Wossname -- October 2014 -- Main issue
News and reviews about the works of Sir Terry Pratchett
wossname at pearwood.info
Thu Oct 30 21:44:22 EST 2014
Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
October 2014 (Volume 17, Issue 10, Post 1)
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WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other
stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works and activities of Sir Terry
Pratchett. Originally founded by the late, great Joe Schaumburger for
members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates,
including the North American Discworld Society and other continental
groups, Wossname is now for Discworld and Pratchett fans everywhere in
Roundworld.
********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Vera P
Newshounds: Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow, Wolfiekins
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Evil Steven Dread, Mrs Wynn-Jones
Staff Technomancers: Jason Parlevliet, Archchancellor Neil, DJ Helpful
Book Reviews: Annie Mac, Drusilla D'Afanguin, Your Name Here
Puzzle Editor: Tiff (still out there somewhere)
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
Emergency Staff: Steven D'Aprano, Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
INDEX:
01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) ODDS AND SODS
04) WOSSNAME REVIEWS DRAGONS AT CRUMBLING CASTLE, AND MRS BRADSHAW'S GUIDE
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
07) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
08) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
09) DISCWORLD LEGO NEEDS YOU!
10) ROUNDWORLD TALES: WITCHES, POSTMEN, AND AN AWFUL LOT OF BEER
11) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
12) CLOSE
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01) QUOTE OF THE MONTH
"This isn't the proper way to go exploring! You can't just take
someone's wife along!"
– "The Abominable Snowman", from Dragons at Crumbling Castle
"One person in six has poor literacy in the UK – below the level
expected of an 11-year-old, which will hold them back at every stage in
their life. In these challenging economic times the need to address the
national literacy challenge has never been more urgent and we're
thrilled that with the vital funds raised by Books about Town, the
National Literacy Trust can continue to make a difference in the UK's
poorest communities, raising levels of literacy and opening up new
opportunities."
– Jonathan Douglas, Director of the National Literacy Trust, which will
benefit from the sale of Paul Kidby's Ookbench
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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
It's that time of Roundworld year again, when young witches, wizards,
zombies and all manner of other life- and unlife-forms come out of the
woodwork and strike terror into the hearts of adults, or at least party
down and solicit donations of sweet treats. And there's a new Halloween
tradition that has sprung up over the past few years, namely the
presenting of adaptations of Wyrd Sisters on stages near and far (see
section five for some details). Also do check out this month's
Roundworld Tales for some history of our own world's witches, and how
the image of an 'orrible old crone came to symbolise them. And of
course, The Cunning Artificers at Discworld Emporium also have some
goodies for Halloween and Hogswatch – see section eigh-, I mean 7+1.
The "official" Wossname reviews of Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook and Dragons
at Crumbling Castle can be found in section four. Both publications are
highly recommended.
SF-geek website io9 wants to see Cripple Mr Onion come to Roundworld.
The classic Discworld card game with its eight-suited card deck is
number six on their ten-strong list of imaginary games from SF and
fantasy media that they want to see in the real world:
"Trust Terry Pratchett to come up with his own absurdly quirky take on
card games. Like many of the card games on this list, the fantastically
named Cripple Mr. Onion (which first appeared in Wyrd Sisters) is
essentially quite similar to Poker, except that players are dealt 10
cards, 5 face up, 5 face down, and must construct a winning set of cards
in numerical order - with wonderful names like Triple Onion or a Bagel -
or fold..."
http://bit.ly/1wD9Kz3
I hope the new, non-Yahoo, non-uppercase Wossname is going well for you,
O Readers. It's certainly less stressful to produce and send! Now if we
could only have fewer Hex breakdowns here in Wossname Central, life
would be grand...
It's a packed issue this month, so on with the show!
– Annie Mac, Editor
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03) ODDS AND SODS
An eclectic assortment this month. Enjoy!
3.1 DEFEND A BOOK AND WIN PRATCHETT GOODIES!
There's still time to win if you write quickly...
"Ook! The Library in Ankh-Morpork is on fire. Even the long-limbed,
agile Librarian will have time to save only one volume from the
conflagration, and, as he's squatting near the science-fiction and
fantasy sections, the surviving book must come from there. We'd like you
to tell us, in a review of no more than 500 words, which book it ought
to be.
"Entries should be emailed to enquiries at thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk,
using SFcomp as the heading. Judges of the competition will include Marc
Gascoigne MD & Publisher, Angry Robot Ltd, and our very own David
Birkett. We'll publish a selection of the book review entries, and the
winner will receive this exclusive print signed by Sir Terry Pratchett
and the Discworld artist Paul Kidby, the latter of whom created the
amazing BookBench that we sponsored as part of the Books about Town
campaign. The winner and four runners-up will also receive paperbacks of
Sir Terry Pratchett's Wee Free Men and Going Postal, signed by the
author and Paul Kidby.
"Entries should be received by midnight on the 31st October 2014.
"In summary, how to enter...
"1. Choose your favourite Sci-Fi or Fantasy novel.
"2. Write your review in no more than 500 words about the book and the
reason it should be saved from the fire..
"3. Send your entry to enquiries at thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk by
midnight on the 31st October 2014, using SFcomp as the heading.
"4. Sit back and wait for our wonderful judges to decide if your book
will be saved from the fire."
https://www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk/win-discworld-print
3.2 DRAGONS AT CRUMBLING CASTLE COLLECTORS EDITION!
"A limited edition, deluxe slipcase version of collected short stories
by master storyteller Sir Terry Pratchett, featuring dragons, dinosaurs,
cavemen and car races! Fully illustrated and including a special
foreword by Terry Pratchett plus two bonus stories; critical
commentaries to accompany each story; limited-edition colour print; and
additional content."
Priced at £25.00, from the Discworld Emporium:
http://bit.ly/1zKZ2fh
3.3 RAISING STEAM ORIGINS
From the Waterstones Books blog comes a long and loving post by Suzanne
Bridson (an editor at Terry Pratchett's publishers) about Sir Pterry's
real-world inspirations for Raising Steam:
"Anyone who has ever read a Discworld novel knows that despite being
flat, and travelling through space on the back of a giant turtle (and
being inhabited by dwarfs and trolls) Terry Pratchett's world is in many
ways a mirror image of our own... But if you look beneath the surface of
a Discworld novel, past the most obvious jokes, there are layers and
layers more of real-world influences creeping in, which is what makes
Discworld feel so familiar a place, despite all the magic. They are
cleverly woven together from snippets of knowledge gleaned here there
and everywhere by an author who has seen a lot, done a lot, and who as a
child set out to read his way through the library, and hasn't stopped
since...
"Steam trains are undeniably imported from the real world, or as
Discworld aficionados would call it, Roundworld. But there are steam
trains and there are steam trains – and Terry's are solidly grounded in
history and all those books he's read (this resulted in a very specific
brief for his cover designer). The Raising Steam train, Iron Girder,
ends up bearing a close resemblance to the Lion locomotive that plied
the first passenger line between Liverpool and Manchester. (Lion later
starred in a 1953 comedy film, The Titfield Thunderbolt, seen and loved
by Terry and still highly recommended by him, if you haven't come across
it – it's no coincidence that a character in Raising Steam bears the
name Thunderbolt, and in fact one of the earliest stories Terry ever
wrote, for a local paper as a teenager, was the steam-powered tale of
Humphrey Newt and the Thunderbolt Carriage.) However, Iron Girder
evolves – in one single train she embodies years and years' worth of
work by numerous inventors and engineers...
"Look beyond the trains themselves to their destinations and passengers
and the Roundworld parallels pop up again. The most exotic train journey
operating in Discworld (so far) is the Altiplano Express through the
mountains to the bandit country of Zemphis, and beyond to the dwarf
mines in Uberwald. Real altiplano trains exist, though in reduced
numbers these days, on the high altitude plains of South America, where
they were built in part to service the lucrative mining operations of
the 19th and early 20th centuries. One such line runs to the edge of
Lake Titicaca, where there are floating villages built on islands
artificially created by their inhabitants from the reeds and mud of the
lake. Not unlike, some might say, the raft people of the Netherglades in
Raising Steam (though the villagers of Lake Titicaca certainly don't
have webbed feet). Traversing every one of these routes across the Disc
is Georgina Bradshaw, a train enthusiast and compiler of useful
information for the intrepid yet respectable traveller. Her real world
counterpart is of course George Bradshaw, whose Victorian railway guides
remain popular today.."
An excellent piece, well worth reading in its entirety!
http://bit.ly/1wD96Bv
3.4 THE OOKBENCH RAISES A GOODLY SUM
£8,000 was raised by the sale of the Ookbench! Paul Kidby's fantastic
bench was one of the top ten fundraising items at the official auction:
"A collection of literary-inspired benches were recently sold at auction
to raise money for the National Literacy Trust. A public auction was
held on October 7 at the Southbank Centre, with some pieces selling for
a near-five figure sum. Proceeds will help to raise literacy levels
amongst disadvantaged children in the UK. The 50 unique BookBenches were
designed by a selection of local and renowned artists, including many of
the books' original illustrators. Originally scattered across London
during the summer, they pay homage to such celebrated literary minds as
Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf and Dr Seuss...."
For the record, the most successful individual item was the Jeeves and
Wooster bench, which raised £9500. A good pair!
http://bit.ly/1xOKXZC
"After 10 weeks on a public art trail in London, the National Literacy
Trust's 50 BookBench sculptures designed by famous artists, children's
illustrators and prominent local artists, went to auction on Tuesday 7
October 2014. Hosted auctioneer Edward Rising in association with
Sotheby's and attended by a host of illustrious literary names from
Joanna Trollope to Children's Laureate Malorie Blackman, the Books about
Town auction was an absolutely fantastic evening which raised £251,500...
"The National Literacy Trust is dedicated to raising literacy levels in
the UK. Our research and analysis makes us the leading authority on
literacy and informs our work. We work with schools, run literacy
projects in disadvantaged communities and campaign to make literacy a
priority for politicians and parents. The Books about Town public art
trails launched by the National Literacy Trust and Wild in Art in July,
attracted thousands of visitors over the summer. The 51 unique BookBench
sculptures were based on a range of iconic books from treasured
children's stories such as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and
Peter Pan to classic adult titles including 1984 and The Day of the
Triffids. The initiative celebrated the joy of books and reading while
giving people the chance to admire beautiful works of art, created by
local artists and famous names..."
http://bit.ly/1tJkuc6
3.5 REVIEWS: A SLIP OF THE KEYBOARD
by David Barnett in The Independent:
"Pratchett cuts an affable figure both in print and real life – whether
he's turning up for a convention devoted to his phenomenally successful
Discworld comic fantasy series, or attending a TV panel debate on
dignity in dying, he's never without his black hat and neatly trimmed
white beard. It's wrong, though, to mistake his popular image for the
be-all and end-all of the man himself, who emerges as, yes, likeable but
also complex and angry... it is the essays, articles and journalism
collected under the heading 'Days of Rage' which really open up
Pratchett's character. A vocal proponent for a change in the assisted
dying laws, yes, but also commentary on NHS funding (he was refused a
£2.50 Alzheimer’s drug because he was too young) and the plight of the
orangutans. That isn't to say that there isn't a lot of fun in this book
– it includes after-dinner speeches he can't remember if he actually
made, not because of the Alzheimer's, but because of the late hour and
the drink..."
http://bit.ly/1w9ZXCm
By Alex Sarll in The Northern Echo:
"Like any journalism collection, it's not something to be read straight
through, being far better suited to occasional dipping. Not every piece
has aged well; particularly baffling is the decision to include, as the
second item, a 20-year-old look at the state of portable computing
(spoiler: back then, not terribly portable). Even the better light
pieces, amusing though many are, are more likely to please existing fans
than make new ones. But the angrier pieces towards the end, on disease,
dying and the barbaric British prohibition on euthanasia, are essential
stuff..."
http://bit.ly/ZKdDr0
By Jennifer Kuan on Neontommy:
"Pratchett's writing is witty and engaging, but Gaiman makes it clear
that Pratchett has a 'foundation of fury' in him as well that belies the
picture on the cover of the book. With over 40 titles in his "Discworld"
series and other books for readers of all ages Pratchett has quite the
extensive publishing history, but this will be his first foray into
nonfiction. "A Slip of the Keyboard: Collected Nonfiction" is a
collection of essays, speeches and lectures compiled from the duration
of Pratchett's career... As a fantasy writer, many of Pratchett's
writings focus on the genre—both defending it and discussing how to do
it well. His essays also include insights into the excitement and
exhaustion of signing tours. While Pratchett does not consider himself
to be an author in the true sense, it is clear that writing is
Pratchett's passion. Even if he never were to publish a book, Pratchett
attests that he would still write every day...
"Pratchett notes that almost all readers know the tropes of the genre:
dragons, elves, wizards, dwarfs, magic. According to him, the best
fantasy writers "change the rules by which the world works and then
write very carefully and logically by those rules." Rather than relying
on these tropes to keep the story engaging, Pratchett suggests
contemplating "how the wizards are dealing with the challenge of
genetically modified dragons, and what the dwarfs are doing to stamp out
racial harassment of gnomes" — in short, taking social issues and
applying them to the writer's carefully structured world...
In [the] final section, Pratchett proves that he can handle serious
topics with the same deftness with which he writes comedy and fantasy.
His essays and speeches are honest, poignant and sometimes, as suggested
by the title and Gaiman's introduction, rageful. He will be sorely
missed when he goes not-so-gentle into that good night. Pratchett's book
is the rare and valuable kind that simultaneously inspires, astounds and
intimidates readers, especially those that aspire to have a similar
career. He inspires because he has true passion for and belief in his
work; he plans to continue writing until his dying day. He astounds
because at one point, he would write 400 words each day, and if one day,
he finished a novel in only 300 words, he would write 100 words of the
next one. He intimidates because of the manner in which he inspires and
astounds..."
http://bit.ly/1rdWDzl
3.6 TIFFANY ACHING IS A MIGHTY GIRL!
A Mighty Girl, "the world's largest collection of books, toys, and
movies for parents, teachers, and others dedicated to raising smart,
confident, and courageous girls", offered The Wee Free Men as their Pick
of the Day:
"The Wee Free Men" by Terry Pratchett. Nine-year-old Tiffany Aching
takes care of her irritating brother, reads everything she can find,
makes delicious cheese on her father's farm, and has decided to be a
witch. Her courage, clear-sightedness, and competence in wielding a
frying pan prove to the witches in Fairyland that she was indeed born a
witch, and a powerful one at that..."
https://www.facebook.com/NADWCon/posts/692739334155847
http://www.amightygirl.com/
3.7 PTERRY INTRO FOR SECRET WORLD BOOK
"The founder of the Secret World Wildlife Rescue charity, Pauline
Kidner, hosted a book signing to celebrate her fourth book, titled A
Place of Safety. The book follows the latest chapter in the ongoing
success of East Huntspill-based Secret World, and Pauline's joys and
sorrows working with wildlife. Sir Terry Pratchett has shown his support
for the book by writing a foreword and it has been endorsed by nature
photographer and television presenter, Chris Packham. The book tells the
story of how Secret World grew from a former tourist attraction into a
rescue centre that takes in 5,000 animals a year."
From This is the West Country:
"Pauline told the Weekly News: 'It has been 25 years since the arrival
of the first badger cubs here at Secret World and it's been quite a
journey for everyone involved since the creation of the charity. I never
would have dreamed the charity would have grown so big. It's amazing how
nature still surprises you after all these years – even now we have a
very young fallow fawn which is so late as they usually are born in
June. I am so lucky to have close contact with such beautiful and
sometimes rare creatures.'"
http://bit.ly/1vvc4tl
3.8 DISCWORLD MAP APP UPDATES
For those of you who suffer fro-, own iPads, there are some updates to
the Mapp App:
"Want to explore the city of Ankh-Morpork? The Discworld App for iPad
allows you to zoom in on map features, find Discworld characters walking
about, even take 'walking tours'... and it has now been updated!"
http://bit.ly/1te3ajp
The updates include the Ankh-Morpork and Sto Plains Hygienic Railway.
Image is available at
http://bit.ly/1pSNKMx
This info comes from the Chicago Discworld Fans on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/chicagodiscworldfans
3.9 REMINDER: GOOD OMENS ON THE WIRELESS
From The Stage:
"Mark Heap and Peter Serafinowicz are to lead the cast of a BBC Radio 4
adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's Good Omens. The cast for
the six-part series – which is about the end of the world – also
includes Sherlock actor Louise Brealey, Whitechapel's Phil Davis and
Mark Benton, who has appeared in series such as Waterloo Road. They will
be joined by Colin Morgan, Paterson Joseph and Josie Lawrence. The book
is being adapted and directed by Dirk Maggs, who was behind last year's
adaptation of Gaiman's Neverwhere, starring James McAvoy and Benedict
Cumberbatch. It is produced by Heather Larmour, with Gaiman assisting...
The adaptation will be broadcast on Radio 4 in December. The exact
broadcast dates have not been confirmed, however Radio 4 said five
episodes would be aired across a week in 30-minute installments,
culminating with a 60-minute finale on a Saturday, just before Woman's
Hour."
http://bit.ly/1rV5beW
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04) WOSSNAME REVIEWS: DRAGONS AT CRUMBLING CASTLE, MRS BRADSHAW'S GUIDE
4.1 DRAGONS AT CRUMBLING CASTLE: NOT JUST FOR THE LITTLE ONES
By Annie Mac
I may have mentioned before that certain friends of mine read Pratchett
novels aloud to each other at bedtime[1], their favourites being the
Tiffany Aching novels or anywhere else the Nac Mac Feegle put in an
appearance. With this in mind, I handed them a copy of Dragons at
Crumbling Castle for a test drive... and the verdict was a resounding
*"YES!!!"* (imagine that response in gazillionty-point type, rather as
it would appear in the pages of Dragons at Crumbling Castle itself).
Dragons at Crumbling Castle is no towering example of Great Works of
Terry Pratchett, but that doesn't mean anyone should be tempted to
dismiss as a throwaway work for Pratchett completists. It stands on its
own merit, and can be read in three different ways: as an amusing
collection of fractured fairy tales and mild satirical fables; as a
fascinating look into Pratchett's evolution as a writer, as well as a
glimpse of early ideas for names, places and situations that came to
fruition as parts of the Discworld series and other novels; and, of
course, as a book of bedtime stories for children.
Dragons at Crumbling Castle contains fourteen stories over a total of
340 pages, including two "new" – which is to say, very old – Carpet
People adventures, all ably illustrated by Mark Beech. As with The
Carpet People, the young Terry Pratchett shows his talent for twisting
things slightly sideways and finding the funny side of serious
endeavours. There is much wordplay, with place names that include Even
Moor, the Costa Lotta, and Chilistan's capital city Chilblaine.
Blackbury, eventually known as the home town of Johnny Maxwell and
friends in Pratchett's marvellous YA trilogy, makes its earliest
appearance as a "lovely little market town in Gritshire". The county of
Gritshire also contains East Slate and Umbridge, all of which appear
repeatedly as the settings for many of these stories. Additionally,
there is a first outing for some names any Discworld fan will recognise
– the Stronginthearm family and Alice Band among them. And the concept
of the Joke Monks in The Abominable Snowman has a distinctly
Discworldish flavour[2]:
"'Hmm,' said Tence, tapping the paper. 'You know what this is, don't
you? It's a Joke Wheel. There must be a Joke Monastery up here – and
Joke Monks.' He explained: 'You see, they think the world was created as
a joke, so everyone should give thanks by having a good laugh. That's
why they tie jokes to water wheels. Every time the wheel goes round a
joke goes up to heaven.'
"'What singular persons,' said Bill. 'You mean they spend all their
time telling jokes?'
"'Yes. They even get up in the middle of the night to invent some more.'
"Someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was a small round man in a
blue robe with a bald head and a big grin. Slowly he took a custard pie
from one of his voluminous sleeves... It was a curious scene, halfway up
the twenty-seventh largest mountain in the world. The monk stood there,
laughing, while everyone else looked embarrassed, and Twist stood with
custard dripping into his collar. Then there was a green flash, a
popping noise, and the monk was gone... 'That was one of them,' said
Tence. 'I forgot to add that they can do magic as well.'"
The Abominable Snowman and the title story (the latter was reviewed in
September issue) are similarly themed tales of quests for fantastical
creatures that turn out to be rather different from what the questers
expected. The Great Speck imagines dust motes as microscopic stars and
planets and presages The Last Hero with its wooden spaceship and
reluctant astronauts as the feuding nations of Posra and Grabist, on the
world of the Great Speck (.01mm long), both discover a promising New
Speck approaching Great Speck-space. Their leaders force astronomers
Gwimper and Winceparslie to invent inter-speck craft for the purpose of
exploiting the new world. Of course things go wrong, but all works out
in the end (apart from the stone crabs being inedible). This story gets
extra points from me for introducing the expletive phrase "wootling
mousesherters".
Father Christmas Goes to Work at the Zoo is an early take on the idea of
an anthropomorphic personification needing to seek out a day job (this
one in Blackbury!). The Big Race, a parody of those great-race parody
films, gives us a first glimpse of Pratchett's long love affair with
steam power. The Great Egg-dancing Championship is Romeo and Juliet with
hints of Rocky and old-fashioned movie chase scenes – and eggs, naturally.
Rounding out the collection are The Blackbury Monster, an account of
municipal ambition with a twist ending; Hunt the Snorry, a cautionary
tale about not placing too much trust in rumours (or perhaps just a
cutely daft tale of incompetent explorers); Dok the Caveman, in which we
meet a sort of prehistoric Leonard da Quirm who invents all manner of
anachronistic not-yet-useful things (including language and cookery);
and Hercules the Tortoise, possibly the only story in the entire
collection that reads like it was written to be read to young children,
but after all, that was what all of these stories were meant to be!
My personal favourite is probably The 59A Bus Goes Back in Time, a
curious and thoroughly fun story about a bus that, yes, goes back in
time, and in fact goes to a number of times including the Britannic era:
"Soon the 59A – or rather, Mechanical Elephant LIXA – was bowling down
the Roman road, filled with centurions all as pleased as puppies with
their first bus ride."
Dragons at Crumbling Castle is a good, fun read all the way through. Get
it for your children or young relations and read it aloud – they will
surely enjoy it. Or try it for yourselves... perhaps at bedtime.
Recommended!
[1] Feel free to interpret that as Ogglishly as you wish
[2] Possibly pineapple, in this case
4.2 ALL THE WAY TO ZEMPHIS: AN APPRECIATION OF MRS BRADSHAW'S HANDBOOK
By Annie Mac
A notice to residents of Ankh-Morpork and The Continent:
*Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook to Travelling upon the Ankh-Morpork and Sto
Plains Hygienic Railway is a superb traveller's compendium, offering 143
fully illustrated pages of route overviews, amusing facts and vital
geographic and cultural information for persons of any species who wish
to travel on this marvellous railway. Quirm College alumna Mrs Georgina
Bradshaw, a genteel widowed lady of upstanding character whose fine
copperplate handwriting is beautifully reproduced by the famed
publishing house of Messrs Goatberger, has compiled a considerable list
of "places of accommodation and refreshment", plus local market days,
holidays, attractions and assorted comments about what each place is
most famous – or infamous – for. Whether you are travelling on business,
planning a holiday "away", or simply a steam enthusiast wanting to
explore the delights of the most fragrant of Lord King's many
enterprises, you will find "the Bradshaw" indispensable! Copies can be
purchased from Goatberger's factory shop in Brewer Street, Isle of Gods,
Ankh-Morpork for a reasonable price. Be sure to place your order now!*
...and for those of us less fortunates who reside on Roundworld:
What an amazing little gem this is!
Remember how lyrical I waxed about The Compleat Ankh-Morpork in that
Wossname review a couple of years ago? Well, Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook is
a smaller work, but it's no less of a triumph. From its antique-looking,
gold(ish)-embossed cover to its wealth of illustrations and "reproduced"
handwritten correspondence, Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook is a worthy addition
to the smaller Disc books collection. Connoisseurs of Discworld
ancillaries will no doubt find the look of it familiar, as it is
Pterry-plus-Team Artificer effort bearing the distinctive style of the
Discworld Emporium aka Isobel and Bernard Pearson, Reb Voyce and Ian
Mitchell, with the added bonus of some fantastic Peter Dennis artwork.
Dennis' contributions, including a lovely portrait of Mrs Bradshaw
herself, carry on the theme of his "Ankh-Morpork meets the Age of
Industry" illustrations that graced The World of Poo. All members of the
team have done themselves proud, and the text is no less enchanting than
the illustrations; I was delighted to see so many towns and districts,
familiar to us from Discworld novels over the years, fleshed out and
given distinct personalities (and if ever a somewhere could have a
personality, that somewhere would surely be on the Disc) to add to what
were once mere names on a map... or Mapp.
Mrs Bradshaw's journey on the Unnamed Continent's first steam-driven
railway begins at the vast, teeming New Ankh Station, a "fine building
with a grand facade and a large entrance hall where greenish light
filters through the great stained-glass windows of the front elevation"
and ends in the mountainous wilds of Ohulan Cutash, gateway to the
Ramtops and home of all-weather-wear purveyor Orac Oracsson, clothier of
choice for the Disc's new breed of trainspotters ("You can depend on an
Orac", as their pune-y advert tells us). Chapter 1 provides extensive
information on the nuts, bolts and how-tos of Discly rail travel.
Chapter 2 explores the route from Ankh-Morpork to Quirm, and subsequent
chapters take us onwards along the coast, across the Sto Plains, up to
Zemphis on the Altiplano Express, and finally to the current terminus of
the "A-M&SPHR". Along the way we are treated to commentaries on the
capacities, services and general quality of hotels and inns, the
locations of clacks and post offices, and descriptions of the landscape,
architecture and denizens, that is, residents of towns and cities (and
city-states) including Quirm, Shankydoodle, Scrote, Upunder, Big
Cabbage, all three Sto's, Little Swelling, High Mouldering, Great Slack,
Much Come Lately, Upper, Lower and Middle Feltwhistle, fustic Wells,
Zemphis, and of course Twoshirts. We can only hope that a later, updated
Bradshaw will be published when the railway once again reaches Uberwald.
There is no question that the coming of rail travel will change the
sleepy world we long-time readers once knew and loved, but this is not a
bad thing – because it amply demonstrates one of Pratchett's great
strengths as a fantasist, namely those touches of under-the-bonnet
realism he's always brought to the Discworld. Most fantasy writers give
us sweeping wars, royal romances and political intrigues but fail to
mention the unfortunates who have to clean the blood off rune-engraved
leather jerkins or to search far and wide for a seller of armour polish;
Pratchett gives us all the drama, romance and intrigue but adds in
genuine sweat, laundry workers, petty bureaucrats and disgruntled
shopkeepers... and genuine progress. Things *change*, often in the space
of a lifetime or even in the space of a few Disc years. And if that
seems unlikely to you, just think about the changes the internet has
brought to our own world.
Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook is a definite must-have. Highly recommended. Put
it on your Hogswatch list now!
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
5.1 WYRD SISTERS IN TORONTO: POSTPONED
"Unfortunately, due to a combination of several personal emergencies
among the cast, we have sadly decided to postpone our production of
Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters." – Liz Bragg, Artistic Director of the
Socratic Theatre Collective
The production was due to run from the 31st of October to the 9th of
November. Wossname will update with a rescheduled dates as soon as
available.
For more information, go to:
https://www.facebook.com/socratictheatre
5.2 TAMAHER IN BRISBANE: ONE MORE SHOW!
The Brisbane Arts Theatre finish their season of the wonderful Matthew
Holmes musical adaptation of The Amazing Maurice and his Educated
Rodents with a final matinee performance this coming Saturday.
When: Saturday 1st November 2014
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, Queensland
4000 Phone (07) 3369 2344
Time: 2pm
Tickets: $16; Group (10+) $13, Gold Members $6.50, Members $13. Families
with family membership can redeem their included season tickets for this
show.
To order online, go to http://bit.ly/1ppEGyw
http://www.artstheatre.com.au/
5.3 REMINDER: GUARDS! GUARDS! IN WILTSHIRE
The Wharf Theatre are currently presenting their production of Guards!
Guards!, which will finish its run this weekend.
When: through 1st November 2014
Venue: Wharf Theatre, The Wharf, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 1EB
Time: 7:30pm
Tickets: £9/£8 from Devizes Books, Handel House, Sidmouth Street,
Devizes, SN10 1LD and 01380 725944.
http://www.wharftheatre.co.uk/
5.4 NEW: CARPE JUGULUM IN GUISBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE
Guisborough Theatre Company will be presenting their production of Carpe
Jugulum in early November. The large cast looks good and enthusiastic!
When: Thursday 6th, Friday 7th, Saturday 8th November
Venue: St.Nicholas Church Hall, Bow Street, Guisborough, TS14 6BP
Tine: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £6, available from The Guisborough Bookshop (4 Chaloner Street,
Guisborough, Cleveland TS14 6QD), or on the door; or to purchase online,
go to:
http://www.guisboroughtheatreclub.org.uk/tickets2.html
http://www.guisboroughtheatreclub.org.uk/
5.5 NEW: WYRD SISTERS IN DICKINSON, TEXAS
Bay Area Harbour Playhouse are presenting their production of Wyrd
Sisters in October and November. The opening night features a special
seasonally appropriate offer:
"Dress as a witch Halloween night, Oct. 31, and head for the Bay Area
Harbour Playhouse in Dickinson – witches get in free for the opening
night performance of 'Wyrd Sisters' at 8 pm. It promises to be a
delightful evening for everyone – for the witches plus others not in
costume who will purchase their admission..."
http://bit.ly/1xxZGHH
When: 31st October–23rd November 2014
Venue: Harbour Playhouse, 3803 Highway #3, Dickinson, TX
Time: Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm.
Tickets: Adults $17. Seniors and Students $12. Children (12 and under)
$6. Groups of 10 or more $2 off.
Call 281-337-7469 for ticket reservations or more information.
http://www.harbourplayhouse.com/
5.6 NEW: MORT IN INVERELL, FOURECKS
"Beaulieu Hall will be lit up again as the revived Inverell Theatre
Company invites the community to enjoy their coming fantastical
production of Mort, a play adapted by Stephen Briggs from the popular
Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett... It is 16-year-old Brendan Evans'
first production since the Inverell High School musical Fame earlier
this year. He said he is getting comfortable with his role as the lead
character, Mort..."
When: Thursday and Friday, 30th and 31st October, and Thursday through
Saturday, 6th–8th November
Venue: Beaulieu Hall, Copeton Dam Road, Inverell, New South Wales
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: $15 (concession price of $10 is available on 30th October).
Supper is a gold coin donation. Tickets can be purchased at the Inverell
Tourism Centre (phone 6728 816)
http://bit.ly/1tB6s08
5.7 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN CARDIFF
After their successful presentation of Monstrous Regiment, Monstrous
Productions are back with another Discworld goodie: Wyrd Sisters! "Check
us out on the official Terry Pratchett website! Not long to go now and
less than 2 weeks before we announce our premiere and open audition
applications! Lovely to see that so many of our regulars have already
bought their tickets, it means a lot to us that you keep coming back- we
must be doing something right!"
When: 5th – 8th November 2014
Venue: the Gate Arts Centre, Keppoch St, Cardiff
Time: 7pm-10.30pm all shows
Tickets: £8 (£6 concessions). To purchase online, go to:
http://7889269b08cd.fikket.com/
or email monstrousproductions2012 at gmail.com
Remember, all profits from Monstrous Productions plays and merchandise
go to Alzheimer's Research UK. In fact, they exist solely to perform
Pratchett plays for this very purpose!
http://www.monstrousptc.com/
http://www.thegate.org.uk/
5.8 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN SOUTHEND
"East Essex Players, who have recently celebrated their 50th
anniversary, have decided to break away from their usual Earth based
comedies to take on the fantasy of Pratchett's Discworld. 'We have
performed a variety of comedy genres from Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit,
to episodes of Fawlty Towers' says East Essex Players chairman Hazel
Latcham, 'We are now looking forward to the challenge of a fantasy
comedy that has a cult status.'"
When: 12th – 15th November 2014
Venue: Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, 430 London Road, Westcliff-on-Sea
SS0 9LA
Time: TBA
Tickets: £11.50, £10.50. A £1.50 per ticket booking fee applies, capped
at four per order. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.
Box Office: 01702 351135. To buy online, go to link below and click on
the button for the desired date:
http://tinyurl.com/qat2s74
For more information, go to:
http://www.eastessexplayers.co.uk/
5.9 WYRD SISTERS IN WEST SUSSEX
Stage-Door Theatre Company, having already tackled the Scottish Play
some eleven years ago, will tackle the Disc-ish Play – Wyrd Sisters –
this December.
When: 10th-13th December 2014
Venue: The Windmill Theatre, The Green, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17 5LM
Time 7:30pm for evening performances, 2:30pm for the Saturday (13th) matinee
Tickets: £11 (concessions at £10). Please contact the box office at the
Circle of Health, 67 Sea Lane, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 2RQ
(telephone 01903 856801) for all ticket enquiries.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
06) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
6.1 AUSDWCON (NULLUS ANXIETAS V) UPDATES
"Are you the next Buddy? Are you on a mission from Glod? Are you going
to be The Next Big Thing? Would you like to entertain the guests at the
Gala Dinner? If this sounds like something you or someone you know would
be interested in, please send your details to galadinner at ausdwcon.org.
Do us a deal that's cutting your own throat!"
http://ausdwcon.org/blog/music-with-rocks-in-at-the-night-of-1000-stars/
"There's A Special Place At Nullus Anxietas V For YOU. Nanny Ogg, Events
Mistress for Nullus Anxietas V has placed a couple of casting calls for
events at NAV:
I'm looking for a volunteer to organise and run the Lyrical Literature
event. This is where the compere gives brave souls a song and a passage
from a Discworld book to sing to the song tune. The audience then have
to decide what the song is and possibly, if we want to be that
sophisticated, which book the segment is from!
You will need to sort out the song titles and pieces from books and be
prepared to run the event which is currently scheduled for 1-2pm on the
FRIDAY.
PLEASE NOTE: this can be more than one person.
I am also looking for a volunteer to run the Chaos Costuming area. This
is a place where we set up a sewing machine and provide bits of old
fabric and costumes for attendees to tear up and recreate. The volunteer
will need to organise and bring fabric etc, and will also need to see if
they can get other people to cover shifts or at least leave the area
nominally under someone's eye during the whole weekend.
Is this YOU??? If this sounds like your metier, you can respond to Nanny
via the Nullus Anxietas V Forums or email enquiries at ausdwcon.org
http://ausdwcon.org/blog/casting-call/
REMEMBER! Nullus Anxietas V takes place 10-12 April 2015 at the Novotel
Parramatta, Parramatta, New South Wales, XXXX. Tickets for the
convention are held at the following prices until 15th March 2015: full
$180, concession/child $120 (no charge for young children), family $500
and Supporting Membership $30. To purchase advance tickets, go to:
http://ausdwcon.org/shop/tickets/
6.2 IDWCON UPDATES
It's less than a year until the next Irish Discworld Convention, but you
can already book your hotel! The A-M City Watch-themed convention will
be held at the Cork International Airport Hotel on 2nd–5th October 2015.
"Hotel bookings for the Watch Open Weekend have just been made
available, the Times can exclusively reveal. In an interview with our
correspondent, Watch spokesperson Captain Shivers acknowledged that it
is now exactly one year to go until this historic Watch outreach
programme. She had this to say on the subject: 'In light of reaching
this important milestone, we have published details of how to book a
room at our venue, the Cork International Airport Hotel, not only for
the enthusiastic recruits that have already signed up, but also any
potential others who may be interested in this excellent opportunity to
serve alongside our great City's finest.' Capt. Shivers strongly denied
any rumours that the hotel had been booked up by the Sunshine
Sanctuary's annual fundraiser, and confirmed that the Watch Open Day
would go ahead on the 2nd-5th of October next year. More reports to
follow as the story unfolds."
Room Costs
The special convention rate organised is:
– €75 per night for a single or double/twin room.
– €90 per night for a triple room.
"Breakfasts are optional, at a price of €10 each per person. Please
specify if you'd like breakfasts when booking.
Room upgrades may also be available for an additional charge – please
ask when booking if you are interested."
How to Book
The special convention rate is not available when booking through the
hotel website, so please:
– Phone: (+353) 21 454 9800
– or Email: reservations at corkairporthotel.com
"Remember to quote your membership number(s), number of people for the
room, dates required, and the code 'IDW conference 2015' [sic] when
booking to avail yourself of the special rate."
http://idwcon.org/index.php/venue/bookingaroom.html
http://idwcon.org/index.php/news.html
Tickets ("memberships") for IDWcon are now available to pre-book at the
following prices: Full Membership €50.00, Concessionary Membership
€40.00, Child 12 years and under must be accompanied by an adult but are
apparently uncharged. To book, and for further information, go to:
http://idwcon.org/index.php/membership/buy-membership/2015-full-membership.html/
6.3 NADWCON 2015 UPDATES
An announcement from the Guild of Seamstresses...
Updates: Programing for The Great Discworld Fan Meet At Sasquan
Greetings all,
We've been in touch with Sasquan (WorldCon 2015) about the Discworld
panels we'd like to see offered there for The Great Discworld Fan
Gathering at that convention. We have suggested, among others, the ever
popular NADWCon panels titled "The Science of Discworld" and "The Tech
of Discworld", "The Women of Discworld" and "Folklore, World Myths,
Ancient Legends and The Discworld".
Are there classes, panels, events, or meets you'd like to see there,
either for kids or adults? Let us know using the link noted below. We
can and will suggest the names of interesting people (many of them folks
you might know from previous NADWCons) for these panels and events AND
we are always looking for new people who can add to our sum of Discworld
knowledge. So don't be shy, step up and offer your skills.
Over the next few months we will be working closely with the Chair of
Events and the Chair of Programming for Sasquan. We will gather names
and recommend folks for *every* Discworld panel and event until May 1st,
2015 (which is the programming cut off date). If you wish to be
included on a panel - or want to suggest some good ideas – please use
the Sasquan Program Idea form.
SASQUAN PROGRAM IDEA FORM:
Have an idea for Events or Program? Drop us an E-mail. We’re eager to
hear what you've liked at conventions. Worldcons are always interested
in ways to innovate new kinds of Program and Events. Currently, we have
panels, videos, dances, parties, workshops, contests, game shows,
concerts, Masquerade, Hugo Awards Ceremony, readings, autographings...
Over the last few years, a film festival and Strolling with the Stars
have been added to the Worldcon schedule. Between now and September 1,
2014, we’d like to get con attendees to think a little about new types
of Program or Events we could add. We're also looking for new topics and
panelists for Program, and can take topic/panelist suggestions until May
1, 2015. This idea form can help you reflect on what you've liked about
recent conventions, and what you’d like to see Sasquan try to do in 2015.
TO FILL OUT THIS FORM, PLEASE GO TO THIS LINK:
http://sasquan.org/program/idea-form/
http://it-bodes.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/programing-for-great-discworld-fan-meet.html
6.4 2015 GERMAN DISCWORLD CONVENTION UPDATES
"The biennial Discworld Convention takes place at a castle in a German
speaking country. The next Convention will be 10.09. – 13.09.2015 at
Burg Ludwigstein. During this period we offer our more than 200 guests
workshops, talks, games, guests of honour and Discworld merchandising
normally not available in Germany. You can visit us for a day or stay at
the castle or a hotel nearby."
Registration is now open! "We reduced the number of bookable packages.
As always there will be a special price for members of the Ankh-Morpork
e.V.. Early bookers who finish their ticket order till December, the
31st 2014 will receive a free 5 € Convention prepaid card when arriving
at the castle!
"If you would like to participate by organizing a workshop or giving a
talk please contact us at Orga at Scheibenwelt-Convention.de."
To order tickets, go to:
http://www.discworld-convention.de/viewpage.php?page_id=8
http://www.scheibenwelt-convention.de/
https://www.facebook.com/ScheibenweltConvention
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
07) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld
Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), meets on the first Monday of every
month at the Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London W2 1JQ: "We
welcome anyone and everyone who enjoys Sir Terry's works, or quite likes
them or wants to find out more. We have had many visitors from overseas
who have enjoyed themselves and made new friends. The discussions do not
only concern the works of Sir Terry Pratchett but wander and meander
through other genres and authors and also leaping to TV and Film
production. We also find time for a quiz. The prize is superb. The
chance to set the quiz the following month."
Next meeting: Monday 3rd November 2014, from 7pm onwards.
The Drummers' October meet report:
"We had a great meeting last night. There were four new members and a
lot of the regulars. First new person to arrive was Cecilia, who lives
locally. Next was Richard, who was visiting from France. Shortly after
Robin arrived. He came all the way from a remote part of Australia,
where there are no Pratchett fans at all. Finally James B. arrived later
on and, as promised, brought his new wife Christina. She showed us all
the wedding photos including cute spider and cat cakes.
"I had a lot of discussion with Richard and Robin about Discworld
movies, diaries and other memorabilia that is not easy to get abroad.
Robin was overwhelmed by the geekiness and made nervous by the fact that
he got all the references. There was no quiz as Mark wasn't there but I
did bring a prize since we have been sorting out our stuff. Alex G. was
declared winner because he was the only person who wanted a Darth Vader
model, which contained shower gel. The meeting ended with a lot of us
quoting Blackadder.We walked back to Paddington Station with Alex and
later spotted him on the opposite platform cuddling and caressing Darth
Vader."
For more information, go to http://brokendrummers.org/ or email
BrokenDrummers at gmail.com or nicholls.helen at yahoo.co.uk
*
The Pratchett Partisans are a new fan group who meet monthly at either
Brisbane or Indooroopilly to "eat, drink and chat about all things
Pratchett". For more info about their next meetup, go to
http://www.meetup.com/Pratchett-Partisans/ or contact Ula directly at
uwilmott at yahoo.com.au
*
The City of Small Gods is a group for fans in Adelaide and South
Australia: "We have regular monthly dinner and games nights, longer
games days, plus play outings, craft-y workshops, and fun social
activities throughout the year. For more info and to join our mailing
list, visit http://cityofsmallgods.org.au "
*
The Broken Vectis Drummers meet on the first Thursday of every month
from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight.
Next meeting: Thursday 6th November 2014, probably, but do email to check.
All new members and curious passersby are very welcome! For more info
and any queries, contact broken_vectis_drummers at yahoo.co.uk
*
The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) meets on the first Friday
of every month at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards.
"Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome!"
Next meeting: Friday 7th November 2014 (probably).
*
The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of
Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, has been meeting on a regular basis
since 2005 but is now looking to take in some new blood (presumably not
in the non-reformed Uberwald manner). The Flatalists normally meet at
The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, to
discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes and raffles.
Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the
Discworld Stamps forum:
http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/
*
Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder) meet on the first Monday
of every month in Sydney at 3 Wise Monkeys, 555 George Street, Sydney,2000.
Next meeting: Monday 3rd November 2014 at 6.30pm (probably). For more
information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys at yahoo.co.uk
*
The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers, meet
on the first Monday of the month (subject to holidays) at the
child-friendly Carpe Cafe, 526 Murray Street, Perth, Western Australia.
Next meeting: from 5.30pm on Monday 3rd November 2014 (probably).
For details follow Perth Drummers on Twitter @Perth_Drummers and
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/ – otherwise
message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware at gmail.com>
*
Western Drummers, also based in Sydney, meet at The Rowers, Nepean
Rowing Club, Bruce Neal Drive, Penrith at 6.30-7.30pm for food, 7.30pm
for games, quizzes and chat: "If you have never been, please come on
down. You would be very welcome. We eat, have a drink, talk Discworld
and play board games. Starts kind of 6 – 6.30ish and finishes kind of
9pm ish."
Next meeting: as there was a meeting last week, the next will probably
be in mid-November. For more information, contact Nanny Ogg –
lewis_oz at bigpond.com – or visit their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/westerndrummers
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
08) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
8.1 DISCWORLD EMPORIUM UPDATES
1a. Train time!
"Mrs Bradshaw, if you were to go everywhere where the trains go and
write about all those places, perhaps you could send me a copy of your
notes? They could be useful to other intrepid passengers..." – Moist Von
Lipwig, in Terry Pratchett's Raising Steam
"At long last Raising Steam is released in the UK in glorious paperback
this week, with new cover artwork by Paul Kidby depicting Iron Girder
with her industrious crew. Also published on October 9th is Mrs
Bradshaw's Handbook; an invaluable and fully illustrated guide to
Discworld's premier railway created at the behest of Most Von Lipwig and
published by Ankh-Morpork's esteemed printer Thomas Goatberger.
"To coincide with the release of these fine Pratchett publications,
we're offering a limited edition collector's pack including exclusive
notes from Mrs Georgina Bradshaw herself along with souvenirs and
ephemera from her journey on the A-M and Sto Plains Railway. Each pack
includes four pages of jottings detailing two locations that didn't make
it into Goatberger's final edit of her famous handbook. Also included
are two beautifully illustrated postcards from Sto Lat and Brassica
World, and an 'I love Big Cabbage' sticker ready to decorate your own
luggage. Each set is presented in an illustrated envelope addressed to
Moist Von Lipwig, and featuring a new Discworld postage stamp from The
Chalk (Discworld Stamp collectors may wish to note that this new issue
will be available for general release very soon. – more information
coming soon).
"EMPORIUM EXCLUSIVE – Own a share in the Ankh-Morpork and Sto Plains
Railway Company, with an official share certificate – free with every
copy of Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook!"
Raising Steam paperback, priced at £7.99: http://bit.ly/1wcMZCO
Collector's pack, priced at £12.50: http://bit.ly/1y4qqAx
Mrs Bradshaw's Guide plus railway share, priced at £12.99:
http://bit.ly/1sVYHlb
And here be the banner for these offers, showing the lovely Mrs Bradshaw
herself:
http://bit.ly/1ppirsx
Also available: A Slip of the Keyboard, hardback, priced at £20.00:
http://bit.ly/1DnkyW1
"Choo! Choo!"
To view these offers on one webpage, go to
http://www.discworldemporium.com/index.php
1b. "Putting the 'Ook' into spooky this Halloween"
"Grim Reapers, Igors, vampires, werewolves, witches, wizards, zombies...
for Halloween inspiration you couldn't draw from a richer well than
Discworld! If you're planning a Pratchett-inspired outfit or carving a
pumpkin into the shape of Nanny Ogg we'd like to see it – send pictorial
evidence of your efforts to us via shop at discworldemporium.com or via
Facebook by Nov 2nd and we'll pick our favourite – the winner will
receive our new Unseen University Diploma in Indefinite Studies, and
will be announced on our Facebook page on Nov 3rd!"
To visit or post on the Discworld Emporium Facebook page, go to:
http://bit.ly/1wgCKfE
"And now for some suitably spellbinding new Discworld merchandise...
"Available now is our aforementioned addition to our range of Unseen
University diplomas! Become Master of Indefinite Studies today, or
choose from five other subjects from Discworld's most extraordinary
educational establishment – a magical gift for any Terry Pratchett
devotee or aspiring wizard! Each diploma is accompanied by a bronze
octogram – affixed to a keychain for safekeeping – and a Graduate
Declaration certificate to ensure that alumni leave Ankh-Morpork's
foremost seat of learning with their education and university apparatus
in a satisfactory state."
Available diplomas include Indefinite Studies (new!), Vindictive
Astronomy, Creative Uncertainty, Cruel and Unusual Geography,
Inadvisably Applied Magic and Post-Mortem Communications.
UU Graduation Set, priced at £12.50: http://bit.ly/1ppohKi
"The gods play games with the fates of men... now YOU can play games
with the dice box of the gods! As passed around the deities of Cori
Celesti, this delightfully macabre shaker has a rather satisfying
rattle; so you can strike the fear of god(s) into your opponents while
rolling them bones! Our version has been scaled down to fit comfortably
into puny mortal hands and is accompanied by a pair of 12mm dice – a
divine accompaniment to your Discworld board games! Sculpted by Bernard
Pearson and hand-cast in resin, each dice box measures approx. 120 x
100 mm and is presented in a cotton pouch."
The Gods' Dice Box, priced at £25.00: http://bit.ly/11Nyb3h
"The third issue in the 'Wonders of the World' minisheet collection from
Discworld Stamps is now available. Celebrating the Great Troll Bridge of
Tübz. Each miniature stamp sheet features an illustration by Peter
Dennis, and is accompanied by an informative (and not to mention
decorative) postcard."
THE GREAT TROLL BRIDGE OF TÜBZ MINISHEET, priced at £5.00:
http://bit.ly/1ohqOeJ
"HOGSWATCH NEWS! Tickets are now on sale for our traditional Sausage
Supper at Hogswatch 2014 are now on sale – join us for our communal
feasting of pork products at 7:30pm Saturday 29th November – limited
spaces available! Meal ticket holders will enjoy a course of sausages
from our local butcher, a generous dollop of mash and seasonal veg,
followed by a traditional pudding in the name of Discworld. Your Meal
Ticket will be available for collection in person from the Emporium
counter from Hogswatch eve Friday 28th November, and will be marked with
your designated Eating House. Please note that Meal Tickets will not be
posted – so ignore our delivery information in your email confirmations.
**Please do not order if you have any special dietary requirements, or a
dislike of sausages** – Due to the unique pressures of Hogswatch we are
unfortunately unable to cater for special requirements this year. If you
require an alternative meal, don't despair – there are plentiful other
dining opportunities in the town along with extensive bar food menus at
our pubs. If you have allergies or intolerances our wonderful pubs may
also be happy to accommodate your own grub by pre-arrangement."
Choices are Named Meats Sausage Supper priced at £10.99, Vegetarian
Sausage Supper priced at £10.99, or Children's Sausage Supper priced at
£4.99: http://bit.ly/1sZtCx8
"Stay 'orrible!"
To view these offers on one webpage, go to http://bit.ly/1nuWrR7
1c. "Autumnal Discworld goodies ahoy!"
Autumn evenings are best done 'deluxe', so draw the curtains, pour
yourself a tipple, throw another Victorian orphan on the fire and wrap
yourself in the words of the master while surrounded by some suitably
luxurious Discworld merchandise...
"With Dragons at Crumbling Castle you can while away the hours with
dragons, dinosaurs, cavemen and wizards. This limited edition slipcase
version includes a special foreword by Terry Pratchett, bonus content
and an exclusive print of Sir Terry himself in shining armour.
"To set the mood for the oncoming winter, what better than a deluxe
edition of Wintersmith, a folk-rock collaboration from mutual fans
Steeleye Span and Terry Pratchett. This double CD album features four
brand new songs, eight live tracks from the Wintersmith Tour and two
exclusive demo versions!
"Continuing the Tiffany Aching theme, the latest Little Brown Envelope
from Discworld Stamps has arrived! The Chalk and Cheese 'LBE' contains
an assortment of Discworld Stamps with the chance of sports & rarities,
along with the first ever stamp from The Chalk – a charming little
farthing issue depicting the rolling hills and woolly 'ships' of home.
In contrast, each LBE also includes a new penny stamp from
Ankh-Morpork's good-time guild – the upstanding Guild of Seamstresses.
Both new stamps are also available singly and in beautiful whole sheets.
Find then in the New Stamps bit of our site!
"Hogswatch is approaching fast and with our festive gathering here in
Wincanton at the end of November we're pleased to announce our limited
Hogswatch 2014 Medal of Honour – exclusive to our fearless and foolhardy
Hogswatch attendees – is now available to pre-order Don't miss out! –
order yours today and show the world you were there!
"Don't forget – tickets are now on sale for our traditional Sausage
Supper at Hogswatch 2014 are now on sale and selling fast – join us for
our communal feasting of pork products at 7:30pm Saturday 29th November
– limited spaces available!
www.discworldemporium.com/Hogswatch%20Sausage%20Supper
Dragons at Crumbling Castle deluxe slipcased edition, priced at £25.00:
www.discworldemporium.com/Dragons%20at%20Crumbling%20Castle%20Deluxe
Wintersmith deluxe double CD album "Features Maddy Prior, the voice of
Steeleye for 40 years at the helm of the line-up, with band stalwart and
fiddler extraordinaire Peter Knight, Rick Kemp on bass, Peter Zorn and
Julian Littman on Guitars and Liam Genockey on the drum stool, With
special guests Terry Pratchett, Kathryn Tickell and John Spiers", and is
priced at £15.00:
http://www.discworldemporium.com/Steeleye%20Span%20Wintersmith
Chalk and Cheese LBE, priced at £5.00:
www.discworldemporium.com/Chalk%20and%20Cheese%20LBE
Chalk Farthing stamp, priced at £0.50 each or £4.50 for a sheet of 9:
http://www.discworldemporium.com/Chalk%20Stamp
Guild of Seamstresses 1p stamp, priced at £0.60 each or £12.00 for a
sheet of 20:
http://www.discworldemporium.com/Seamstress%201p
The New Stamps page:
http://www.discworldemporium.com/discworld-stamps/new%20stamps
To view these offers on one webpage, go to http://bit.ly/1wMj6Mp
8.2 THE DISCWORLD COLLECTORS ARCHIVE NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT
The Archive "of Discworld Merchandise, (Clarecraft, Bernard Pearson,PJSM
, Paul Kidby, Mark Ayling, Discworld Emporium, Cunning Artificer,
Waxworks etc) is looking for "likes":
"One of our posts reached 716 people this week... WOWsers!!! not bad for
a page with only 376 Likes!!! Keep sharing the amazing works of the
craftsmen(and women) who have made this wonderful stuff and encourage
peeps to "Like" the page ... would love to hit 500 Likes before Hogswatch!"
https://www.facebook.com/DiscworldCollectorsArchive
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
09) DISCWORLD LEGO WANTS YOU!
Remember the Discworld Lego project? It's now much, much closer to the
10,000 supporters needed for Lego to release a new official set... over
7,000 supporters have now registered their interest!
In June of this year, when the project had garnered over 5,000
supporters, Lego sent an official – and very encouraging – message:
"The great Great A'Tuin never looked so good. With this project, fans
can now decide where his path through the cosmos will lead, be they
followers of the Steady State Theory, the Steady Gait Theory, or even,
the Big Bang Theory! We love that you've included so much information
about this project, and have really worked to inspire a passionate fan
base. Stay focused on your goal, you're more than halfway there. Keep on
journeying to 10,000 supporters!"
Want to be part of the Discworld Lego True Believers? Off you go, then, to
https://ideas.lego.com/projects/36302
And here be an updated Granny Weatherwax vignette:
https://ideas.lego.com/projects/36302/updates
And a Tiffany Aching set proposal:
https://ideas.lego.com/projects/57284
[Editor's note: good work for the most part, but Tiffany's "sheep" look
disturbingly like Doctor Who's robot dog K-9...]
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
10) ROUNDWORLD TALES: WITCHES, POSTMEN, AND BEER
10.1 WHY A HAG LOOKS LIKE A RIGHT HAG
In a report for BBC Culture, Alastair Sooke investigates the provenance
of our modern images of witches:
"Ask any Western child to draw a witch, and the chances are that he or
she will come up with something familiar: most likely a hook-nosed hag
wearing a pointy hat, riding a broomstick or stirring a cauldron. But
where did this image come from? The answer is more arresting and complex
than you might think... Witches have a long and elaborate history. Their
forerunners appear in the Bible, in the story of King Saul consulting
the so-called Witch of Endor. They also crop up in the classical era in
the form of winged harpies and screech-owl-like 'strixes' – frightening
flying creatures that fed on the flesh of babies. Circe, the enchantress
from Greek mythology, was a sort of witch, able to transform her enemies
into swine. So was her niece Medea. The ancient world, then, was
responsible for establishing a number of tropes that later centuries
would come to associate with witches.
"Yet it wasn't until the early Renaissance that our modern perception of
the witch was truly formed. And one man of the period arguably did more
than any other to define the way that we still imagine witches today:
the German painter and printmaker Albrecht Durer. In a pair of hugely
influential engravings, Durer determined what would become the dual
stereotype of a witch's appearance. On the one hand, as in The Four
Witches (1497), she could be young, nubile and lissom – her physical
charms capable of enthralling men. On the other, as in Witch Riding
Backwards on a Goat (c 1500), she could be old and hideous. The latter
print presents a naked crone sitting on top of a horned goat, a symbol
of the devil. She has withered, drooping dugs for breasts, her mouth is
open as she shrieks spells and imprecations, and her wild, wind-blasted
hair streams unnaturally in the direction of her travel (a sign of her
magical powers). She is even clutching a broomstick. Here is the
matriarch of the witches that we find in popular culture today..."
Sooke further notes that Durer may well have been inspired by an
15th-century artist, Andrea Mantegna, who portrayed Envy in "an
extraordinarily intense Italian print known as Lo Stregozzo (The Witch's
Procession) (c 1520). Here, a malevolent witch with open mouth, hair in
turmoil and desiccated dugs clutches a steaming pot (or cauldron), and
rides a fantastical, monstrous skeleton. Her right hand reaches for the
head of a baby from the heap of infants at her feet..."
And then there was Francisco Goya and Henry Fuseli, with their
fantastical portrayals of witches: "Plate 68 of [Goya's] Los Caprichos
is especially memorable: a wizened hag teaches an attractive younger
witch how to fly a broomstick. Both are naked, and the print was surely
meant to be salacious: the Spanish 'volar' (to fly) is slang for having
an orgasm... The Swiss-born artist Henry Fuseli, for instance, made
several versions of the famous moment when Macbeth meets the three
witches for the first time on the heath..."
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140925-where-do-witches-come-from
10.2 THE REAL MISTER GROAT?
If only New York postman Joseph Brucato had realised the letters wanted
to be delivered...
"A New York postman hoarded as many as 40,000 pieces of undelivered mail
in his home, car and work locker over nine years, prosecutors have
said... Postal investigators subsequently found 2,500lb (1.1 tonnes) of
mail dated as far back as 2005. Mr Brucato's lawyer said in court his
client suffered from depression. But the lawyer did not give a reason
why Mr Brucato had allegedly taken the letters... According to court
records, Mr Brucato became a postman in 2001 and had been assigned a
regular route in the New York borough of Brooklyn for the past 11 years.
When confronted by postal investigators about the undelivered mail in
his vehicle, Mr Brucato said he had been keeping mail there for six
months and 'on some days... did not deliver the mail intended for his
route for various personal reasons', according to a federal criminal
complaint. A search of Mr Brucato's residence, vehicle and locker at
work found even more mail that investigators said was post marked as
early as 2005..."
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-29387236
10.3 A MIGHTY FLOOD... OF BEER
The London Beer Flood of 1814 was an event in Roundworld history, but
can't you just see this happening in Ankh-Morpork? In separate articles,
London historian Mike Paterson and beer historian Martyn Cornell offer
an in-depth look into the Great Beer Flood and the Horseshoe (Meux)
Brewery's history.
"...this rather bizarre industrial disaster that occurred near what is
now the Dominion Theatre on 17 October 1814. Back then, London's
drinking classes were supplied by dozens of competing breweries dotted
around the capital and its outskirts. The competition between some of
these manifested itself by their building ever bigger vats. Prior to
going into commission, the brew-houses, as PR stunts, would typically
use these massive containers to host big swanky dinners for the
directors and their guests..."
At about six o'clock on the evening of the 17th, one of the steel bands
restraining the huge vat, with its a capacity of over a million pints,
burst, starting a liquid chain reaction: "The force of the escaping
beer, and flying debris, including the huge staves of the collapsing
vat, smashed several hogsheads of porter in the storehouse and knocked
the cock out of another large vat in the cellar below which contained
2,100 barrels of beer, all of which except 800 or 900 barrels joined the
flood..." and then "The tsunami of beer smashed down the brewery wall,
destroyed immediately two houses and severely damaged many others plus
the Tavistock Arms. The beer then flooded the basement rooms of numerous
adjacent buildings. A huge throng immediately assembled many of whom had
the presence of mind to harvest beer in pots, pans, teapots, jars,
bottles – anything that came to hand..."
Eight people – Ann Saville, Eleanor Cooper, Elizabeth Smith, Sarah
Bates, Catharine Butler, Mary Mulvey, the infant Thomas Murry and the
child Hannah Banfield – lost their lives, and there were many additional
injuries:
"As the huge wave of beer, at least 15 feet high, roared down the street
it flooded cellars, knocked in the backs of houses and washed people
from first-floor rooms. One little girl, Hannah Banfield, aged four, was
taking tea with her mother Mary, a coalheaver's wife, in an upstairs
room of one of the New Street houses when the vat collapsed. When the
torrent of porter rushed in, Hannah was swept from the room through a
partition and killed, while her mother was washed out of the window and
badly injured and another child in the room 'nearly suffocated'...
Houses in Great Russell Street, including the Tavistock Arms pub at
number 22, that backed on to New Street had their cellars and ground
floors filled with beer and their backs badly damaged. Those living in
the cellars had to climb up on top of their highest pieces of furniture
to save themselves from drowning in porter. At the Tavistock Arms, where
beer had washed right through the taproom and into the street outside,
pouring into the "areas" (basement entrances) of the houses opposite,
part of the back wall collapsed on top of one of the pub servants,
Eleanor Cooper, aged 14, who was at the pump in the yard, scouring pots.
She was dug out of the ruins nearly three hours later, still standing
upright, but dead..."
The smell of stale beer apparently lingered on in the area for many months.
It would seem that inappropriately comical accidents happened more than
once there, as when one owner, John Stephenson Jnr, came to an
unfortunate end:
"By 1792 the brewery was in the hands of John Stephenson. He was the
'natural' son of another John Stephenson, a wealthy London merchant,
originally from Cumberland. John Stephenson senior, whose uncle was at
one time Lord Mayor of London, was an MP for more than 30 years from
1761 until his death at his home in Bedford Square in April 1794, aged
84. Stephenson senior was unmarried, and left almost all his estate,
which included land in Cumbria, to his son. John junior, his wife Susan
and their six or seven children moved after John senior's death from
nearby Charlotte Street into the rather finer house in Bedford Square,
which was itself only a short walk north from the brewery... Tragically,
John junior had little time to enjoy his extra wealth. Like other
breweries at the time, the Horse Shoe brewery cooled the hopped wort
after it was boiled by pumping it into large, shallow vessels at the top
of the building, before it was run into the fermenting vessels and
pitched with yeast. Around 10am on the morning of Thursday, November 13,
1794, one of the brewery workers spotted a hat swimming on top of the
beer in one of the coolers. It was Stephenson's. Just a short time
before he had been in the brewery "accompting house". Unnoticed, he had
gone up to where the coolers were, fallen in and drowned..."
After the disaster, the Horse Shoe brewery carried on as one of London's
leading porter producers for the rest of the 19th century before being
absorbed into the huge Allied Breweries conglomerate.
http://bit.ly/1oSNEtt
http://bit.ly/1jR0TSh
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
11) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
From Sir Pterry's Twitter feed, "An edible Iron Girder toolkit to
celebrate t'publication of Mrs Bradshaw's Handbook and Raising Steam
p/b. Gradely!" Gradely indeed:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bzh0glJCUAA8JfP.jpg:large
Ray Friesen's charming toon-icon of "Team G. O.", aka the Good Omens
radio play gang:
http://bit.ly/1yQertw
A familiar quotation, illustrated for all to see at The Book Grocer in
Morwell (Shop 37, Mid Valley Shopping Centre, Morwell, Victoria, Australia):
http://tinyurl.com/qjzmq65
...and finally, always a favourite: Sir Pterry at Secret World rescue
centre in 2011, with Pauline Kidner and a hedgehog!
http://bit.ly/1w9Oin3
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
12) CLOSE
And there you have it. Before closing, I'd like to share this amazing
image of a library cake. There's no Librarian there, but with a bit of
marzipangutan the possibilities would be endless...
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bz2LljYIQAEgK2a.jpg
And speaking of libraries, Warrington Guardian columnist Jeremy Craddock
offers a fine, impassioned defence of libraries, referencing Pterry and
Neil Gaiman in the process. Well worth a read:
http://bit.ly/1wvP4uH
Lastly, a non-Pratchett book recommendation: Reading the OED, by Ammon
Shea (Penguin|Viking, 2008). A book that is both useful and fun. And
daft. Here be a quote from Chapter A: "All of the human emotions and
experiences are right there in this dictionary, just as they would be in
any fine work of literature. They just happen to be alphabetized."
Remember, the mirror version of this issue can be viewed at:
http://wossname.dreamwidth.org/5999.html
And that's the lot for October. Happy Hogswatch, er, Halloween, um,
Hogoween to all! See you next month!
– Annie Mac
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner
(at) pearwood (dot) info
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