Terry Pratchett: A Life with Footnotes

The Official Biography

By: Rob Wilkins

Narrated by: Rob Wilkins

Length: 16 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

WINNER OF THE BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION ASSOCIATION AWARD FOR BEST NON-FICTION

'PEOPLE THINK THAT STORIES ARE SHAPED BY PEOPLE. IN FACT, IT'S THE OTHER WAY AROUND.'

At the time of his death in 2015, award-winning and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett was working on his finest story yet - his own.

At six years old, Terry was told by his headteacher that he would never amount to anything. He spent the rest of his life proving that teacher wrong. At sixty-six, Terry had lived a life full of achievements: becoming one of the UK's bestselling writers, winning the Carnegie Medal and being awarded a knighthood for services to literature.

Following his untimely death from Alzheimer's disease, the mantle of completing Terry's memoir was passed to Rob Wilkins, his former assistant, friend and now head of the author's literary estate.

Drawing on his own extensive memories, along with those of Terry's family, friends, fans and colleagues, Rob recounts Terry's extraordinary story - from his early childhood to the literary phenomenon that his Discworld series became; and how he met and coped with the challenges that 'The Embuggerance' of Alzheimer's brought with it.

©2022 Rob Wilkins (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Of all the dead authors in the world, Terry Pratchett is the most alive." (John Lloyd)

"Always readable, illuminating and honest. It made me miss the real Terry." (Neil Gaiman)

Great listen!

This biography was wonderful! Filled with glimpses into the life of the greatest author of all time; it told us STP’s story in a way only the man who was closest to him could have done. And the author’s narration of the book was flawless. Bravo Rob! And thank you for this gift to those of us who love DiscWorld and all the other worlds Terry created. Going to start a reread of everything Pratchett on New Year’s Day. Can’t think of a better way to spend the year.

No Words Can (fill in the blank).

Excellent...proper homage, true to Terry's way.....and being forced to write more does not fit. Really!

Wonderful story behind the story

I am a nurse and a decades long reader and fan of Terry Pratchett. This is so helpful to understand the lived experience of an author who also has a diagnosis getting insufficient discussion in the public space. The story is touching and human, different than and just like the books

Unmissable and poignant for Pratchett fans

“Of all dead writers, Terry Pratchett is the most alive.” So says an admirer near the end of Rob Wilkins’ warm, honest, revealing and anticipated biography of his close longtime friend and employer, Terry Pratchett.

This is a book for Pratchett’s fans. Its pleasurable hours of listening bring Pratchett back for a while, As the brilliant and prolific satirist’s personal assistant through his peak years of productivity, accomplishment and fame, and then his difficult years of gradual decline into early onset Alzheimer’s, Wilkins had a view of the man like no other.

This is an “authorized” Pratchett biography, but one that feels a healthy mix of caring and honest. It has its roots in years of collecting of material by Pratchett himself, that he was then unable to complete and mold into a book. So he worked with Wilkins and then handed him the task of completion.

It means there are early life anecdotes and insights here that no one else could have provided, and a view of the writing process that no one else is as qualified to describe. I felt richly satisfied with what I learned, and experienced a catharsis of grief at the loss of the man I still stubbornly want to call my “favourite living writer.”

Wilkins’ authorial voice is mostly sure-footed. He understands well what this book’s audience longs to see through his eyes, and learn from its pages. Surely he can be forgiven an excess of detail here, and a flat line or two there. He much more than makes up for them with so much that feels present, sweet, observant and thoughtful.

His reading voice is excellent, I’m glad he narrated this book himself.

A Great Tribute

A well told story of the life and death of a great and funny writer and the people who loved him.

Right in the feels.

Thank you, Rob. Aside from Good Omens, I had only read the Tiffany Aching books until, after finding myself in a Discworld facebook group and seeing the effect his works had on people, I decided to start at the beginning and start reading. I Ordered 3 books at a time and started reading in the first week of August 2022 and finished all 41 Discworld Novels in mid December of that year. What a fabulous body of work. I loved seeing the evolution of his writing style unfold.
This book is the perfect companion. The stories and the insights of Terry’s life are beautifully told by a trusted companion who clearly loved and respected him to the core.

It's a wonderful life

Terry Pratchett created moments and shared ideas that transformed my perspective. Rob Wilkins made me love him even more. I am so grateful to get this deeper glimpse into this life, complete with footnotes. Thank you!

Nicely done

It is nicely done, both the book and the reading by the author. I recommend it.

An amazing life

This is a fascinating account of a singularly brilliant and complex man. I found it enlightening and pleasing to know more about the man behind the imaginative stories I have read over the years. I appreciate what Rob Wilkins unfolded to his audience and now have a greater admiration for Terry Pratchett. This is a moving narration.

One Last Hat Shopping

It was both a wonderful chance, and an honor, to spend a last journey with Terry.