Now Very Bad…

Tag: books

Terry Pratchett: My 10 Favorite Quotes
In 2004, Terry Pratchett came to Boston to be the Guest of Honor at WorldCon and did the first local signing in the over ten years I’d been reading his books. It was at the Boston Public Library. My wife & daughter were both ill, so I went by myself. (My wife would later get to see him speak a few years later at Harvard.)

I expected the usual book signing experience – author reads a bit, takes a couple of questions, then signs til hand falls off. But Pterry came out and put on a one-man show, talking at length about a variety of subjects for nearly 2 hours. He was charming, hysterical, insightful and everything his writing led you to expect.

Afterwards, I waited for nearly as long in line to see him. I was quite literally the last person in line since I’d gone off to make a phone call to check on my family right after the talk. He chatted and signed a book for everyone, despite how late it was getting and how much time he’d already spent at this gig.

When I finally reached the front I asked if he wouldn’t mind signing two books, since neither of my girls could be there. He said, “Well, I’m only supposed to sign one but it’s the back of the queue” and graciously signed them, commenting on how pretty my daughter Moira’s name was and shook my hand.

I was truly honored to meet such a great man.

“The thing about witchcraft,” said Mistress Weatherwax, “is that it’s not like school at all. First you get the test, and then afterward you spend years findin’ out how you passed it. It’s a bit like life in that respect.”

You passed, Terry…

My top 10 favorite Pterry quotes:
1. “We are here and this is now.” – Night Watch
2. “But there are causes worth dying for,” said Butterfly. “No, there aren’t! Because you’ve only got one life but you can pick up another five causes on any street corner!” “Good grief, how can you live with a philosophy like that?” Rincewind took a deep breath. “Continuously!” – Interesting Times
3. “I will give you some free advice.” “Will it cost me anything?” “You could say it is priceless. Are you listening?” “Yes.” “Good. Now … if you trust in yourself…” “Yes?” “… and believe in your dreams…” “Yes?” “… and follow your star…” “Yes?” “… you’ll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren’t so lazy.” – The Wee Free Men
4. “What is there in this world that makes living worthwhile?” Death thought about it. CATS, he said finally. CATS ARE NICE. – Sourcery
5. “The reward you get for digging holes is a bigger shovel.” – I Shall Wear Midnight
6. “Sometimes it’s better to light a flamethrower than curse the darkness.” – Men at Arms
7. “It’s vital to remember who you really are. It’s very important. It isn’t a good idea to rely on other people or things to do it for you, you see. They always get it wrong.” – Sourcery
8. “Or, to put it another way, the existence of a badly put-together watch proved the existence of a blind watchmaker.” – Small Gods
9. “Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened.” – Moving Pictures
10. “Give a man a fire and he’s warm for a day, but set fire to him and he’s warm for the rest of his life.” – Jingo
Honorable mention:
- “Winners never talk about glorious victories. That’s because they’re the ones who see what the battlefield looks like afterward. It’s only the losers who have glorious victories.” – Small Gods
- “The reason that clichés become clichés is that they are the hammers and screwdrivers in the toolbox of communication.” – Guards! Guards!
- “They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.” – Equal Rites
- THAT’S MORTALS FOR YOU, Death continued. THEY’VE ONLY GOT A FEW YEARS IN THIS WORLD AND THEY SPEND THEM ALL IN MAKING THINGS COMPLICATED FOR THEMSELVES. – Mort
- William wondered why he always disliked people who said “no offense meant.” Maybe it was because they found it easier to say “no offense meant”than actually refrain from giving offense. – The Truth
- “You get a wonderful view from the point of no return.” – Making Money
- “Logic is a wonderful thing but doesn’t always beat actual thought.” – The Last Continent
- “I have no use for people who have learned the limits of the possible.” – The Last Hero
- “I commend my soul to any god that can find it.” – Going Postal
- “His progress through life was hampered by his tremendous sense of his own ignorance, a disability which affects all too few people.” – Maskerade
Thanks to:

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Discworld

http://www.co.uk.lspace.org/books/pqf/index.html
March 12, 2015
Now Very Bat…75 years of Batman

Batman turned 75 years old earlier this year (2014). In recognition, we are rebranding our site for one week to Now Very Bat… and focusing on the blockbusters, the smaller films, the comics and the video games that feature the Dark Knight.

The first superhero I was aware of may have been Spider-Man. I remember seeing him in a department store as a kid – he gave me a Spidey ring that I may still have somewhere. I saw him on The Electric Company and maybe the newspaper. I will always have great affection for the web-slinger. And I loved Supes. I knew the music from Superman: The Motion Picture as well as any of John Williams works and still love the Man of Steel. (The man, not the movie Man of Steel – that sucked.) But Batman was always my favorite.

Partly it’s because he’s just a man. Incredibly strong billionaire, yes, but still just a human without superpowers. Partly it’s because he fashions himself as a detective. The idea that his first instinct when fighting crime is to use the same methods as the police somewhat lessens the vigilante stance. He uses his head more than his fists.

But more than anything, he’s just cool. He looks cool, he has cool gadgets, he hides in the dark and scares people. He was the first superhero to choose to do what he does; he had a backstory, not an atomic-era accident that turned him into something. That darkness is what keeps the character fresh.

Most of that darkness is thanks to Bill Finger. I won’t be reviewing it here, but check out the 2012 kids book Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman by Marc Tyler Nobleman & Ty Templeton. Amazing that it would take a children’s book to truly bring the full story of Bill Finger to life. As the title suggests, Bill was the unsung co-creator of Batman. His part in bringing to life one of the most popular and beloved comic characters of all time was unknown to most people, and even those who were aware there was a story there likely didn’t realize how instrumental he was.

The Batman figure and the Batmobile pictured here were left for me by the Tooth Fairy after I lost my first tooth!

Batman had the best writers and best storylines, and he had, by far, the best villains. The Joker is the single greatest comic book villain of all time, and the rest of Batman’s Rogues Gallery could successfully populate any other 5 series you name.

Over the 7 days, we’ll be looking at a Batman title in each of 4 categories: blockbuster film, other film, comic book & video game. So stay tuned to this Bat-Channel!

December 14, 2014
Now Very Beholder…40 years of Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons turned 40 years old in January of this year (2014). In recognition, we are rebranding our site for one week to Now Very Beholder… and focusing just on the films that star or in some way revolve around D&D.

I love Dungeons & Dragons. It was a big part of my life as a kid, it was one of the main ways I kept out of trouble as a teenager and despite not playing in years still holds great interest for me as an adult. I may not have had an active game in decades, but I still consider myself a D&D gamer. It’s the lens through which I view fantasy novels and films, and I still feel protective of the game and the way gamers are portrayed.

I was lucky to grow up in an open-minded, supportive town and school system that never fell in with the hysteria surrounding the supposed dangers of the game. I was even luckier to have two attentive, loving parents that not only weren’t swayed by the ridiculous claims that the game was dark, occult propaganda, but took the time to take an interest in what this thing was that my sister and I were so fascinated by. I remember a lot of miniatures under the Christmas tree in our house.

Games are important. Whether sports, board games, card games, tabletop role-playing games (RPGs), live action role-play (LARP), fantasy football, dice, or playing cops and robbers in the backyard, games are arguably human-kinds greatest pastime. Whether for diversion, entertainment or profession, engaging in games develops vital skills and abilities for life.

Many learned people more erudite than I can and have written pieces on how vital role-play is in the development of imagination, confidence, identity, strategic thinking, and emotional growth. I’ll just say that I consider RPGs in general and Dungeons & Dragons in specific fantastic tools in developing creative and interesting members of our society, regardless of how they experience or participate in the games.

But whether LARPing or sitting around a table, there’s something truly special about the human interaction that really is the root of all of these experiences. I am an avowed tech geek and have long wished for the creation of a great technological system for enabling people to belly up to a digital table and really recreate that experience. (There’s lots of workarounds and tools, but I have yet to see something that really works seamlessly and feels like a suitable replacement for meeting in my friend John’s basement with a group of friends.) But whether you’re in the same room or on different corners of the Earth, all that matters is the human connection.

It’s just a ton of fun. Play Pathfinder or Candyland. Just play…

December 8, 2014