always) can apply to our lives, even the morbid bits.
This breaks my heart but is so beautiful.
"If I knew I could die. I would live. My life, my death, my choice"
"Nobody considers killing themselves (via AD) flippantly"
"I think people who are opposed to assisted dying think we haven't thought the matter through"
This is, without a doubt, now in one of my Top 10 favourite speeches of all time
Amazing! Grew up reading his discworld novels.Helped me think, made me think, made me laugh. Cheered me up and took me away from the of5 en very bad place of my childhood. Then I read them all again after a very dull language degree in Spanish, bringing it to life , i read them again and again.The Shakespeare of our day in terms of relevance, merth to comethey will say that it was actually bauldrick that wrote his books, not him, but we were here with him and glad to have breathed the same air.HEs still with us, albeit not in a way he'd prefer, as all that he started is !ong to unwind.RIP
Yes, our fantasy Shakespeare. Whose world keeps expanding and becoming more real. Hit by all the sleeting particles of inspiration that there were.
So well written by Terry Pratchett and excecuted with feeling by Tony Robinson
An instructive, moving and memorable message which I have downloaded for my children. How better to explain the need for a rational, dignified and appropriate demise. Tony Robinson was exceptional. Well done
Have just watched this with my partner. She thought this was an amazing speech. Thank you for hosting this video. A great discussion for the current nz referendum, and counter to the bizarre arguments being offered against it. Thank you very very much.
That's some of the most moving shit I've seen on the TH-cam. Respects Terry.
R.I.P. Sir Terry Pratchett!
sarsafaty "A man is not dead while his name is still spoken."
GNU Terry Pratchett
The Turtle moves
Thank you, Sir Terry. Thank you.
I will always hold a place in my heart for the great writer terry pratchet
Thank you Terry Pratchett I learn more from you than from my own family...!
going 2 miss him 4ever,
thankfull for sharing his discworld with public.
sooo good & healthy.
His words are still so good and right.
Thank you Sir Terry Pratchett your words always ring true........
Have a nice walk Sir Terry.
RIP Sir Terry...
Thanks are due to Sir Terry for his candor, and to Tony Robinson... my god, man, well done.
A dead man whose name is still spoken is, nonetheless, still dead.
Terry was a realist.
RIP.
+xtenkfarpl xtenkfarpl snr LOL....you have a point,a dark one, but a point nevertheless BUT....on the other hand if being a realist makes no difference to ones end why aspire to it?
but one can't start curing or fighting with an illness that is unnamed, unknown and unclassified.... feeding on a patient who is unwilling to admit he/she is sick, so "Before you can kill the monster, I always say, you have to be prepared to say its name." is even more witty and insightful than just a jest in the beginning of the speech.
GNU Terry Pratchett
I am so sorry that it wasn't until the more recent years of my life that I discovered the great Sir Terry Pratchett. After having read only one of his novels The Hogfather and watching multiple films based on his works I can only say he was one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century as well as the twentyfirst. His stories were of wildly imaginative worlds that always with a great touch of easy humor mirored our own in the most important ways. Thank you for your stories Sir Terry. And by the way I also thank the elevator maintenance man for a safe ride.
Terry was a man of breathtaking wit and colossal style. The world is a lesser place without him in it. I’ve no doubt he bore the disease with dignity, grace and the greatest humour. It seems like Tony had the speech memorised. He knocked it out the park. A truly wonderful man doing a wonderful thing for his friend. The love between them was palpable.
GNU Sir Terry Pratchett, Builder of worlds, Ignitor of Imagination. You are missed.
eloquently and passionately written by the marvellous Terry Pratchett and eloquently, passionately, sympathetically and oh so idiosyncratically delivered by Tony Robinson. Smiles & sniffles will follow
I don't think I've ever been consciously aware of the late Sir Terry Prachett until today when happenstance found me listening to this proxy address. Approaching end of life somewhat ambiguously with contentment and fear the core message of this address most certainly resonated with me as I too have been a humanist by nature throughout life and as much as is personally possible, understand what a feeble, tenuous contradictory and contrary species we are. That said I hold some optimism if not hope that future generations will lead the way for mankind to progress to a stage that we will ultimately emerge as a deserving and positive contributing member of the cosmos. Vale Sir Terry.
Brilliant !!! It's about time.
Oh my god! I had no idea! Wow. Man I bet when the Death came for Pratchett he BRO-HUGGED him.
I think this is a beautiful lecture and watch it when it was on TV. re watching it again it shouts how the eyes of the world need to be opened and allow people some freedoms in certian situations and conditions to 'take there life in to thier own hands' per-say, im not going to preach, this speech is beautiful and i think it should be used to teach people both medicial and and anyone working in care. thank you Sir Terry, for your books and the smiles, laughs and insite they have given me
What a beautiful man, a wonderful mind. In this current crap of 2020 imagine if world leaders and politicians were as wise.
Sir Terence [Terry] Pratchett recognised only two kinds of people: those with integrity and those without it. His main Disk-World characters all had the most amazing integrity - they were always dependable, true to their word, kept their promises - could be depended upon for anything they promised. I was amazed and gratified upon reading the biography of Terry Pratchett called "A Life with Footnotes - The Official Biography" by Rob Wilkens; to find that Terry Prachett was an amalgam of all the protagonists I loved in his Disk-World series. He was as lovable, adorable and dependable as the characters he had created. He WAS Lord Vetinari, Mustrum Ridcully, Granny Weatherwax, Moist von Lipwig, Vimes, Tiffany Aching, Rincewind - Captain Carrot - and everybody else on the Diskworld, he was as enchanting as his characters who shone with integrity. And he knew how absolutely facetious academia was when he was awarded literary recognition for his philosophical dissertation "Nation" JUST because he addressed fashionable philosophical and sociological themes in a book without enchantment, interesting action and without dialogue or characterisation, quickly unmasked by the kids who were forced to read this work at school: BUT he kept quiet and accepted literary accolades for "Nation" - while his readership loved him for his Diskworld series. Thank you Sir Terry Pratchett for providing me with the means to survive a strange life by writing the Disk-World series - wrapping me in a blue blanket of societal satire - while I had to "play Monopoly at work" - to stay alive!
How euthenasia is not an established thing in civilized society is beyond me. My dad and brother are both in the early stages of different degenerative muscle diseases, and knowing they are going to have to spend their last years in wheelchairs, with catheters to feed them and deal with their waste, requiring constant care, not being able to express themselves is causing our family and friends, and themselves especially a great amount of pain already, and they still have years before things are that bad.
Having a quick, painless and dignified death for the terminally ill should be a human right.
But the people in power, who have never suffered anything like it, always decide that no, it's ethically wrong to let adults choose their own fate. The state is allowed to condemn them to years of suffering. It's beyond my comprehension.
You will always be in our heart Sir.
Thankyou Tony for speaking Terry's words in such an honest and expressive way.
Terry and Tony, thank you.
I saw this when it went out originally and it made my cry , it's 10 years later and I'm looking for hankies again
Still sadly missed. 😢 GNU Sir Terry Pratchett.
Absolutely brilliant.
!An amazing and moving presentation; I cried throughout it. Such a brave thing for Sir Terry to do. I wish he could have lived forever; he always will with me..😂.Guy
It has become a tradition i'm watching again this vidéo.
Sir I miss you a lot.
#speakhisname
#gnuterrypratchett
An insightful and thought provoking video, highly informative and real!
Brilliant. Thank you, Terry Pratchett.
A compelling and well written argument.
An unforgettable wordsmith
This is what made him a hell of a human being. His brilliant satire and way of seeing humanity didn't just show in his art but also in his character. With his candle going out the world is a darker place.
My heart goes out to those suffering in their final days. We all have to watch love one's die until it is are time. Assisted death would help so many of us instead many will be living in fear & pain.
A very moving testimony by one of the greatest, most humane and wittiest writers of the last 100 years. The Discworld audiobooks - especially Colin Morgan as the cowardly wizard Rincewind, who only acts decisively by accident, and Peter Serafinawicz as Death, drifting casually in and out to terrify Rincewind, have amused me and entertained me through a recent skirmish with Covid when I could barely get out of bed. May they give many other people in need a refreshing laugh. Rest in peace, Sir Terry.
There would have been tears, of course there would. Tears would be appropirate and unsupressable. But of course this did not happen because myself, my father, and the nurses were locked in the aspic of the law.
Aspic: a savoury jelly made with meat stock, set in a mould and used to contain pieces of meat, seafood, or eggs.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful David Dimbleby lecturer, I have read and owned so many of Sir Terry Pratchett's books. I am now listening to his audio books and hope that I can live to hear the last one written. I miss him every time I listen to a book. Hugs
Beautiful and clearly from the mind of Prachett himself. I have the utmost respect for this man and all of his work: here's a guy who really thought this stuff out, and takes the most practical, logical, and sane look into the issue at hand. Cheers and tears alike, Sir Prachett.
RIP - you will be missed
Terry is and will forever be a Legend.
+Orphidos possibly...but think about how many really good books are avilible for free gathering (electronic) dust at librivox or Gutenburg- to last two generations as a popular read is a real achievement... I hope people will be reading his stuff in a hundred years or more.
hear hear!
My grandmother was my Terry Pratchett before I knew who he was. I swear they would have gotten along famously. She passed away with dementia, in addition to cancer which ultimately took her life a few years before Sir Pratchett himself left us. It's painful to see someone you care for so much, suffering and knowing there is nothing you can do to make it better for them. I can only hope that at some point in the future, there will be a cure for these sorts of illnesses (as well as all others).
Much to my surprise, I was talking to my mother about this video and she just told me that, when it came time for my grandfather to die (his lung cancer finally caught up with him not long after my grandmother passed), that the doctor on duty asked her subtly what she _"wanted to do"_ given that my grandfather's lungs were essentially mush, and he was going to start the very painful and drawn out process of dying very soon. He or she had very graciously helped my grandfather pass with some shred of dignity, at the potential cost of his or her whole career. It's truly a shame that helping someone end their life peacefully is considered a crime.
I also learned from my father who suffered from bowel cancer, that his doctor told him that he would not need to fear to suffer at the end; he would help. (which in Germany is also illegal) In the end it wasn't necessary; but I think that this is also part of what a doctors job SHOULD be.
milonguero008 It's part of a veterinarian's job, but not a human doctor... wrap your head around that one. It is often considered wrong or cruel to let a pet suffer in death rather than having them put to sleep. But a loved one? Nah, they gotta stick it out until the very bitter end... for some reason.
What an amazing man!
Respect !
Magnificent speech, beautifully delivered by Tony Robinson. I've read every Discworld novel over the years, many more than than once. Probably my favourite writer.
"My life, my death, my choice."perfectly said perfectly concise... And all I can say to that is amen... Whit's that word means unfamiliar with the word, so let it be.