A view of the unseen
November 03, 2009 - by Dean GarnerAcademicals that is. Last night I read Terry Pratchett's latest Discworld novel, Unseen Academicals. The book came as a recommendation from one of our Adelphi University Honors College graduates who's now at Harvard Law School. In the end he decided it's not his favorite Pratchett, nor is it mine. But I did enjoy for several reasons.
It wouldn't be Pratchett without lots of verbal jokes-puns, double entendres, playing with English idiom. There's the usual range plus--also as usual--slightly more literary and learned play. In this novel which involves universities, colleges, archchancellors, deans, and dons, there's a new upstart college--Brazeneck. That's a reasonably learned play on Brasenose College, Oxford, originally named Brazen Nose, presumably after a bronze door knocker shaped somewhat like a nose. More likely to be appreciated by Pratchett's British audience than his young American one. There are quite a number of nods to the world of Harry Potter--wizards on collectible cards, and so on. But all of this, while enjoyable, isn't what keeps me reading Pratchett.
What I love most about Pratchett's Discworld is that it's fundamentally so good-natured and likable. His humans share the world with goblins, dwarves, trolls, vampires and other creatures. And everyone manages not merely to get along but to get along in a very jolly way. The main thing not tolerated is intolerance. The most interesting characters in this Pratchett outing turn out to be not the professors but rather four of the servants at the Unseen University and two very worldly wise figures from the dwarf fashion industry. Differing hugely in temperament, talent, and experience, these six nevertheless all end up demonstrating delightful understanding and compassion. The novel glows with their good will and what that goodness and worth make possible.
This novel also nods in recognition of old-fashioned escapist romance fiction. But in Pratchett everything comes with a difference. Here the most beautiful young girl lands a fairy tale career as a fashion model. But she models the latest version of mail for dwarves--micromail. And on the runway she always wears a beard. It's Discworld.
Pratchett may not be for you. Later this week I'm having two reading circles, one for students on Hemon's The Lazarus Project, and one for alumni on Updike's The Centaur. Unseen Academicals is not literature of that sort. But it is fresh and simply lovable in a lovely old-fashioned way.
Posted by Brendan on November 03, 2009 at 10:18 AM EST #
Posted by Richard Garner on November 03, 2009 at 10:25 AM EST #
Posted by Tom Westerman on November 04, 2009 at 06:12 PM EST #
Posted by brendan on November 10, 2009 at 12:46 AM EST #