Brain Snacks: Tasty Tidbits of Knowledge
In April 2003, the BBC decided to drum up interest in books again and began a polling contest to find out what was Britain's best-loved novel. And guess what? Though Pratchett didn't even crack the top fifty, he did tie with none other than Charles Dickens for most hits within the Top 100 (five a piece). And within the Top 200, he walked away with more entries than any other author—fifteen. And fourteen of those belong to the Discworld series. (Source.)
You know how the Discworld hitches a ride on the back of A'Tuin? Though cool, Pratchett didn't exactly come up with this idea entirely on his own—versions of it can be found in myths all over the world. A traditional myth of Delaware Native American tribes features a World Turtle, for instance. When the creator planted mud on this great turtle's back, the mud dried and became the earth, eventually harboring the trees that would seed man. It's a myth shared by other Northeastern tribes, too, like the Iroquois. (Source.)
The cosmic elephants also come from certain versions of Hindu cosmology. The Indian epic Ramayana notes four elephants supporting the world, each at one of the four compass points: Virupaksha (East), Mahapadma (South), Saumanasa (West), and Bhadra (North). (Source.)
Terry Pratchett published his first story, "The Hades Business," at the age of thirteen in his school magazine. Two years later, he published it commercially in Science Fantasy. That's awesome; 'nuff said. (Source.)
In 2009, Pratchett was knighted for his contributions to literature. Sir Pratchett decided that "he ought to be suitably equipped" to his new life, so he went all medieval and forged himself a sword. Seriously. (Source.)