@Mab_813 Yes, I was surprised to discover, during a Substack discussion of modern literary trends, that MFA doesn’t mean motherfuckinasshole!

@Mab_813 Yes, I was surprised to discover, during a Substack discussion of modern literary trends, that MFA doesn’t mean motherfuckinasshole!

@typolad There aren't actually all that many kings in the Discworld books either, when you think about it. There are historic (ie dead) kings and queens, Pteppic, King Verence of Lancre, the Low King of the dwarves, and of course Harry King, the King of the Golden River. The most intimately portrayed of these is Verence, and I think his vague affability is at least partly modeled on the then Prince Charles.

@typolad There aren't actually all that many kings in the Discworld books either, when you think about it. There are historic (ie dead) kings and queens, Pteppic, King Verence of Lancre, the Low King of the dwarves, and of course Harry King, the King of the Golden River. The most intimately portrayed of these is Verence, and I think his vague affability is at least partly modeled on the then Prince Charles.

@typolad He assisted with the iron smelting. He hired a master swordsmith to make the actual sword.

@typolad As I remember, it's from the point of view of police chief Sam Vimes. Vimes often channels Pratchett's own views, but sometimes I think in a more cynical and less nuanced form. Vimes is a descendant of the Discworld's equivalent of Oliver Cromwell, and tends to favour the quick and terminal approach to monarchs. To be fair, the monarchs of the Discworld, with some exceptions, tend to take a similarly traditional view with regard to republicans like Vimes.

Pratchett's comment on his knighthood was "You can't ask a fantasy writer not to want a knighthood. You know, for two pins I'd get myself a horse and a sword." Which is fair enough - after all even Sam Vimes ends up a knight and a Duke.

@typolad As I remember, it's from the point of view of police chief Sam Vimes. Vimes often channels Pratchett's own views, but sometimes I think in a more cynical and less nuanced form. Vimes is a descendant of the Discworld's equivalent of Oliver Cromwell, and tends to favour the quick and terminal approach to monarchs. To be fair, the monarchs of the Discworld, with some exceptions, tend to take a similarly traditional view with regard to republicans like Vimes.

Pratchett's comment on his knighthood was "You can't ask a fantasy writer not to want a knighthood. You know, for two pins I'd get myself a horse and a sword." Which is fair enough - after all even Sam Vimes ends up a knight and a Duke.

@typolad Ahem :-)

@nwhyte I spent a few days in Deventer in 2021, in between lockdowns - little pearl of a place. Wandered the place all day with my daughter while my wife was on a course. We took the ferry over the Ijsel and visited the windmill.
The river was in spate after the terrible floods in Belgium and Germany.

I also remember the little island with the bird sanctuary. And we loved the town square with the restaurants.

@dukepaaron But is it a musical? "If I Were A Spaceman" "Earthrise, Earthset" ...

As a programmer, I'll likely be making off-by-one mistakes until the day after I die

How to feel inadequate: TIL that Michael Holding — Whispering Death — preferred being a computer programmer to a professional cricketer, and worked as one well into his career. (This is from an article about the 1976 Oval match.) #Cricket
https://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/953181/simon-lister-on-michael-holding-s-14-wickets-at-the-oval-1976

@dukepaaron Probably painted by a white american. You know, an _actual_ settler colonialist.

An avatar of C.M.O.T. Dibbler has appeared.
https://universeodon.com/@georgetakei/114655771870532917

I’m assuming Aristotle’s Comedics is first on the list.
https://mastodon.social/@gutenberg_org/114654108656709877

@lnlyisol @CiaraNi You bough to no one.

Kobo has some book suggestions for me. There appears to be some uncertainty.

@raf I was grubbing around trying to find some Heavy Metal Klezmer the other day, but there doesn’t seem to be much around. Shame, really.

@lnlyisol @CiaraNi It took me a moment to twig what you were saying there.

@Natasha_Jay Sit quietly in a corner and read a book for the next hour!