Terry Pratchett Reading Week: Day 1 or It's Monday, What are you Reading?

I'm not sure how to start this post, it seems like too big of a topic to actually say anything about. When Robin Williams died last August (was it really that long ago??) I remember talking with family and friends about how sad we were because it felt like he'd been such a big part of our lives growing up that we almost felt as if we'd lost a friend. I felt the same when I heard about Terry Pratchett's passing last Thursday, except possibly more so. It's hard to explain the feeling and I bet some of you reading this will do it better than I can, but when you've loved an author's work and read it over and over and it's moved house with you several times because it's part of the pile of books you wouldn't even contemplate getting rid of, they become part of your life in some way and I am so saddened by the fact that after his last novel is published that will be it. Not to mention, what will I get my dad for Christmas now? 

I know that there is a JustGiving page set up in his memory which at the time of writing (Saturday afternoon) has raised an incredible £35,161 for The Research Institute for the Care of Older People so feel free to head over there and donate as much as you can. I wanted to honour his memory in some way because when I found out he'd died I rang my mum up and warned her because 'the family will mourn'. I am the eldest of seven siblings and all except the youngest are Pratchett fans. My dad, as previously mentioned, is probably the biggest fan of us all - an achievement as he doesn't read any other authors of fiction. Pratchett aside, it's historical nonfiction all the way for him. Along with David Gemmell, Terry Pratchett is the author who united my family with books. He gave us something to talk about when we'd run out of common ground, gave us a shared love, and most of all he made us laugh together. That's an amazing gift and I am so grateful for his genius and his prolific output which means I still have books of his that I haven't read even after he is gone. 

I've been wanting to take part in I'ts Monday! What are you Reading? hosted by Sheila of BookJourney for a while and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. The answer, obviously, is Terry Pratchett, but being that there is so much choice, where shall I start?

On Friday I posted this to my Instagram. It's a picture of all the Pratchett books I own that I haven't read yet. I know, shocking. 

Originally posted minus the butchering with red lines, since then I've finished Eric (obviously amazing) and made a start on Truckers. For most people I know, Rhys included, The Bromeliad (Truckers, Diggers and Wings) was their first Pratchett experience so it kind of seems like a travesty that I've not actually read them yet. They will be next. After that I might move on to a reread, possibly of one of these two

Night Watch is probably my favourite Discworld book, but I do also love the Witches books and this is the first of them that I haven't reread for a while, so we'll see how the mood takes me. I shall also be posting during the week about some of the visual and audio Pratchett experiences I plan to undertake during the week. 

The invitation for this week is this: read Terry Pratchett's books. Talk about them if you want to - here in the comments, on your own blog, on twitter, instagram and facebook (#pratchettreadathon), tumblr, goodreads or wherever else you talk about books. If you'd rather read in silence that's fine too. Reread or read for the first time. Remember, discover and most of all laugh and be happy that we have his incredible body of work and his sense of humour. If you'er new to the Discworld and don't know where to start, just ask. Everybody will enjoy disagreeing about their favourite characters/books I'm sure. If you'd like to join the discussion please do make sure you let me know where I can find you - I'd love to talk to you :-) 

I will try to post on a related subject every day of this week and there will be a linky live (here) all week so that you can link up any Pratchett-related posts you may write. I've already given some people who've never read his work a book on twitter but there may well be another giveaway at some point during the week, we'll see how we go. I don't want to be too structured about this and take focus away from the books. That's the point after all, so go forth, read books, and remember 

Fantasy is an exercise bicycle for the mind. It might not take you anywhere, but it tones up the muscles that can.