I’m a big old Pagan and every Yule/Christmastime my friend reads us several passages from “Hogsfather”. It’s a lovely tradition.

plus Michelle Dockery from Downton Abbey is in the television adaption of the Hogfather in the role of Susan Sto Helit

Indeed. I can point to no other author that can consistently reduce a jaded curmudgeon like me to tears.

I get it. Growing up reading Terry Pratchett’s beautiful lies about the poetry of Death and the divine ape has provided this lil atheist with the sliver of insulation that she sometimes really needs to shield her thoughts from the dread void.

I just finished Hogfather and started Thief of Time last night, for the upteenth time. I agree, it is an emotional time of it this year.

One of my favorite bits in the book:

SQUEEK.

I’ve been watching this Christmas Eve every year since it came out. BEST Christmas movie ever.

While I fully agree with the sentiment of the article, being a Yule-loving atheist, myself, I have to point out that the Auditors aren’t meant as a dig against scientific rules and rationality, but rather reductionist thinking of building an abstract model and ignoring everything that doesn’t fit. The Auditors aren’t…

I was born, raised, and remain in the Unitarian Universalist church. But deep down in my heart, I am an Orthodox Pratchettarian.

I’m adding this to “Yes Virginia...” as one of justifications why I still tell my daughter there is a Santa.

The man will be missed.

I purchased The Hog Father, Going Postal, and The Color of Magic a while ago from iTunes to watch on my lunch breaks. Some of the best choices I have ever made!

I read it every December, 15 or so pages every night, so that I finish it on Christmas Eve. It’s extra emotional this year...

(Full disclosure, Christian poster)

There are rules for how a human being is supposed to behave in any situation. The bathroom is a preferable place to do you business than an errant rug, for instance, at least if you want to keep you social calender. Then there are the big ones, the Rules.

Thanks for reminding me to watch this again. I was also surprised how closely it followed the book. Pratchett often referred to “lies we tell to children”, small, not-exactly accurate “facts” that satisfy their curiosity now, letting us revise those answers when they’re older.

I had read The Light Fantastic at some point, and went Meh. Years later, read The Hogfather and fell in love with Discworld. It was a great book to get started on the series.

I disagree with the thesis here. I don’t think being imaginative and having fantasies require believing in lies, at least not in the way a child firmly believes that Santa Claus is real. My family is nominally Jewish and I’m an atheist. I never celebrated Christmas growing up, never had Santa give me gifts, and…

Sir Terry was a treasure.